I wonder why they are not supportive..
By hestylim
@hestylim (1210)
Indonesia
June 26, 2012 1:02pm CST
So, I resigned from my day job and now I am earning fully from freelance writing and online earning. I resigned my day job because I couldn't stand working at my old place, and I just want to do what I like to do, writing.
So, I am making my way to it now. I fully depend on freelance writing and online earning. However, my parents, my sister and my other relatives underestimate me. I keep on telling myself that they don't know what they are talking about, that I should be strong enough to face all that bad sayings they throw at me.
I told my parents and my sister that I am making my way to it. Moreover, this is just my beginning. I told them to please support me. Don't torture me with all those words. But no matter what I told them.. they will just come at me and say, "what the hell are you doing on that computer all along?? I am so confused about what you are thinking! I think you are crazy now. There must be something wrong with your mind.." or.. "I don't understand how can you become so dumb??" or.. "so you haven't found any job yet??"
I just wonder why they are not supportive at all.. Well, I may not earn as much as I earn before.. but they should have known that I got what I want and be supportive.
I just hate being in this mental torture..
1 person likes this
8 responses
@SomeCowgirl (32191)
• United States
26 Jun 12
Trust me when I say a lot of us have faced that here. I know that I have told my family I use online earnings as a part of means to support myself, I do work but very few hours which is my choice. I enjoy more being online then anything else anymore. Of course it's not going to earn you a lot unless you work hard.
I think it's the generation gap to be honest, that is part of it anyway.
@hestylim (1210)
• Indonesia
26 Jun 12
I am so relieve hearing that from you.. At least now I feel that I am not alone. My parents asked me how much I earn writing one article. Well honestly, it is not much. But I am happy because I do what I want.
I enjoy earning online as well.
So, you earn online for a long time already, somecowgirl?
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
27 Jun 12
In your case you are only 26. It is a risky choice - similar to trying to get a job as a film actor/director/asst director/writer etc. a few do succeed in this getting huge amount of money. But a large percentage of such people find it difficult to make both ends meet.
yes. For original work of writing one may get paid at $1 per page if he can get an assignment. Otherwise simple typing on computer fetches less than $1 per page and it take nearly 20/25 minutes for making on page.
I suggest you get another job you like or start a business you like and keep online work additional one. good day.
@owlwings (43915)
• Cambridge, England
26 Jun 12
For people whose whole idea of economics is based on "so much per hour" or "so much per job done" it is very difficult to understand the way that many online earnings work. It is practically impossible, for example, for some people to get their heads round the concept that 'an article' may sit there and earn a few cents a month or that a hundred or a thousand articles may amount to a worthwhile income for many years. In their world, you write something and you sell it and that's it - one piece of work, a certain amount of time taken and one payment ... finished.
You would also probably get more sympathy and support if you did your writing in the traditional manner - on paper and, perhaps, in private - and then were seen to be 'typing up your notes' (or whatever).
The truth is that all writers have had to struggle with other people's perceptions that they are 'not doing anything useful' at some time or another. It is only once they have 'proved themselves' by being published and actually having earned some money that they can even be reluctantly regarded as 'a writer'.
@hestylim (1210)
• Indonesia
27 Jun 12
Yeap, you are right owlwings. They don't understand that concept. I always think that maybe this is one of many obstacles that I will face in paving my ways to become a writer.
@binggaling: Lol.. you know what is funny? I live in Indonesia but all articles I write nowadays is in English. I never write in Indonesian media.. lol.. So funny, right?
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
29 Jun 12
So, you're living in your own home, paying all of your own bills and not turning to any family members for help with anything? Then, that is great that you are self-supporting with just freelance writing and online sites. If that's not the case, they have every right to criticize you for quitting your job and not getting another one.
I am a freelance writer--with real (not just content mill website) credits to my name. I also do direct sales and some online stuff. However, I am looking for additional employment of substance, and it is my boyfriend's income that keeps our household afloat.
@hestylim (1210)
• Indonesia
29 Jun 12
Wow, that's nice meeting fellow writer! :) I don't write for my local media because I am not used to writing in my own local language. I always write in English though it is not my first language.
My freelance writing jobs come from people I meet online. I write for some websites that put credits to my name as well. :) Though people keep on criticizing, because being a writer is a rare job in the area I am living, I feel happy, because actually this is what I want to do for the whole time.
