One thing I've learned is that you can never count on the money being there. Ever. Deals fall through, gigs disappear and the next thing you know you're living off savings as you scramble for the next gig.

The writing life is a very tough one. Would be nice if we could live the way the world imagines we live, but reality and fantasy are far apart.

Absolutely. And I can safely say that I was expecting an advance check for contracts signed a week or so ago (I was expecting the check; the contracts were signed a while back) that hasn't arrived yet, a $3000 check for work I did in May that I had to re-invoice for because they got lost (and I still haven't received it), and another client who owes me $700 and another that...

Well, you get the idea. There's a lot of money floating around out there with my name on it that I really, REALLY would have preferred came LAST week, but I hope will come THIS week, although I already got today's mail and there were NO CHECKS in it, and although I try to be philosophical and patient, sometimes it's hard, especially when you're going on vacation and would like to throw some money in the savings/checking account before you go. Sigh...

My income goes up and down for many of the reasons you mention, but there's another peculiarity...as a freelancer you don't get paid on a regular basis, or for showing up for work, but only when a project is done. So I have spent the last three months of a year working and the check arrives the next year. Thus the income for one year is lower than the work actually done and the income for the next higher (and potentially taxed at a higher rate). There used to be income averaging available to prevent the unfairness of this, but that vanished long ago (except I think for farmers) Of course, with royalties you can be getting your pay long after you've done the work.

Yeah. As I said, I'm waiting to be paid for work done a couple months ago. This client also pays 50% up front. It's the first time I've really worked for advances--that and the upcoming advance checks for novels #3 and #4. #3 should be finished in the next month or so and #4, well, #4 is a title and paragraph description. For books #1 and #2, you could only technically call them advances because I already wrote them when we signed the contracts.

Working from an advance takes some getting used to, too. You get paid BEFORE the work starts. Weird. I guess it saves on nagging phone calls and e-mails... in theory.

Working from an advance also puts pressure on you that might not exist otherwise. Sweating book 2 here, so forgive me...

Yeah it does, Rob. But why the hell are you reading this blog? You took last week off! Go back to work!

my daughter and i are painting again and thinking of trying to sell some. after canvassing one of the small "folksy" type of towns here in ky that's known for it's local artists and seeing the prices on the paintings there, i'm convinced i can sell one a month and be financially sound. extremely. course it will all be worth more when i'm dead...!!!

so yes, put a price on the work. a high price. your time and talent and work are valuable.

It is sort of anti-intuitive, but if you place a high price on your work, people will tend to think you're worth it. There are exceptions and I've priced myself out of a few jobs as a result, but you have to shrug that off. You have to also pay attention to what the market will bear, certainly.

What can I say, I'm a blogaholic.