The next installment in the series of interviews with writers about giving up their day jobs features Nik Perring. Nik is the author of I Met a Roman Last Night, What Did You Do? which can be bought from all good book shops as well as from Nik’s website . Incidentally, Nik says if any of my readers contact him via his website, quoting my blog, he’ll send them a signed copy of his book for £4.50 (UK only). He also writes short stories, many of which can be found on his own blog.
MT: Hi Nik. What day jobs have you done?
NP: I delivered the Manchester Evening News and two huge and very heavy bags of Sunday papers when I was at school.
I’ve worked at a couple of places as a waiter.
I helped out at a solicitor’s office.
And the last proper job I had was working for a VW franchise as an Account Manager (I sold cars.)
MT: Anything in those day jobs that has inspired your writing?
NP: I suppose it must have, but not in any way I’ve chosen. I think my stories come about as a result of me taking fragments of what I’ve experienced and making something new and hopefully interesting with them, rather than going over actual experiences and seeing if there’s anything there I can use. I think it’s more fun to make things up.
That said, people inspire me, and I’ve been lucky enough to have pretty much always worked with the public so I’m sure I’ll have taken plenty from those experiences. But if I have it’s been a subtle thing because I’ve never done it intentionally.
MT: When (at what stage in your career) did you make the break to full-time writing?
NP: When I was twenty-two (I think) the VW dealership I’d worked at since I’d been sixteen was sold and as a result I was made redundant. I’d always fancied writing so instead of looking for another job immediately I decided to see if I could learn how to write and if I could be any good at it.
(Actually I blogged about this a couple of months ago. You can read what I wrote here)
MT: Any drawbacks?
NP: Yes. I think every job has its drawbacks and writing’s no different. It’s a lonely job. There’s next to no human contact. It doesn’t pay particularly well. It can be murder for your eyes and fingers and back (and bottom) and can take up that much of your brain that you don’t notice what’s going on outside of your story. And that’s without mentioning that most of your time, while writing, is spent waiting for decisions, which can take months to get, if you’re lucky to get one at all.
MT: What else, if anything, do you do to support the writing? any writing-related jobs?
NP: I run writing workshops, mostly in primary schools, which I really enjoy doing. Way back in 2006 I was asked to start a writing group at a local library which has been running, weekly, ever since. And, very occasionally, I offer personal tuition.
MT: Is life as a full-time writer more or less stressful than before?
NP: I’m more stressed than I was before! Aside from all the drawbacks I mentioned above, there’s an awful lot of pressure that comes with what is essentially running your own business.
I must say that I think this is the part most people outside of writing don’t see, or imagine. It’s a wonderful thing, and a privilege, to be able to spend my days writing (or, more accurately, doing writing related work) but it IS work, and it IS a job.
That’s not to say it’s not fun or rewarding or exactly what I want to do, mind…
MT: Any other comments?
NP: Thanks, Michelle, for your interesting questions. and for inviting me here, it’s been a pleasure.
And I hope I’ve not come across as being too negative or put anyone off. Despite of all I’ve moaned about I very much love what I do.
Thanks Nik.
Rumours have started that Taylor Lautner is infact gay! The speculations started after the New Moon actor refused to answer questions about his sexuality to Rolling Stone Magazine. The 17 year old said “There’s a lot of rumours out there,” Maybe he’s not into people of the same sex just the same name, there are still media rumours that the actor is dating country singer Taylor Swift. “We instantly clicked,” said Lautner, describing the moment he and Swift met on the set of the upcoming romcom ‘Valentine’s Day’ “She’s an amazing girl. Aside from being beautiful, she’s extremely funny, charismatic and fun to be around.” I’m pretty sure that most girls out there would die if Lautner was actually gay!