Though sometimes I should work till late at night even to dawn because I should meet the deadline, but practically I am happy with it.. :) I try to take as many orders as possible to earn stable income.. Though my earning now is not as much as my earning when I was working in the last company, but I am thinking, this is the first month I am doing this. I just think as my skills improved, my earnings will improve as well.. :)
@liuyh0619 (108)
• China
28 Jun 12
People always think you shoud own a decent job. Otherwise, they tend to believe you are failed. Especially the old people always judge you by their experence and can't easily understand your choice which isn't common to the most of all. If you are confident enough, don't care too much about that. They would accept if you show them how much you have earned from this way.
@hestylim (1210)
• Indonesia
28 Jun 12
You have point in that. That's what I think as well. I will prove to them that I can do well with this. Thank you for your support. Sometimes it is just hard to hear people talk bad things about our choices.. :(
But I know I can get through this and prove it to them. :)
Thanks for the support, Liu!
@JohnRok1 (2051)
•
27 Jun 12
How much do your family think you owe them - I mean, how much have they invested in you and do they feel they are not getting the returns they deserve? But it seems to me that with "what the **** are you doing on that computer ... ", they are showing that they have no understanding of the issues at all. If they didn't really fork out for your education or training for the job you resigned from, provided you pull your weight in the family they really have no cause for complaint. If it's only you personally that is deprived by the fall in your income, there is nothing to concern you and it's not their business.
On the other hand, if they are suffering financial deprivation as a result of your leaving your job, you need to set yourself a time limit: "If my income from writing and online earning does not reach ..., I shall have to look for a job".
The late Arthur C Clarke waited until his income from science fiction writing exceeded his salary as a research scientist before he gave up the latter career. I wonder whether he mightn't have achieved more if he'd kept up his research work. But then, unlike his brother, he wasn't a Christian.
@hestylim (1210)
• Indonesia
27 Jun 12
Hi JohnRok1,
They just supported me when I was primary till high school, other than that, no more. I pay my own bills and everything. My family income doesn't depend on me.
Hmmm, when I worked in the office where I resigned from, I barely have time to write. Every time I got home I had been tired as hell. I couldn't do anything anymore and the next day I just had to wake up early again and went to the office again.
I just think, there's no hard work that doesn't pay. So, maybe the result of my hard work will be seen in a certain time span..
@vidhyaprakash_2 (7116)
• India
27 Jun 12
Hi friend, sad to hear about this. Most of the people don't have faith with online earnings. As well as it is really hard to earn a good income from online jobs. I wish you to earn a lot from your online work and my wishes for it. As you told you are fully depend upon the online job, you can join with affiliate marketing and promote some good stuff to make a good income. All the best.
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
27 Jun 12
hestylim:
It is natural for your close relatives to scold you --it is because you are leaving a job wherein you get a fixed amount every month. You are taking up online work wherein it will take a few months for you to create a mark. yes. it is difficult to get payment online--similar to what we get in real offline job. there are a few writers who can get paid at $2 per page etc. Most of us find it difficult to sell our writings.
No one can predict the future-- may be you will become a very famous writer and in that case getting paid more online is possible.
My suggestion will be to get a offline job --work and now and then visit online for a change and earn a few dollars more.
good day.
@hestylim (1210)
• Indonesia
27 Jun 12
I understand your point of view, Ravisivan.. :) That's why I am combining online working with freelance writing job.. I don't know where this could take me, actually. But I just think that maybe, just maybe.. one day everything will turn up good and my family will finally respect my decision..
I just need to bare with it a little while longer, I guess.. :)
@lctravenisk (483)
• Brazil
26 Jun 12
Hi, hestylim.
I hope you have lucky in the life that you choose for yourself. It is a difficult life, but with hard work, I believe that you can do it. The most important is to do what you like and have faith that it will give you a good future.
I believe that they say it to you because it is hard to them to understand your choice. It is not a common lifestyle, so the people tend to believe that it is wrong and it will fail. But don't get discouraged, we all know that you are able to do it, like a lot of people do nowadays.
I hope you can show them and, more important, I hope you can be a happy person with the choice that you made. Happy mylotting
