My job is killing me

[Anonymous]

Sorry if this is already covered in other posts.

I’m a primary inattentive type of ADD and wasn’t diagnosed until recently (I’m 35). A part of that is because I did very well in school. I can hyper-focus a lot on the things that interest me – and I’m interested in a lot of things. I am extremely creative and imaginative, and I’d love to be a writer. What kind? I hate that question – what DON”T I write is much easier to answer than what do I write. Everything from children’s books to philosophy to sci-fi to erotica, from essays to blogs, to plays to novels. I’ve self published some stuff, but breaking into the literary world – especially when you’re not focused on one specific type of in-demand writing – is difficult enough for a regular person. For someone with ADD to research potential publishers, agents, etc and submit work and wait for responses – damn near impossible!

So, in the meantime, I’m stuck in a job that involves no creativity whatsoever and I’ve reached the point where I completed every course there is to take and there’s not much new to learn. I’m doing the same thing over and over and over day after day and it’s getting harder and harder to do it. I wish I could quit and find something else, but I can’t. I am the sole breadwinner for my family – my wife can’t work due to fibromyalgia – and we have debt, etc. I don’t have the luxury of quitting, because my family is depending on me. A best case scenario would still involve me toughing it out for years while transitioning if I’m ever lucky enough to find a publisher.

I’d love a solution, but that’s likely too much to hope for. If I can get some sympathy and advice – even just knowing others “get it” – that will help.

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[Anonymous]

Some of my writing friends (a couple have had 1st novels published recently) have had more luck with self-publishing (which aslo requires self-marketing – yuck) or some kind of deal where the books aren’t actually printed until they are ordered. Another got a deal through an exclusively Christian publisher – probably not much call for erotica there, but you never know. 😯

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[Anonymous]

I have several books self-published, and available for print-on-demand via on-line sales.

But doing the self-promotion takes a LOT of work, and the most sales you can get are from selling locally which required ordering prints and that is very expensive. It’s kind of fun, but there’s no way you can make a living off of it. Barely broke even.

If only there was a way I could have someone who knows what they are doing do the leg-work of submissions, etc. and I just write. I tried to get my wife to do it, but she’s not too interested (and though she doesn’t have ADD, she does have the trait of only really putting effort into those things she actually enjoys – and, unfortunately, getting hubby published isn’t on that list.)

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[Patte Rosebank]

Have you thought about hiring a virtual assistant? These are people who do administrative work on a contract basis. That way, you’re not hiring a full-time assistant, but one who works on a temporary, usually part-time, basis.

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[Anonymous]

GREAT idea! I will look into it! Thanks.

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[Author]

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