The Cost of Writing

Ink. It drives me mad. It's so expensive at the rate I use it that it's bordering on the ludicrous!

I am economical in my printing. When the ink runs out, I go to the library until I feel I've 'suffered' enough and then I go out and buy my refills. The library only charges .05 cents USD per page AND they magnanimously give ten pages free each day. 

ROTFL Ten pages is absolutely nothing for a writer. Don't you agree? 

I know I'm killing trees, and I do try to keep it to a minimum, but I do better with editing if I have those pieces of white paper in front of me. Editing is the real killer of trees!

I keep going to seminars and workshops but I try to make sure they are a good value. There are lots around my area, but I am learning to watch who the speakers are and if there are agents and publishers at them. These latter are, to me, the better value. 

One day, I'll save up and get to the SCBWI one in New York or the one in California. With the California one, I could squeeze in a trip to the family in Utah. That would be a bonus!

The class I'm starting on Tuesday is expensive, but the teacher is a multi-published author in my genre (well, the giraffe book), very personable, and the class size is very small. Besides that, it's nearby and I don't have to worry about travel expenses.

I've been considering applying for a grant. That's more time away from writing, but it would be worthwhile if I could score a grant and work on 'Blue' exclusively. And maybe attend a college writing class. The ones I've been to have always been pretty good.

Life is continuous learning.