Being a writer is a tough gig, especially if you’re wanting to do it to bring home the bacon. But instead of focusing on the negative aspects of a writing career, I’m going to tell you a few reasons that I, and maybe you, should be grateful for our love of the pen (or keyboard…or whatever).

1. Writers get to live twice. Natalie Goldberg said it, and it’s the honest truth.

2. Writers are more likely to win an argument about grammar. For a competitive gal like myself, that’s cool.

3. On the writers living twice thing, as a novelist, I can be a hotter, braver version of myself, or even take on the role of the opposite sex.  How much fun is it to be a guy sometimes! You get to be so much funnier without nearly trying as hard:)

4. Writers have the chance to work from home. In PJs. With a jar of peanut butter and a spoon sitting right there on the desk.

5. Writers get to dream big and orchestrate good endings. We also get to dream about nuclear holocausts, genetically engineered monsters, and bad guys stroking white cats, but those thoughts don’t warm my heart so much.

6. Writers get to fall in love over and over again, especially in the romance genre. Okay, that’s cheating off the “writers live twice” quote again. Whatever.

7. Writers can write whatever the heck they want. The flip side is someone’s going to have to want to read it.

8. Writers have the opportunity to the understand the world through exploring the weaknesses of their protagonists and finding empathy with their antagonists. We’re almost like psychologists. But not quite. (So don’t ask me for advice for your problems; I might put them in a story.)

9. Writers can take a little revenge on past wrongdoers. We just change the last name;-)

10. Writers have an opportunity to make a difference for a wide audience. We just have to write something real and get it out there.

What a job…