19 Responses to “Today is the First Day of the Rest of Your Life”

1. Diana, congrats on taking the big leap. I hope everything works out the way you want it to!

   My Wednesday? Not so bad so far. But it’s early yet.

   by Heather on August 8th, 2007 at 11:01 am
   
   

2. Diana,

   My Wednesday so far…at the office…will be going to a boring meeting in a few hours…looking forward to Friday…but happy to be alive!

   Congrats on your new life as a full time writer. I imagine you made plans for taking the leap. Like you didn’t just up and say, “I’m outta here” and turn over the keys etc. What type of planning did you do before taking the leap? And how long have you wanted to take the leap?

   by Linda on August 8th, 2007 at 11:10 am
   
   

3. It’s hump day, Heather! That’s good news all in itself.

   by Diana on August 8th, 2007 at 11:23 am
   
   

4. Linda, I probably didn’t do as much planning as I should, but I did cover the basics: The mortgage is paid four months in advance, the cars are both paid off, the credit cards are cleared, and we have health insurance through my husband’s day job. We’ll essentially be living on my music gigs, writing, and my “retirement” for these six months. It’s very definitely a gamble, but I also have a number of writing contracts lined up and several ideas for proposals.

   The truth is, I have enough planned and committed to, that I couldn’t have fullfilled it all if I hadn’t quit. The stress of working 8-10 hours a day, driving two hours and then spending every free minute writing or at gigs was really beginning to affect me both physically and emotionally. And probably mentally, but according to Mr. Thrilling, I’m already crazy, so who could tell?

   Plus, I’m at a point in my life where I have the energy and focus to give this all it requires. I don’t know that I would have if I waited five or ten years. More importantly, if somehow this doesn’t pan out this time around, I have the energy (and marketable skills) to re-enter the workplace for a time until the writing does pan out.

   by Diana on August 8th, 2007 at 11:31 am
   
   

5. YAY!!!!!

   by Laura Kramarsky on August 8th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
   
   

6. Thanks Diana. At some point I also will plan to make the leap. It will be a while from now as I have much writing and learning to do, but I also don’t plan on taking forever to make a leap myself. I wish you lots of success and lots of fun and enjoy it.

   by Linda on August 8th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
   
   

7. Congraulations again, Diana. I’m proud of you. It’s not easy, I know. It’s scary. But, boy oh boy…..is it worth it. Go get ‘em, girl!

   by Maggie on August 8th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
   
   

8. Diana - don’t think of it as having quit your day job, think of it as having hired yourself. Now you have the best boss and best employee imaginable. I made the leap years ago and while there have been lean times financially (which aren’t bad if you plan for them), I’ve not regretted it once. If I want to write a book, I can (and have, twice). If I want to start a new business venture, watch out world. Your only limit will be you. I wish you all the luck in the universe… but I doubt you’ll need luck when you have skill.

   by Timothy Johnson on August 8th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
   
   

9. That’s a great way of looking at it Timothy!

   by Linda on August 8th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
   
   

10. Diana,

    Yippee! How wonderful to now say that writing is your career, your life, your dream in progress. You spread your wings, you’re flying, now go higher girl. Higher!!!!

    by JB on August 9th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
    
    

11. Thanks, Laura! I admit to feeling slightly giddy. Every morning feels like a gift.

    by Diana on August 9th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
    
    

12. Thanks again, Linda. It’s one of those weird things — you have to plan, but in the end you do have to just…take that leap of faith. There are no guarantees and it’s a risk, but I realized I didn’t want to look back on my life and realize that I was afraid to try for my dream.

    by Diana on August 9th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
    
    

13. Maggie, you’re one of my inspirations, so thank you!

    by Diana on August 9th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
    
    

14. Hey, Timothy, thank you very much for that timely reminder.

    It is exactly like trying to start your own business — like a coffee house. How in the world could my coffee house succeed if I only opened it on weekends and a couple of hours a night?

    Good to remember when the hyperventilating starts.

    by Diana on August 9th, 2007 at 6:54 pm
    
    

15. Thanks, JB, my wings are currently going at hummingbird speed. ;-D

    by Diana on August 9th, 2007 at 6:57 pm
    
    

16. Diana,

    Congratulations on taking up writing full time. Oh how wonderful it will be for all of us to continue reading your wonderful Books! I can’t get enough of your “Poetic Death Mysteries”. Talk about leaping - Your Fans are Leaping for Joy!!!

    by Sallie Bourgeois on August 11th, 2007 at 11:01 am
    
    

17. Diana,
    I envy you this transition! Currently, I’m getting up at four a.m., writing until eight, and then starting my “day job.” My dream is to have writing be the one-and-only job!
    Best, Kathryn

    by Kathryn Lilley on August 17th, 2007 at 3:27 pm
    
    

18. Kathryn, I’m here to tell you that it can happen!

    by Diana on August 24th, 2007 at 12:09 am
    
    

19. Sallie, that’s so nice of you to say! I’m happy too — and I suspect the books will be better for my having a few spare minutes to actually think about what I want to write.

    by Diana on August 24th, 2007 at 12:53 am
    
    

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