Dun, dun, dun... it's Day 6 of my blogoversary celebration, that's right people, 6 days of amazing authors!!! Have you seen the awesomeness so far? Make sure you check them out here and see the personal side of authors.
Earlier this week you learned about the first author I ever friended, M.R. Merrick, now you are going to learn about another author I met early on in my blogging career. Now I don't exactly remember where I met this author or how, but I know that it we connected over her awesome book Entangled (Which is FREEEEE by the way). It was the first book I had read and loved with witches. Oh yea, it was fantastic! And the rest I believe is history.... well not history, the rest is magic. I have been a fan of Nikki Jefford since I first read that book and have been stalking her ever since. Really, I stalk her.... everywhere. And she's okay with it... well I assume she's okay with it since we're still friends.
We have great conversations about her characters, her books, her life, and of course her coming to Albuquerque to see me. One of these days it's going to happen. I really think it is my life long goal to get all my favorite authors to travel to New Mexico. Lucky for me Nikki has at least been here before. Now I just have to get her here ;)
Anyways, I have had amazing conversations with Nikki over the last year, year and a half. She definitely has to be one of the most down to earth people I have ever met. She is so sweet, friendly, and caring. She always thinks of others and wants the best for you, truly, she does. And I'm pretty sure she could disarm any assailant with her smile. It's pretty dang awesome, just saying. The point is I love Nikki, she gladly accepted me into her fold and has been a solid supporter of me throughout my years of blogging. I am glad to know her and honored to call her my friend.
Now it's time for you to get to know her. Today Nikki is going to tell us about all the jobs before becoming an author. Check it out and of course check out the giveaways going on!
Best and
Worst Day Jobs for Fiction Writers
A personal
experience guest post by Nikki Jefford
Customer Service
YES. It
teaches you the value of customers (readers)! Meeting your customers’ needs and
treating them well leads to loyalty and word of mouth—the good kind! And while
1 in a 100 are stinkers, the other 99 are a treasure to know and serve.
At my desk
in Anchorage, AK where I took care of customer phone orders for Once in a Blue Moose gift shops for many, many years.
Journalism
NO. Being a
reporter is thrilling at first, but a job that revolves around writing
deadlines makes writing the last thing you feel like doing when you get home at
the end of the day.
I reported
for the Anchorage Daily News, Northern Lights, True North, Alaska Home and
Alaska Bride & Groom magazine.
Secretary
NO. It’s a
demanding, thankless job that leaves you drained at the end of the day. Who
wants to write after fielding questions, calming irate callers/walk-ins, billing,
receiving deliveries, making appointments, tracking down bosses for
patients/vendors/employees/who-have-you and answering the phone a hundred times
a day? Hand me a bottle of Bud and some Fritos at the end of the day! You’ll
find me in front of the TV decompressing the moment my shift’s over.
A sexy job?
Nice try Hollywood!
I’m a front
desk survivor! I worked the phones at a gym, spa and doctor’s office.
Physical Labor or Anything That Involves
Movement & Being on Your Feet
YES! We have
a winner. It’s a perfect physical and mental match. After being active on the
job, it’s so much easier to sit down in front of the computer and write once
you get home. Plus your brain isn’t fried from data entry and other
brain-sucking responsibilities.
I worked at
the farm warehouse for Pelindaba Lavender QAing, packaging and shelving
products, receiving raw materials (ie: lifting 55 lb boxes) and packing mail
orders.
Of course,
the dream job of every writer is to write full time! If you deliver
quality content, engage your audience, keep at it and get the word out, it is
possible to achieve your dreams. I have and it is by far the best job of all!
Nikki
Jefford is a third generation Alaskan, born and raised in Anchorage, now living
in northern Washington. She writes fast-paced, humorous paranormal and fantasy
series for mature teens and older. Entangled, book one in her Spellbound Trilogy, is free at all major eBook
retailers.
Awesome post Nikki. I definitely have to agree, being a secretary is definitely not a sexy job. In fact it made me want to go homicidal on a daily basis. I too am a secretary survivor. I will also agree with you on the physical job helping the writing. I am on my feet all day at work, it's nice to come home and sit down, of course that sitting down part turns into falling asleep sometimes. It just depends on the level of exhaustion that day, but my day job is definitely conducive to my writing. Thanks Nikki, you are so awesome!!!
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