Career Choices with Louder Voices · 6:13am Feb 3rd, 2017

Yep, that's my desktop's desk top. It's also a battleground of Future Pone vs. Lycan Pone. Place your bets!

Much to my pleasant surprise, I've been approached at least twice in the last two weeks for writing advice. One was a simple task of giving actual advice to an up-and-coming author's problem of starting a story (ain't that the truth, though?), while the other was much more involved and actually taught me quite a few things. Even though such requests aren't part of the typical day-to-day of my life right now, I can't shake the pride and enjoyment I got from rendering such advice. In fact, it's enough to have me seriously consider pursuing a career as a professional editor.

Now, the million-dollar question...am I actually good at it, do I actually like it, or is this all just the product of my ego getting stroked?

I had a long talk with Spirit Seer (you know, the editor for FMP and the one to whom I gifted this music track) about it, since she has some experience in the matter. While she shared some well-earned warnings about becoming a "writer's slave," she also gave me a ton of advice on what to expect from an outsider's perspective. Wouldn't you know it - listening to her only made me even more curious. Now I have a few great ideas on what to do in order to gain experience, and I owe at least four of them to her experience.

Through it all, I kept thinking to myself about the healthy reference library I've got up there. I mean...if I wasn't truly interested in trying out editing as a career, would I have bothered to purchase so many guides, digests, and memoirs? At the time, I may have justified it by saying I would use them to improve my own style. But let's be honest: I've only ever cracked these open when I'm helping someone else.

I suppose the main drawback from where I'm standing is how to approach it. Evidently, most editing positions require experience and a degree, neither of which I own. Plus, the standard salary isn't nearly as attractive as I'd like. It's twice what I earn right now, sure, but it still wouldn't be enough to completely wipe out my expected debt for the next five years. Then again, who says I need to give up my own writing? I've still got five storylines of my own design, plus Patreon is becoming more and more attractive as I get better. Maybe there's a balance between all three!

But how to approach it? Hmm... I s'pose the logical step is to see what education I need and where I can get it. Going back to school has always been a "goal for later," but maybe later is coming sooner that I thought. Pfft, getting an English Major might actually be enjoyable. But then the question becomes: am I prepared to be a student again? As in, am I ready for the environment where I don't know everything??

Oooh, scary thoughts.

~Leo

P.S.: Y'all should totally check out MV's Writer's Resource group. It's still being built, but it's being built by someone who wants to make things great. Sign up, volunteer, and tell them Leo sent ya!