This may sound like a bit of a leap, but it's ABSOLUTELY not!

I started my career as a freelance writer while working as a teacher. I had classes in the early morning, mid-afternoon, and late in the evening, with plenty of time between. Rather than wasting it traveling home for a nap or watching TV, I filled that time with writing.

Before a year had passed, I was supporting my family on the income I earned writing for a living. I was able to quit teaching and focus on writing, but that brought a whole new set of problems.

Being a freelancer means that you have to handle ALL of your own expenses. There's no health insurance, no paid holidays, and no savings account. You have to manage your own money, a task that has been no end of stress since Day 1.

But thanks to the fact that I have to handle my money wisely, I have managed to put aside a pretty hefty amount of savings. I've taken vacations, visited my family, and even taken days off in the middle of the work week. I take my family out to eat and I live a good life.

And it's all thanks to the fact that I write as a freelancer.

When I started writing novels, the challenge got a bit harder. Not only did I have to make the money I needed to continue living, but I had to invest a bit into my book--covers, editing, formatting, etc. So now I REALLY had to be careful with the money I spent, as I needed to have enough to spend on my book at the right time.

It's done me a TON of good, and I'm incredibly grateful for the fact that I have to be cautious in what I buy and how I spend my money. I don't throw it around like many others that I know, but since I've started writing, I've never run out of money. Sure, things have gotten tight and I don't get as many days off as I'd like. But it's a trade-off that I am willing to make every day!