Make Your Wish Your Intention

Are you struggling to make ends meet? 

Do you have a burning desire to make a living as a writer but are stuck running the rat race, forever wishing and hoping something would happen to change your life?

This described me about eleven years ago. 

I so desperately wanted to be a full time writer and had wanted that all my life. 

I'd had some success, sure. A few books published, a couple of screenplays sold and more articles and plays written than I care to dwell over. 

But still the BIG DREAM eluded me. 

Between stints of blissful creativity, reality (and the debt collectors - literally) would come knocking at the door and force me back into the temp market - doing office work I abhorred with a passion.

Now, thank heaven, my wife and I live a cool life. 

We write, we travel, we get invited to speak, we buy toys, and we teach the gift of writing to thousands of students every day.

How did this happen? How did I get so lucky?

Simple. I made a decision. (More on this below)

When everyone around me - my folks, my friends, my workmates - were saying I was crazy and coming up with all sorts of reasons why I shouldn't - couldn't - write for a living, I ignored them all and decided to follow my heart.

For years before that I'd kept goal lists and always at the top was: "Be a full time writer by the year XXXX." 

And every time I updated the list, the year got further and further away. 

It seemed like an impossible dream. I guess it was.

You've been there, right?

Then one day I was given the opportunity to go to Australia. A light went on in my head and I thought, "That could be good for my writing." So I went... 

And sure enough, my writing career then blossomed.

But - and this is the big but - I don't believe it was the move that necessarily caused the success. 

It was more to do with the fact of moving - severing ties, changing lifestyle, altering perspective - that enabled me to see that my thinking had been wrong for all the years previous.

Because, although I'd always wished for a new career - that's what it always was - a wish. 

Coming to Australia and experiencing its 'have a go' mentality, I suddenly realized that it was me, my attitudes, that had always been the problem. 

While I lived in the UK, I believed I was one of many, without a real chance - even though it was what I wished for.

But that was the point.

Instead of wishing, I knew I had to take control. 

So I didn't just decide to become a full time writer.

No, I deliberately made it impossible for anything else to happen!

Luckily, I was then sacked by my employer - the head of the SA Department of Education. 

She was great about it. 

She signed my leaving card with this comment: "I know you've always wanted to be a writer. Just think of me as the b***h who made it happen!"

I often think of her now as a savior of sorts - someone to thank at Oscar collecting time! (You never know.)

But anyway, the week after I lost my job, I conducted The Great Tie Burning Ceremony. 

I know it was a silly thing to do - and must have looked pretty weird to anyone who was watching - but burning all of my office neck ties sent a permanent message to my subconscious: no more 9 to 5, ever.

I made my wish my intention by doing that.

Then, I did anything and everything in my power to make money from writing. 

I spent two years discovering every little trick in the book. (I wish I knew then what I know now - would have made everything so much easier!)

At the time, there was only one proviso: if it was writing, then it was good.

But even then I probably wasn't prepared for what was to happen.

It could have been that for the first time in my life I was truly happy - doing what I was meant to do - but things started working out really well.

Within months I had a new car, a new place to live by the beach and I'd traveled to places I'd only ever read about - all the while, writing to my heart's content - on all kinds of things.

Later, after finally having the time and the gradually swelling bank balance to write three novels straight, I began the Easy Way to Write, met my beautiful wife, Robyn, and together, we have never looked back.

Except of course you do - look back I mean. It's human nature. 

But when I do, I often ponder over why I left it so long to make that all important decision. If I regret anything, it's not making it sooner!

An actor friend once said to me, "If you have something to fall back on, you will." 

How right she was. (She's a famous movie director now.)

So, if you have a dream, a desire, a need to change, don't just wish for it. Make it happen. And start now.

There's no time like the present.

And in the mean time, if you're looking for ways to double, triple, even quadruple your income from writing quickly and easily, then take any one of my courses.

Especially the ones about making money as a writer!

There's never been a better time to become a full time writer.

You don't need a publisher anymore.

You don't need an agent anymore.

All you need is YOU and your writing - and perhaps a little shove...