A lot of people talk about becoming and author, and almost everybody thinks that they can write a book. The truth is that writing is very hard. I have made a lot of sacrifices to get where I am at, and honestly, it is not very far. I could easily spend all day networking on social media sites, writing blog entries, entering contests, developing my webpage, going to writer's groups, and still not write a word for my novel. That does not include going to conferences and promoting your material once it comes out.

How much do you earn during this process? Most likely ZERO, zilch, nada. Therefore, for all of the other writers like myself who have yet to "make it big", we must also work full time jobs. That means that our writing gets placed on the back burner and that's often where it sits. Obviously, this is not what I want, but I can't pay the bills on hopes and dreams. Creditors really don't buy that.

So how do I do it? I sacrifice. I took a thirty-thousand dollar pay cut to accept a job that allowed me more time to write. I get about 5-6 hours sleep at night so I can stay up late working on my writing when the house is quiet. I work during my lunch hours and write every spare minute I can get.

It also means sacrificing more than time and money. Sometimes the sacrifices are a lot more painful. Not everyone in my life is supportive of my writing. It hurts that I can't share the most important thing to me (other than my children) with those I care about the most. Writing is often solitary, as is reading. It does not open itself to interaction. Finding a balance is hard.

But for me, the sacrifice is worth it because I feel like I have a message. When you read my work, I am allowing you to read into my soul. That is something that a lot of people close to me are not allowed to do. There is something that I am trying to tell you about yourself, about the world, about me. I want you to think about what we as a society accept and believe. I want to shake you to your core. Hopefully, someday I will achieve that.