Customer Reviews

Quit Your Day Job!: How to Sleep Late, Do What You Enjoy, and Make a Ton of Money as a Writer

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This books earns the four stars by being interesting and helpful. It's well-written (naturally!) and puts what could be very dry business information into a format that creative types will be able to stomach.

My biggest problem, the reason I can't give 5-stars, may not be the authors fault really. The title and the synopsis lead you to believe this book is going to provide practical, how-to information about becoming a writer that makes enough money writing. The reality is laid out quite early on in the book. The first step, the unescapable step, is poverty. And not just any poverty, but poverty that you buy in to with a small fortune. His map to success starts with saving up an entire year's worth of your current salary (!!!), then living like a pauper for 1 to 2 years. During that time, you may not receive enough correct feedback to discover if your books are not selling because you are a bad writer, or simply haven't sold YET.

Now granted, this could be the reality. Perhaps he is just telling it like it is. But really, does such a dire starting point merit such an upbeat title? How to quit your day job boils down to saving up enough money to pay your own salary to yourself for an entire year. Nice work if you can get it, but I don't know many people that can store up a years salary in any reasonable amount of time. Can you?

Quit Your Day Job! by Jim Denney is a no-nonsense instructional guide which is strongly recommended reading for anyone seeking to pursue writing as a full-fledged, moneymaking, professional career. From the seven essential habits of a working writer (such as "write daily" and "set ambitious but achievable goals"); to the do's and don'ts of submitting one's work; professional relationships in the writing biz; learning how to write as quickly as possible without undercutting quality; and more, Quit Your Day Job! is a superbly presented, quite accessible and thoroughly "user friendly", reference resource for anyone considering any full time writing career.

Quit Your Day Job! was a mixed bag of helpful insight and bland anecdotes. On one hand, he does give some helpful insights into the business aspect of writing, mainly how hard it is, and it's obvious that the "quit your day job" of the title means that you need to quit your day job to fully focus on being a writer. Denney tells you different functions of people in the writing-business world, but it wasn't anything I couldn't look up on the internet and find within five minutes.

On the other hand, Denney, like most writers that write a book about writing, gives vague and useless tips to actually getting published. He basically says, "You could do this, or you could do this. Both of them work for some people." Also, a third of the book is just anecdotes he quoted from other writers. I finished the book wanting more.

Sometimes Denney goes too far on the business tangent and makes writing feel like a cold, sterile occupation. He goes so far that he suggests that, to get the most for the money you're getting paid, don't write long words, like using big instead of gigantic. And he's dead serious.

Also, don't buy this book if you're trying to learn how to write. This is definitely about the business of writing. I would recommend Immediate Fiction, by Jerry Cleaver. Not only does it tell you how to write, it has a chapter at the end of the book about how to go about publishing your book. That one chapter was more helpful than this book.

Based on his 20-plus years experience as a writer who has supported himself and his family writing books from his home office, Jim Denney offers us, in his own words, "a combination of encouragement and motivation on the one hand and a bucket of cold water in the face (reality) on the other." In page after well-written page, he presents the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth about this often mysterious, unseen realm that connects writer to reader.

The author of more than 60 books, many of which have been collaborative efforts, Denney lets us in on the secrets of pleasing publishers, working with other creative minds, contract negotiation and more.

Wondering if you need an agent? Denney gives you the tools to make an informed choice.

Need guidelines for structuring your writing day? Turn to chapter 5, "the Seven Essential Habits of a Working Writer," and you'll know just what to do next.

If your "real job" gets in the way of your dream to write for a living, you'll learn how to make the transition in "Taking the Leap."

When writing is your passion, your gift and your calling, it's good to know you aren't alone. If you identify with the kid Denney describes in "A Holy Calling," as I did, you'll benefit from the fellowship of his final chapter, "Soul Survival." Whether your personal demons are named Finances, Deadlines, Self-doubt or Rejection, he'll teach you how to knock each one of them down and press on toward the mark of excellence in writing.

I thank the tree who gave its life for this book! I couldn't read fast enough to soak in all the information. And this book is loaded with plenty. It lays out the truth about the life of a writer. At the same time I was inspired and motivated. The author should have charged double for this gold mine.
Thanks for the boost I needed to start taking my writing career serious. I am loving every mintue I spend in front of the keyboard. See you at the top!

Part pep talk, part practical advice, part words of wisdom by a multitude of successful authors, Denney's book is a good resource for any writer (or other creative person) considering ditching a nine-to-five job and going freelance.

Longer review at http://goodbyedayjob.blogspot.com/.

Useful, informative, very helpful. I don't know if this book will help you quit your day job and make a ton of money as a writer, (sounds like a title the publisher's marketing department came up with), but the author's practical easy-to-use advice will probably give you the best chance possible to make it happen. If I hadn't come across the book while doing research on something else, the title probably would have turned me off. Now, I'm glad I bought the book. Excellent advice on becoming a regularly selling writer by someone who has done it.

Quit Your Day Job is inspiring. I couldn't put it down.

More Stars Please!! This is a 10 star book! Extremely educational and inspiring! It's a must read for anyone dreaming of a writer's career. If you want a precise and direct map from idea to publication -- this is it!