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5.
AOTW: Do you have a "day job," in addition to being a published
author? How do you balance your "day job" with writing books?
Michael
Leahey: I have a day job running a research program for Columbia
University and New York Presbyterian Hospital. At any given time,
we have about 400 active research studies. I also have two small
children, ages 5 and 2, with who are my greatest gifts and with
whom I spend virtually all my spare time when they aren't sleeping.
Writing must fit around these activities, which is hard, but not
impossible. (Try typing with a two year old in your lap!)
Suzanne
Chazin: I was a magazine writer up until about six months ago,
but it was getting more and more difficult to travel both roads.
I still teach writing at the New School for Social Research in Manhattan,
but aside from this, I just work on my second novel.
Stephanie
Gertler: As I said before, my day job before Jimmy's Girl
was published was writing. I still write a monthly column (These
Days) for two newspapers, The Advocate and The Greenwich Time and
lately the column's been going through the AP wires to other papers
around the country. The column is non-fiction --- a homestyle column
about my life, my kids, my husband, juggling it all. And writing
on strict deadline that one morning a month is good for my soul.
It keeps me on my toes. Of course, the kids, husband and four dogs
are a day job as well, 24-7, in fact.
Sallie
Bissell: Bantam was very generous with their advance, so for
the first time in years I don't have a day job. I know that situation
well, however. While I was writing In The Forest of Harm,
I was a part-time picture framer, medical records clerk and order-taker
at J.Crew. It's incredibly hard to write like that, and I have great
respect for people who have day jobs and write. There's nothing
tougher.
Cat
Bauer: Recently I've been writing little columns about Italy,
particularly Venice, for the Italy Daily section of the International
Herald Tribune. I try to balance it by limiting that work to two
days a week, and am sometimes successful.
John
Searles: Yes. For eleven years I waited tables while writing
and putting myself through college and grad school. For the past
5 years or so I have worked at Cosmopolitan where I am now the Senior
Books Editor. I am not sure exactly how I make it all work; I just
do my best to balance all my commitments. Sometimes it gets crazy,
but I rarely --- if ever --- complain. I am just thankful that I'm
not still serving steak au poivres and Caesar salads! No matter
how busy I get, I always remember that I am fortunate and blessed
to be living my dream.
NM
Kelby: I don't think I can ever go back to having a "day job".
For me, writing a novel is a totally consuming profession. I wander
through my life working through the narrative, refining images.
I find it difficult to focus on even the most simple things, like
making dinner. If my husband isn't home for supper, I usually don't
eat. I can't imagine how I could go back to reporting. I'd be a
total mess.
Thisbe
Nissen: No day job right now, thanks to Knopf, but in the past
I've managed to do things for work that have left me as much time
as possible for writing. I also live in Iowa where the cost of living
a relatively comfortable life is really inexpensive, so I've eked
out a few years here doing the bare minimum for work and the maximum
amount of writing.
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