Can one read for a living? I also want to write books. How does one get a start in the literary world?

I've been laid off from my job of 9 years, and have an opportunity to change my life. I've written creatively since the 2nd grade (I'm 36) and want to write. I'm also a book hound and read several books a month. I've been told my whole life that I can't do what I want for a living so I never tried; I dutifully listened to my parents to my own detriment. How do I get into the literary world (reading, writing, proofreading, editing, etc.) after all this time? I wasn't "allowed" to get an English or journalism degree because my conservative parents said I couldn't get a job with those ( I have a BS in psychology). Any of you have parents that squashed your dreams until they almost died? How do I go about pursing my dream and still pay my bills? I'm looking for legit home businesses that would allow me my own schedule so I can write but most are ripoffs. Have any of you ever gone through this?

Can one read for a living? I also want to write books. How does one get a start in the literary world?
I know a gal who does not have a college degree and she proofreads all kinds of documents for grammar, spelling and syntax.





It's part time work for a small publishing company nearby. When someone has something to be published sometimes they want it to be read over by someone with superior grammar and spelling and syntax.





She says it's mostly lengthily brochures, instructional sheets for appliances and other short reads.





She loves it and it provides a few extra buck each month.





Try calling some printing shops or some small publishers near you.
Reply:Apply for work as an editor at a small publishing house that will allow you to gain experience as an editor or take an editors course and then apply. They make decent money and this would allow toy time to concentrate on writing that great novel
Reply:It just might be easier to become a book critic than a successful writer since Literary Agents and Publishers are snowed under with submissions. For example, an agent may pick up 2 or 3 new writers.. but they get thousands of submissions each year. And you have to consider, as a new writer you are competing with authors who already have connections and a following and know how to write winning proposals and query letters.





I think it might be easier to make it as a reader than a writer oddly enough.
Reply:All I had after a nervous breakdown and five years in a dead end job in a bookshop was a degree in acting(!) and a resume that, since I didn't want to continue as an actor, more or less qualified me to work in a milk bar.





It's taken me 6 years, I'm considerably older than you, and it's been very difficult, but I now make a very modest living as a subeditor for community services website and have the time and, more importantly, the emotional and intellectual energy for my own writing. Moreover, I'm halfway through studies for formal editing qualifications, which will increase both my earning power and my longevity in this profession. (Oh, and I'm really grumpy and ugly too, which never helps.)





I can just tell you'll get where you want in the end.





First, some things you should know:





Even at the most menial level, editing is a low paid, competitive field. It's really worth investigating and beginning the pursuit of formal qualifications even while you look for immediate work.





(I had to live as a telephone social research interviewer for the first two years just to have the flexibility and money for my course. You'll do better than that though, because you have your psych degree.)





Find out from the publishers which post-grad editing courses they favour. I live in Australia and here there is only one post-grad and one under-grad course (mine) that local publishers take seriously. All the other courses teach exactly the same skills but because of the publisher's preconceptions are really only useful for housewives who want to edit their self-published family histories. (I don't mean to be snide but there are some harsh realities involved here and I'd hate you to fall into any traps.)





Again, with your psych degree you've got a good shot at getting some freelance work published. At first you might have to go with publications that offer little or even no money, but once you get a few clippings under your belt the pay for features is quite good.





Go through the Writer's Marketplace for your country and find everything dealing with mental health, relationships, life change, children, child rearing, education ... they need articles.





Matthew Ricketson's book "Writing Feature Stories" is a great guide in that regard. (He's head of Journalism at RMIT). There are other books I can recommend but I'll email them or post them on this site somehow if that's not possible.





And I know it sounds really naff, but it's worth having a look at Julia Cameron's 'The Artists Way' and Kate Grenville's 'The Writing Book'. Sometimes silly sounding exercises and disciplines can really keep you fueled and motivated.





Also, please consider letting me look over any creative work you produce. Of course it's a pleasure to work with fiction after the relative mundanity of the corporate and academic editing, but mostly I love the satisfaction of finding CONSTRUCTIVE ways to help another writer grow towards their best.





Best of luck to you in any case.





I forgot to mention two things:


Try for day work in ANY sort of book store. It turns out the publishers really like that when they're looking for editors because they think it means you'll know 'the marketplace'.





A friend of mine was about your age when, as a high school librarian she became a voluntary theatre critic for her local Catholic newspaper. Before she cut back on her reviewing to concentrate on her own playwrighting, she became her state's theatre critic for both Australian Financial Review and The Bulletein. You let your parents put you off, don't let anyone else.
Reply:There's a lot of money in translating (legal) documents, although that would necessitate that you are proficient in more than one language.
Reply:I had a friend that used to read books for the blind. I don't know about working from home, or writing.
Reply:You should write a book! The "Man" is always looking for a way to put us down. Peace!