Boxes

I received a call the other day from a very nice lady with a medical background who was trying to figure out how to use her medical knowledge to get paid for writing. The problem was, the only places she had approached to write for were professional trade journals (kind of notorious for wanting you to write for free) and associations (similar problem.)

She wasn't thinking "outside her own box." I told her that everything she'd been writing for free had the potential for a larger life if expanded and marketed to non medical audiences, just change the focus. Plus, there are medical publishers out there who will pay, you just have to find them. Plus, any marketing and business info you are an expert about can be turned around and marketed to businesses that have nothing to do with medical.

I think we all fall into the trap of turning our own boxes into prisons instead of expanding what we try for. I started writing thinking I had to stick to fiction. Then I realized nonfiction pays. Then I realized the medical knowledge could expand to non medical audiences and all that did not mean I had to give up on fiction. The medical textbooks look great on a resume. I'm two chapters away from finishing my mystery and I have experience in so many fields now.

Jump into new things and enjoy all the choices out there. BTW, exceeded the word goal yesterday, makes me happy.