I haven't been around here much, but I thought this forum would be the best place to ask. I've been overwhelmed recently. I suffer from depression, mostly stemming from low self esteem and I feel everything in my life is cluttered. I almost feel claustrophobic. I have a tendency to buy completely useless things and spend all my money on them, almost like a shopping addiction. Most of it is video games or electronics. I live in a house of conflict now, my Dad and his wife (my step mother) have a very strained relationship. Right outside my door I hear screaming battles about money and jobs and even complaints about me not doing this or that as an attempt to put the blame on me. We are middle class and I am really grateful that I am in this position, but I can't stand the constant hostility sometimes. My thoughts started today. What if I could just go away. I don't mean death, but a disconnection from this place and all of my stuff. Just a clean slate. And then comes my future career. I am introverted for the most part. If I am with my friends, my real friends, I open up. However, anyone else, especially strangers: I shutdown and I'm not myself. I have looked into freelance writing a little bit, it seems like a decent fit for me. So here are the questions: 1. What is a good education or degree to have, if any, for a freelance writing job? Those that have done this: how was it? 2. Any other more introverted jobs you can think of?
1. Something non-writing related. Sounds counter-intuitive, but successful freelancers usually have expertise in a niche subject which reduces their competition and ups their demand and payments. For example, there are few expert physicists or mathmeticians who can write in an accessible way to laymen, and the ones who can do it write very successful popular science books/articles/etc. But very, very few people make a living from freelance writing, compared to all the people who would like to be making a living from it. Spending all the money and time getting a degree for the sole purpose of becoming a writer is foolish at worst and delusional at best, IMO. Better to pick another career and write on the side. Which leads me to... 2. You mean solitary jobs. I'm an introvert but enjoy working in a busy office. Someone else will have to give suggestions here as all my jobs have involved working closely with others.
1 - Any degree is good to have. Most freelancers will have one, but try to get one in a field which you'd be willing to write lengthy, boring articles about. I have two degrees; music and psychology, but I spend a good 20% of my freelance writing time on psychology articles or books. Music is a lot more saturated so I don't even mention that one when I'm applying for writing jobs. I make the rest of my living doing fiction and comedy, which is possible to do without any degree-level education but you wouldn't stand out to begin with, so it might be difficult (if not impossible) to ever get to that point. 2 - Night security guard. Actually, anything involving night shifts. At least then you can masturbate when no one's around.
