Passion for Writing doesn't always equal a hefty payday

Writing is like breathing to me. I need to do it. I never think anymore about negative reactions to what I post; if I get a response I am happy.

Many writers have trouble dealing with rejection but I can honestly say that I don't. If you do not like what I have written, well you just don't agree with my opinion. If you don't like my style of writing, again, this is who I am.

I wear my heart on my sleeve proudly. I write the same way. Passion, anger and the need to share fuels me to write. When I am forced to think about SEO, keywords and what will get lots of views, the creative process gets lost for me.

I have met plenty of "writers" who tell me they earn hundreds every month writing on the Internet. That is just not me.

Sure I would love to replace the paycheck I lost over 2 years ago. The problem is that I am just not that kind of "writer". I am willing to "sell out" a bit and try but often find myself thinking "what the hell am I doing?".

I taught my daughter how to start her own blog today. I hope that she will use the summer to develop an outlet for her creativity. I didn't promise her that she will make money off of her blog or that she will become widely known. I just want her to have an escape. Just like me.

I maintain several blogs because unlike successful web content writers I cannot narrow myself down to one niche. I am moody, multi-dimensional and passionate about several subjects. How could I ever limit myself to just one area?

So I wake up every day and follow the same routine. I write some uninspired short articles for the money, get fired up and do my blogs and then sometimes let it all spill out into a saved document for later. Meanwhile, I stress over June being almost over and my bills not being paid and that job at Burger King starts looking pretty good.

Perspective

As we get caught up in the challenges of life, sometimes we can lose our perspective. Whether we feel our situation is hopeless or we just cannot see any hope, sometimes it takes stepping outside of our own problems to get some perspective.

I have been guilty of wallowing in self-pity, more often than I would care to admit. Many of us do. We may cry and plead for an escape.

Sometimes we just don't know how good we really have it.

This country is in trouble. Our economy is still not recovered. The price of food, gas, everything is rising but paychecks (if you are lucky enough to have one) are not catching up. Many families are struggling. Some worse than others.

Our new reality means that many of us are learning how to live on less.

Then there are the people who desperately need help. It doesn't matter what your political stand is on helping your fellow man. Can anyone really walk past someone who is in need and ignore them?

I don't have much in the way of money or possessions but I have compassion and if I can do something to help someone else, I am there.

This is why I share the story of my friend Emma. Emma is disabled. She has literally been fighting for years to receive disability benefits. Her family has been hit hard by the economy (whose hasn't) and her husband is struggling to find full time work. They have a young child and Emma is a writer who earns some money by writing web content. Unfortunately, they have fallen so far behind in their basic living expenses that they just cannot seem to catch up.

They would be in a homeless shelter right now if homeless shelters took service dogs. That's right, Emma has a service dog that she needs. I have seen how a few bad apples can ruin things for the genuinely needy but Emma's story is completely disturbing to me. This is not how our country treats their own! (well- in Emma's case it is but that doesn't make it right) If you would like to know more about Emma's fight to receive Social Security disability benefits and how you can help (even a small donation can help) Click here

Reading Emma's story helps me to put my "troubles" in perspective. Perspective is an eye-opener.

Making Money While You Are Unemployed

How to make money with no money

Maybe your unemployment is your opportunity to become self-employed. If you think that being self-employed is something that is out of reach for you, wipe away those negative thoughts from your mind. The above article will show you that it is possible to earn money by being creative. OOPS! Now I have scared away those who think that they are not creatively inclined. What I mean by creative is to think about the skills that you possess and probably assume are not marketable. Guess what? They are! Once you determine what you are good at or what you can do for someone else, the sky is the limit in how far you can take it.

Check out this article about how to make money with no money- get inspired to turn your unemployment into an opportunity!!!