And your own bucks.

Lana Turner in “The Prodigal” (MGM, 1955).

(Note: Material in this article has been repurposed from a series of earlier articles written for Medium.)

The above epic film may not have made much money and the reviews were nothing to brag about.

But what an image!

“The Prodigal” was based on the biblical parable of a wealthy son who leaves his family behind to spend his inheritance on a life of pleasure. Lana Turner played Samarra, a Damascus love goddess who was the object of the son’s greatest desire.

The son did not need to conventionally “work” once he assumed his father’s inheritance. Neither do you. He demanded his father’s money. I would suggest earning the money on your own.

Troubled production aside, “The Prodigal” must have been a hell of lot of fun to make for some of its crew. Can you imagine crafting Babylonian Fertility God-Demons for a living? Or, acting in films or on stage without the relative security of a 9–5 job? Or, writing, singing, dancing … filmmaking?

Such fortune no longer comes exclusively to those who wait for their breaks.

It never did, actually. Entrepreneurs have long taken such matters into their own hands. How? First, ignore the myth of right-brain, left-brain capabilities and appreciate that creatives can indeed also perfect the business side of their passion.

We’ll go from there.

DIY 101: Tips For Writers

Who among you would prefer to be your own boss? How many of you, if you had your druthers, would elect to give up the commute and work from home in your underwear?

Or less?

For those to whom this applies, here are several strategies I’ve used myself over the years to stay above water, several I’ve utilized when transitioning to my passion for a full-time writing income, in no particular order:

Craigslist Writing Gigs

Don’t ever dismiss Craigslist as a legitimate source of writerly income. When I began haunting Craigslist ads about a dozen years ago, my first writing gig paid $1000. The second, a screenplay, paid $35,000.

Of course, that latter figure is an exception. The first is as well. But still …

Perusing Craigslist Writer’s Gigs ads, as with their Writer’s Jobs ads, with the intent of finding a treasure is similar to dating. You’ll need to kiss many frogs to find that elusive legitimate post. The thing is, those legitimate posts do indeed exist, and over the years I’ve earned well into the six-figures by responding to them.

Here’s the math: Let’s say 10% of all Writer’s Gigs ads are legitimate. That means, if you’re lucky, for every 10 queries or responses you send out, you’ll receive one response back from a poster who may want to speak to you further. They will receive dozens if not hundreds of responses typically, so your subject line has to stand out.

Mine was something like this: MULTI-PUBLISHED AND PRODUCED AWARD-WINNING WRITER.

That’s always gotten attention for me.

Back to the math: Up until maybe two years ago, though I still haunt those ads from time to time (old habits die hard), I accepted offers to write screenplays, books, book proposals and press releases. I wouldn’t touch a screenplay (and cannot now as a Writer’s Guild member) for less than $10,000, but I allowed the client to pay in installments. Books were based on the page count, generally $2500 per 100 pages. For book proposals I charged a flat $5000 for about 30–35 pages or they weren’t worth my time. One-page press releases were $1000.

Yes, I wrote the books cheaply. I was still experimenting with them then.

You may ask, “How could people who post on Craigslist afford those rates? My philosophy was this: Of those who called me back after responding, this was a way to weed out the b.s. from those who were real. In the span of a year, I exceeded my last full-time job income (from back in 2005) by taking on writing gigs from Craigslist. I sent an average of 20 responses daily (copied and pasted), received two responses on average and typically entertained one offer.

The successfully-attained assignments added up over the course of a year, as did the income.

Content Mills: Medium.com, Vocal.media, Hubpages.com

The term “content mills” has become something of a pejorative among many who fancy themselves “legitimate” writers. Most do not understand.

You get paid for articles on a per-click basis or some other algorithmic equation. I regularly share my content on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram Quora, Reddit and news.ycombinator.com. I further share my stories with appropriate social media groups, and watch my numbers grow as I drink my morning decaf (too much sitting will do that to most any coffee drinker; a writer’s life is not always fair).

Refashion your old social media posts into 600-word articles, post as a new piece on Medium, for example, and share once again on Facebook, Twitter, etc. You’re now making money from old postings. To be clear, your writing is a skill that is worth FAR MORE than you will be paid in these outlets in the beginning. BUT … you are crafting for yourself the possibility of earning several thousand dollars monthly IF you keep it up.

Discipline is key. The more you write, the better you will become. The greater your output, the more seriously you will be taken, and the more money you will earn.

Am I somehow discounting my position as a working writer-producer in the entertainment business, who owns a television development company (Council Tree Productions), by writing those articles? Why would I be?

Contently.com

Contently is simply an aggregator, where you can gather and post the entirety of your web content in one place. This is great for those sending out writing queries, as samples are always effective. Email a prospect your Contently link and all of your work is nicely displayed on a dedicated homepage.

