Jay's Story : Professional Writer

"Fantasy authors are the historians of
mankind's imagination" - A. Wilde

Care to introduce yourself?

I'm Jay, and I'm a writer.

That's a popular dream gig. How did you get into professional writing?

I got my current position by following my passion to become a writer. Then I started a blog because I really wanted to write. That became the portfolio I've used to interest others in allowing me the opportunity to write and be published professionally.

Did you go to school for this kind of thing?

I've had no special training to prepare me to be a writer.

What do you like about being a writer?

I like the process and the results. I enjoy the research and then distilling it into "the story". When I'm done it's as much about what I've learned as much as it is the expression I gave it.

Is there a downside to writing on the professional level?

There isn't much downside to being a writer unless you include not getting paid.

That would be a big downside for some. How are you combating that?

I don't combat the lack of salary because I believe I'm working up to the getting paid part.

Tell me about a typical day for you.

I don't have a typical work day because that's not how my process works. I usually write in the morning because that's when my thoughts are the quietest. I alternate between research/writing and doing other things. Taking a break to do something completely unrelated helps to bring what I'm doing back into a clearer focus which keeps me in a creative frame of mind.

Is writing your only gig?

Yes, this is my only job.

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

To be a writer you need to have a strong command of the language and a passion for understanding the intricacies of communication. Beyond some basic English classes I'm not certain you need any formal training. There is no class, that I know of, that teaches you to think and feel, or gives you the ability to articulate it, other than life itself.

To read some of Jay's work, check out his music review blog "Off the Charts Daily Dose of Rock & Roll". Jay also writes as a columnist for a pop culture magazine [name withheld].