Life of a Working Author Series

I’m a working author. Some say I’m the hardest working author they know. While I’m not sure that’s true, I know one truth:

Being an author is relentless work.

The internet never sleeps. I don’t get weekends or evenings off. Readers want to be acknowledged when they comment. Trolls kick one at her lowest. Reviews never cease, a good thing, as it means readers are still finding my titles. This site requires weekly maintenance. Events are a constant source of planning and investment. These days, travel is an action-packed part of this very full-time job.

On social media, I’m posting one picture a day from the life of this working author. Sometimes upbeat. Other times brutal. I’m holding nothing back.

Here’s a recent example from the Life of a Working Author.

The life of a working author may look like this photo: glamorous, wealthy, idle. But the reality is so much more sobering.

Up at 5:30am. Drive 45 minutes to Miami Beach. Almost plow into the person in front of me who cuts me off. Find the venue. Negotiate parking. Get gas. Rush back to venue. Set up for 11 chairs. 11 EFFING CHAIRS! I got up and rushed here for 11 effing chairs.

And I’m not finished.

Give a kickass performance. Rush to shove as many books as I can into hands. Pack everything up. Run to car. Reorganize bags. Mad dash to Miami Airport to turn in rental car and make an 11:17am flight to LA.

And the news about flying continues to improve, doesn’t it? NOT RELAXING.

Disembark in LA at 4:52pm. Wrangle bags to my rental car. Drive to San Diego. Did I mention the time I arrive in LA? Rush hour? On the 405 Freeway? After already being up for fifteen hours?

Whatever time I fall into bed, my life as a working author isn’t glamorous. Or financially rewarding. Or idle enough.

And that’s a brief synopsis of one day on this journey.

So.

The next time you wait until a book is free to download it, or cry because it isn’t 99 cents, or pass on the work of someone who’s killing herself to make it, or tell them you don’t need to buy their work because you aren’t going to help her succeed, think of me and this blistering day.

It ain’t easy being a working author in America.

Start making a memory. Click here for inspiration!