*sigh*

[ksmith]

An interesting post by an agent tailor-made to burst my little soap bubble dreams.

I dream of the quit-the-day-job deal. I am also a tad security-conscious. I once took one of those on-the-job personality tests--the results were a tie between "entrepreneur" and "security", which is about as conflicted a result as you can get.

To be a full-time writer. The books need to keep selling, and you need to keep writing them. For 20, 30, 40 years or more.

Comments

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

This sounds like me, in a reverse way. I have an idea of what I would need to live on. I don't believe that I will need 100% replacement income, which is what many of the financial advice books preach. I only take home about 45% of what I make, and am hoping that if the 401(k) can cover, say, 60% replacement income, whatever remains of the company pension (yes, I still have one coming, at least for now) will combine to provide enough of a base so that writing income, while nice, would not be an absolute necessity. So I am approaching it from the other side--I don't want to have to depend at all on the writing income. I'm hoping that saves my brain. I burned out once, and I don't want to do it again. I will. however, work part-time in the wild if necessary. It would probably be better if I did that anyway, in the interests of social interaction and research. The paycheck probably wouldn't hurt, either.

Yes, I know, I'm not figuring in taxes or health insurance. Well, yes I am, but in a roundabout way. I have a Roth IRA set up that I hope to use for health care premiums/fund an HSA/whatever. Taxes will get paid. Barring a complete collapse of the financial markets, I shouldn't, hear me God, risk my house or wind up under a bridge. All those entertaining adult thoughts.

I'm hoping I can swing this in the next 2.5 years. It may be later. Just watching the numbers.