Making a Living

I have a new plan for making a living: sell my writing. 

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OK, now wipe away your tears of laughter and listen—I am happy here at my desk. I am full of ideas, I love what I'm doing, and I am getting positive feedback—lots of it, unsolicited, and from perfect-strangers-turned-friendly-readers. Momentum is building, and it's not just through the blogs. I have been writing, with no- or low-pay, for several magazines consistently and my portfolio has doubled in size in three months. 

Last time I managed to sell much of my writing was in 2004. I wrote a poem and two articles (one researched, the other a personal anecdote), and submitted each to a magazine. Each was rejected. I submitted each to a second magazine, and each was accepted. Each was paid for, and prettily. Ka-ching! 

This year, I vowed to sell my writing but approached the matter differently . . . I wrote a dozen query letters. Two dozen. I got one rejection letter, and not a thing more. 

Query letters, at least for me, do not seem to be doing the trick. It looks like writing on speculation is the thing to do, and why not do it? 

Professional writers say not to, and here's why—it's time spent without reimbursement. It's working for free. I ask, however—is it really work? If I'm having a blast, and loving every minute, why not write for the freelance market? Why not put something together and send it out? Why not try?

I'll let you know what shakes out.

Marnie