I’ve always wanted to be a writer, and of course, to be a writer there’s only one thing you really have to do: write. That’s what I tell my students, and it’s true. But building a life as a writer is a different matter, and one thing I quickly learned is that it requires more than writing. It’s taken me a lot of years to build a writer’s life, but these days, I feel I might actually be there.

What do I mean? Well, a writer’s job is multi-faceted. I write. Every day. That’s a given. But there are other, equally vital components…

  1. Marketing and Social Media
    Writers promote themselves. They need an online presence. A blog. Website. Twitter. Facebook pages and groups. A Goodreads presence, and more. But promotion extends beyond this. I spend hours every week – sometimes every day – researching and querying agents, browsing bookstores to see what’s current in YA and MG, writing and rewriting my synopses, and so on.
  2. Teaching
    This may not be an essential component of all writers’ lives, but it is in mine. I run a weekly writing workshop for teens, teach regularly at colleges, universities and libraries, and go into schools to offer readings as well as writing workshops. Actually, teaching is, and always has been, one of my favourite things – so much so that I hope to write a ‘how to’ book for creative writing teachers.
  3. Running Writing Retreats
    Anyone who knows me knows this is something I love, love, love to do. For years I co-owned a writing and art retreat in Ontario. Now, I run annual writing retreats in partnership with a beautiful rainforest lodge in Costa Rica, and I’m hoping to expand to Puerto Rico or Mexico in the next year.
  4. Editing
    For me, this component is relatively new. I started editing during my MFA years, and now I have several clients, My two current favourites? Helping a wonderful memoirist to structure stories of her mother’s life and assisting a children’s performer as she turns her lyrics into picture books.

    Do I make a living from my writing? The short answer is no – but when you add all the components of a writer’s life the answer is a bit more complicated. Still, the fact remains: I live a writer’s life half the time and the remainder of each day goes on planning for my other great passion – Centauri Summer Arts Camp.

And that’s just the way I like it.