Purple Hearts

Just like any career, a writing career should have certain parameters. And, also like any other career, starts out as a job.

Let’s take a look:

JOB DESCRIPTION: A standard job description has a list of duties, hours worked, who you report to, and who your “customers” are.

For example: Author: Works a set standard of 2 hour a day minimum, seven days a week. Her duties include: writing, editing, researching, synopsizing, querying, critiquing for CP, weekly CP meeting and other duties as needed. Author is her own boss as well has having a dotted-line reporting to CP.

MANAGER: The person you report to.

For example: Author reports to self to hit self designated goals with dotted-line reporting to CP to hit group goals and to be accountable for self-outlined goals.

Future supervisors: Agent and Editor.

BENEFITS: Forms of payment, monetary and otherwise.

For example: Author receives 2 Starbucks Venti Black Iced Teas for every week she completes her hours. At the end of project deadlines, there will be a large bonus as ascribed at the beginning of the project if target dates are hit.

VACATION: Time off from work.

For example: Between each large deadline, author receives one week off time (ie post-Fast Drafting, post-Revisions, post-polish, etc.)
Vacation time must be planned in advance.

SICK TIME & PERSONAL TIME: Unforeseen time when work hours are missed. This is at the discretion of your manager.

PERKS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES: The company shall set aside $30 weekly for the author to pursue learning and professional opportunities.

Remember, like any job you need to like what you do and dedicate yourself to your tasks. Treating your writing as a job is the only way to make it a career. Act professionally, plan strategically and know where your going.

But most importantly, Go Write.
-bria