Infolist.com

Jeff Gund’s Infolist is a gift to writers in general, and those in the entertainment business. Sign up for his mailing list and you may well receive listings in your inbox for writing gigs that may not have appeared elsewhere. He also regularly shares information about parties, which are typically great networking events. See their website for further details.

Inktip.com

A wholly valid way to be discovered by Hollywood producers, regardless of where you live. Check out the Inktip website for more information.

ISA (networkisa.org)

The International Screenwriters’ Association. Sign up for their mailing list and you will regularly receive writer’s gigs in your inbox.

Network, Network, Network

Go where the elephants are. Get out of your comfort zone and meet people. Speak to everyone, as everyone you meet is a window to someone who may well be able to influence your career. Attend writer’s conferences. Join networking groups.

Get out of your home and get to work.

If no networking group exists for your passion, create one. Use the internet to invite guests. Charge if you so choose.

If you truly want to leave your full-time job and replace that income with both your writing and drivers related your writing (including teaching, public speaking), you can. It won’t come easy, and you’ll need to work and market yourself, but it can be done.

In the realm of networking, do not overtly solicit your work, or your “brilliance,” as many will turn away. Take an interest in others, then respond when asked about you. Share with others, and others will want to share with you. This is also how referrals begin.

Do for others, and others will want to do for you. It’s the same message. Of course there are exceptions to these rules, but they’re just that. Exceptions. Don’t be “just good.” Be “the best.” Go where the “elephants” are, as in, attend events where those you believe you should meet gather on a regular basis, such as film festivals, genre conventions … anywhere and everywhere. Do your research.

Nearly every U.S. state has its share of opportunity. “I live in Idaho” is not an excuse. The internet can be of immense help in that regard. Personally, I’ve met more professional influencers over Facebook than most anywhere else who live in neither New York nor California.

That said, purchase a plane ticket, if you can afford it, to attend an out of town event. If not, maybe driving is an option.

Whatever it takes.

Patreon.com

Many of my writer friends also enjoy outlets like Patreon.com, which is a very real way to attain sponsorship for your writing.

Regardless of your path, never stop writing. If you want to ultimately transition from your job, be careful but if you follow some of the above guidelines, you have a shot. If you do it right, you may also have plenty of time leftover to write your novel or screenplay, and pursue the — I’ll use the word again — “legitimate” writing career for which you’ve long strived.

DIY 102: Tips For Any Artistic Profession

If you find that you cannot get the work done within the machine, do it yourself.

In disclosure, as a writer-producer in the insanely tough businesses of television and film, I’ve fallen on my face more times than I can count. I’ve always, however, brushed off the failure and strived to move forward.

All told, I’ve had some big successes and innumerable failures.

But, if the business is truly in your blood, you find a way to go on.

Gareth Edwards, director of the 2014 “Godzilla” reboot, had one homemade feature to his credit prior to directing the $200 million return of the giant lizard. The film was an indie titled “Monsters,” and it was shot for less than $500,000. “Monsters” was no big commercial hit, as it grossed $4.2 million globally. The reviews, however, were sensational.

“The Blair Witch Project” may have been a fluke success, though well over $100 million domestically can never be dismissed. What it proves yet again is possibility can indeed meet opportunity.

Frequently, though, you have to create those opportunities for yourself. “The Blair Witch Project” was financed and shot independently, and purchased later by Artisan Entertainment.

Robert Rodriguez, one of the most influential of all modern-day pop-culture creators (“Sin City,” “Spy Kids’), produced (and directed, and wrote) his first film, “El Mariachi,” by earning money using his body for medical tests. The film’s sequels, “Desperado” and “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” were studio financed. Today, Robert owns the El Rey cable network.

He writes his own ticket.

No excuses, a familiar refrain.

Another possibility? Fortunes derived from self-published books. “The Martian” was initially self-published, and then purchased by a major. And then the film rights were purchased and that team’s efforts earned the movie over $500,000,000 around the world.

Again, this is the exception far more than the rule, of course, but once more proving the potential of the DIY concept. Do you think Andy Weir, the writer of the novel, is still smiling, all these years later? I’d bet on it. His career is made.

For that matter, check out the history of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which was also originally self-published. What was that history, exactly?

The novels were originally written as fan fiction for “Twilight.”

What about YouTube? Teens and adults are making videos, silly and otherwise, that are going viral quicker than they ever could before. As a result, many of these teens now have multi-million dollar book deals, films, and TV shows in progress. They did it themselves, as opposed to waiting for others. Their visibility led to their discovery.

My own books with Steve Hillard, “The Chronicles of Ara” series, were optioned (since in turnaround) by Ovation TV for an eight-hour miniseries. The books were then independently published and print-on-demand, the latter typically poisonous for film or TV potential. We had sold less than 200 copies at the time Ovation approached us, and we were not available in bookstores. They had read about the first book online, then they read the book description on Amazon and the offer was made.

