thanks for writing this, jen- you deserve all the funding, your writing is so new and brave and speaks to so many people (including me!). there aren’t enough opps out there for the amount of people who need them, but i hope you re-apply for the RLF- it’s horribly oversubscribed but you wd be so great at it.
Thank you so much Rosalind, that's super kind. Yes, there really isn't enough funding to go around, and I assumed I wouldn't get anything really. I will keep going, thanks to all the encouragement.
A great piece Jen. it’s so exhausting trying to scrape a living in this writing game. It’s nice to read something so open about the difficulties, whilst also not succumbing to hopelessness! You’d be great at the RLF hope you get it next time
Thanks so much Clare. Yes, I definitely don’t feel hopeless - as long as I have ideas and feel excited about writing, I won’t feel hopeless. I would have loved to have done it, fingers crossed for next time.
Thanks for writing this Jen, I and many others will appreciate your candour and willingness to give exact figures. As I read it I was literally finishing a job app for something not even remotely to do with publishing/writing/translation but that would, in the unlikely case I get it, immediately give me a higher income than I've ever earnt in about 8 years as a freelancer. And yet, the part of your piece that struck me most was: "Working freelance is the only way I can work, and the only way I want to work." I guess a lot of us sometimes, or frequently, wonder why on earth we continue to do this, but the freedom, choice and flexibility is a wonderful thing and not something I won't mourn the loss of if I do end up back in traditional employment after a decade.
Thank you Rahul, appreciate it. I tried a 'regular' job for a few years and it made me ill - being freelance for me is the only way. Sometimes it feels like a double punishment (not being able to work a salaried job; not earning very much), but most days it makes me feel completely human and happy.
Mate I feel this so much and i'm always totally open in public about it too. Currently reply from me sickbed cos i got fuckin shingles, again, the only thing i *can* reply on to keep getting when all thix has to be done round t/t work. Published a novel in Feb, while eyeballs deep in a 500,000 word non-fic manuscript AND the day job and me two teens and a bamf. Yowza 😳🤣
Thank you for this. So important. "Creativity cannot come down to institutional funding and validation, and it shouldn't be rushed or changed for the sake of others' expectations" is so it.
thanks for writing this, jen- you deserve all the funding, your writing is so new and brave and speaks to so many people (including me!). there aren’t enough opps out there for the amount of people who need them, but i hope you re-apply for the RLF- it’s horribly oversubscribed but you wd be so great at it.
Thank you so much Rosalind, that's super kind. Yes, there really isn't enough funding to go around, and I assumed I wouldn't get anything really. I will keep going, thanks to all the encouragement.
A great piece Jen. it’s so exhausting trying to scrape a living in this writing game. It’s nice to read something so open about the difficulties, whilst also not succumbing to hopelessness! You’d be great at the RLF hope you get it next time
Thanks so much Clare. Yes, I definitely don’t feel hopeless - as long as I have ideas and feel excited about writing, I won’t feel hopeless. I would have loved to have done it, fingers crossed for next time.
Thanks for writing this Jen, I and many others will appreciate your candour and willingness to give exact figures. As I read it I was literally finishing a job app for something not even remotely to do with publishing/writing/translation but that would, in the unlikely case I get it, immediately give me a higher income than I've ever earnt in about 8 years as a freelancer. And yet, the part of your piece that struck me most was: "Working freelance is the only way I can work, and the only way I want to work." I guess a lot of us sometimes, or frequently, wonder why on earth we continue to do this, but the freedom, choice and flexibility is a wonderful thing and not something I won't mourn the loss of if I do end up back in traditional employment after a decade.
Thank you Rahul, appreciate it. I tried a 'regular' job for a few years and it made me ill - being freelance for me is the only way. Sometimes it feels like a double punishment (not being able to work a salaried job; not earning very much), but most days it makes me feel completely human and happy.
Mate I feel this so much and i'm always totally open in public about it too. Currently reply from me sickbed cos i got fuckin shingles, again, the only thing i *can* reply on to keep getting when all thix has to be done round t/t work. Published a novel in Feb, while eyeballs deep in a 500,000 word non-fic manuscript AND the day job and me two teens and a bamf. Yowza 😳🤣
I hope you recover soon Stu, and all the best for your projects!
Thank you for this. So important. "Creativity cannot come down to institutional funding and validation, and it shouldn't be rushed or changed for the sake of others' expectations" is so it.
Thanks so much for reading Polly, glad you thought it worthwhile!