This week’s writing prompt is What would I do if I wasn’t a writer.
I came late to writing — I’ve only been published for a little more than two years and have only been seriously writing for a little more than three.
The short answer is, I’d be doing what I was doing in 2015 before I realized being a writer was a real possibility — working, making up stories in my head during the horrible DC commute while Dora the Explorer played in the background, and finding crafty outlets for my creativity.
The funny thing is I’m at that point in my military career where I’m two years away from retirement and I have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. Ideally, I’d like to make enough from writing to supplement my retirement income so I can be home to see my kids off to school and welcome them back in the afternoon; to drive them to sport or music practice or scout meetings; and write in the hours in between.
I had a day like that a week or so ago. I was off from work while the kids still had school. I got up with them like normal, went to the gym, then got ready like I normally do. I met a work-from-home mom at a coffee shop and I wrote and she worked her work. We broke for lunch and then we did the same thing for a few hours before I went to run errands before the kids got out of school.
It. Was. Awesome!
Definitely the life for me.
Except I’m not independently wealthy and I’m not hitting any best seller lists (yet). I also like to travel and expose my kids to different countries and cultures and airline tickets are NOT cheap. Until someone is willing to make me their trophy wife, I have to continuing working a day job to feed the desire.
So in a year and a half, I'll look for a job that still affords me time to write while also allowing me to buy tickets to far off destinations. I'll bank my military retirement with the goal of being an independently wealthy, stay-at-home writer after my kids have gone off to college. In the mean time, if you know of anyone who's looking for a trophy wife, let me know.
I'm kidding. Please don't send me messages about looking for a trophy wife. I have no desire to go through the effort of looking like a trophy wife. Which is probably why I'm not one. Among other reasons.
What would you do if money wasn't an option and you could choose any career you wanted?
Click here to what other authors would do if they weren't writing.