It can happen. That’s the larger message. If what happens reverses itself (the project doesn’t move forward, as an example), there are always other possibilities.

How many talented writers, musicians, photographers, filmmakers and other artists give up because of bills, kids, etc.? John Grisham wrote “The Firm” when he was practicing law. Yet another example.

Far too many creative types take the path of least resistance and give it all up for a life of security. That may be fine for them, so long as they don’t regret their choices later. I’ve seen the effects of that regret far too frequently. I’ve seen the substance abuses, and worse, on the part of friends. Severe depression is not uncommon. All too often, I’ve seen those who have been unable to handle their lack of success become desperate and then take desperate measures to deal with their discontent.

At least two friends have taken their lives, despairing over not attaining their dreams. They waited, and it never happened.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

Knock on doors. Sell your work. Send out mass emails, do interviews, send out press releases and don’t be afraid to subscribe to a wire service and allow them to further expose your work. Get blurbs from friends, network in person and on social media, showcase your work … ask, ask, ask. Create a scene and get yourself in the news. Create your project early in the morning before your 9–5, or after. Whatever the hell it takes to succeed, if that is truly what you want.

Advice: Undertake your artistic endeavors with a clear head as to how far you want to go. Do the same and consider how much you are willing to sacrifice to get there.

The cliche is that the law of averages will eventually catch up. Yet another cliche that happens to be true, but only if you do the work.

DIY 103

Assuming, of course, that you are still reading this article with the intent of learning how to earn a respectable income as a creator, either part-time or full-time, designing a creator’s life is imperative.

A second bit of unsolicited advice: IF you can manage it, which is no small task, doing so should ideally become an involuntary reflex.

Like breathing.

A “creator’s life,” in this context, means the following: Strategizing as to how to pay your bills in full while earning an income on your terms.

In other words, not a simple matter. You have work to do. You are preparing to become an entrepreneur, and the asset you are selling is you.

I was 16 years old in 1980, the year my reality hit. Joseph Campbell famously said, “Follow your bliss.” Truth be told, my “bliss” was a “need” — again, like breathing — not a “want.”

I was one year away from entering Brooklyn College, already fretting over meeting my expenses as my parents would no longer own that responsibility.

Nor should they have.

Most importantly, (I have my priorities), I had just returned from seeing The Empire Strikes Back for the first of what would be 400 viewings or thereabouts. I was utterly captivated, my inspiration was at its zenith… and my personal tug of war between reality and fantasy began in earnest.

Hours after making his acquaintance, Yoda came to me in a dream.

“So manageable, you must make it. All of it. Yes, hmmm…” said my little green friend.

“But Master Yoda,” I responded. “That’s impossible.”

The green bugger then proceeded to show me my future. I could work full-time for a living, or I could take my first steps into a larger world (with apologies to Obi-Wan) — a world that promised little stability at first, but innumerable rewards if I stayed the course to where I could ultimately replace most any job income.

I took the safe way.

“THAT is where you fail,” Yoda said, just as he told Skywalker.

The reverie continued, and I saw myself as an old man. I bemoaned my fate. I felt as if I achieved nothing of note in my lifetime.

And I opened my eyes. I was horrified.

Yes, the dream was real. I knew I’d be woefully unhappy working for anyone else. I knew I needed to live based on my passion.

I thought writing was that passion, but I was only half-correct. Living the writer’s life was the rest.

I needed to do this thing full-time, and turn it into a lifestyle.

I came to a realization early. I realized back in ’80 that I may have to write outside of the books and screenplays I so desired to create in pursuit of my dreams. But that was okay. I’d much rather write articles and the like if those earnings could replace my 9–5.

Eventually I replaced my last income dollar-for-dollar. I wrote articles such as this one in the early morning and pursued my more literary ambitions later in the day.

I also discovered I loved it all.

Two roads, diverging in a wood

Every life has at least one turning point, a moment when everything suddenly alters, without warning, usually when confronted with a decision. Consider this excerpt from Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” as a prime example:

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.”

The triggering event of a turning point can be anything: an illness, an argument, or something positive. As for my own, I was working a day job while attending Brooklyn College in ’81, stocking tools on a shelf for a local department store. My boss called me into the office at the end of my shift. He smiled, and said, “You have a real future here, kid. Great job today.”

I stayed awake all night, and elected not to return the following morning. I quit. My boss’ words scared the hell out of me. I realized at that moment I had become complacent, satisfied with a simple weekly paycheck.

“My God,” I thought. “Just like in that dream.” Thing is, I didn’t want to stock shelves for a living. Honest work, sure, but it wasn’t me.

I needed to write. Five years later, I moved to Los Angeles to become an Oscar-winning screenwriter.

The Oscar still eludes me, but goals are good things.

Even then, though, nearly 40 years ago, I had a plan. I would network and meet every influencer I possible could, in whatever industry. After all, it’s not who you know so much as who knows you.

I needed for them to know me. All of them.

I was especially diligent in meeting those people who could influence my career. I found out who they were — I asked around, found names in various directories, researched contact information — and networking to meet them became a way of life. Constant exposure was a rule. I needed to be noticed, and speaking to everyone was a necessity.

Ask yourself why actors walk red carpets? To stay relevant. To remain noticed.

My efforts would mimic those results. That was the plan, anyway.

Those efforts bore fruit and continue to do so. I had soon realized that, indeed, I could meet anyone I wanted to meet. Anyone at all, because people know people and if you show up enough and ask for enough introductions, some will come through for you.

I asked myself, “If certain people are able to succeed — regardless of industry — why can’t I?” It was a good question.

My response? “I can.”

The Internet was in its infancy when I began to take my career seriously. I wrote spec articles for magazines, and submitted via snail mail. That’s how I got noticed, writing for professional wrestling and martial arts newsstand periodicals. Blogs and the like did not exist. I called newspapers to feature me as a local writer. If one out of 100 of those calls was successful, and led to a story, that was one more story than I had the day before.

And one more check.

You get the idea. If you want to write for a living, you need to write and sell yourself, and not make excuses. Anyone who has succeeded as a full-time writer learned these facts early. We all have our lives, and our responsibilities. You need to write, or otherwise create, in whatever time you have.

You will certainly need to balance your lifestyle to attain your desired goal, and then pivot based on new responsibilities once you attain that goal. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I’m proud of, and grateful for, my continued progress.

But you need to put the work in, first of all. And then, when you “make it,” you must always give back, and mentor others as others may have mentored you. Always give along the way.

Here’s another valuable tip: Giving up will get you nowhere.

Day by day, you scale the highest peak of the highest mountain you need to climb, you swat away the fires or other obstacles, and you stand tall… or you do not.

As Yoda said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Never discount the words of green gremlin-like pop-culture icons.

Success is actionable. Common sense, no? You have the same 24 hours in a day as Bill Gates, J.K. Rowling, Taylor Swift and Stephen King.

Then why aren’t you there, yet? Why aren’t you where you want to be? In fairness, though I have cultivated what some consider a “successful career” to this point, getting there has been fraught with turmoil. My creative passions have been hell on relationships, and balance is always a challenge based on new achievement. I still worry about money. If I don’t create, or sell, I don’t get paid. Despite talk to the contrary, usually from those attempting to use logic and not really in the know, once you attain some success, life does not get easier. As I alluded to before, it gets busier and the bills get bigger.

How busy do you want to be? How many hours do you want, or need, to expend on your passion? How you utilize those hours is what makes the difference. If you are not attaining your desired result, you need to pivot.

Though I have some achievements behind me, I am personally not comfortable. I am nowhere near where I want to be as I still need to win that Oscar for Best Screenplay.

There’s still time.

In Conclusion …

Use social media to define and build your “brand.” Learn how to say “no.” You want respect, “no” is the strongest word you can offer. Do not create for free, unless your work is on spec. Do not allow yourself to be taken advantage of. The business of creativity is a tough nut. Artists are not always respected, as many simply refuse to learn the business side of things and are subsequently preyed upon. Chances are, if you undertake an unpaid writing assignment, for example, with the promise of “exposure,” three people will see the end result: yourself, the hiring party, and your mother.

Perhaps the best advice I can offer you, fellow creators, is this: Convince yourself that giving up on your dreams is more difficult (and painful) than continuing your artistic journey. There is nothing wrong with taking a sabbatical, but never lose sight of your goals. Together, we comprise an artistic community that cannot ever be broken. A chain. If one link falls, the others falter; however, with the turn of a tool the links that remain still have a chance at connecting.

It’s sometimes wrenching to accept seeing one of your associates make it when you have not, regardless of how happy you are for them. You may be more talented, but if you quit the world will never know just how much you had to offer.

But your sense of resentment may just be heightened.

Do what you must to stay inspired. Work on your craft daily. As Steve Martin said, “Be so good at something, it’s impossible to be ignored.” Eminem represents those words to me. The late Robin Williams as well, Harlan Ellison, Rowling and so many others.

If they can do it, why can’t you?

Answer: You can.

Post-Script: It’s been a long road, but one final question begs an answer: So, where did our majestic Babylonian Fertility God Demon finally end up?

Thank you for reading.

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to recommend, share and follow me here on Medium (and I will follow you back), where I publish new stories daily on a variety of topics.

If you would like links to new stories sent directly to your inbox, please email me at joel_ecmedia@yahoo.com.