I am honestly considering a huge risk

[steini]

25 forwards?? no callback damn, my dreams just took a dive there

[sgs4u]

We had a thread started a while back where members were posting their stats. I liked it. I joined Taxi in Nov '06. I've submitted many more times than I care to count anymore, but my plan seems to be working. I learn about genres from y'all, the critiques, and non-forwards I get back. Good thing I already lost all my hair. 'Cause it'd be all gone or completely white, if I'd been trying to go this Taxi route 20 years ago. Well, actually, I wouldn't even have gotten thru 5 returns, I would've been angry and screaming bloody murder from my "poor musician soapbox." Sometimes age is a very warm blanket. About 300 submissions, 35 forwards, 1 fairly high-profile placement, and that paid me $750. No other deals pending, yet. The dreams don't take dives, only our fragile egos.

[squids]

Quote:The dreams don't take dives, only our fragile egos. Amen.

[jeep]

Well I worked for 30 yrs. in factory [3-11,11-7,shift work]hey somebody wrote a song about that.......Thinking for 30 yrs. I really want to write now I'm thinking why didn't I go to some workshops to learn how.... I haven't read anything about lyric writing I just thought I 've got enough heartache,relationships, death,family, co-workers to write about and the ability to put it on paper to make people laugh,cry,smell ..well maybe not smell some of you might think my first attempt did.. but I'm learning.The point is do what makes you Happy like I said in the newbie forum ..a guy I trained told me he was going to Nashville to write and write he Did...I'am doing what makes me Happy..I have to because I know nobody buys just lyrics but I like writting So Quit No Stay...thats my no- cents worth

[geo]

Wow, my gut response is go for it, my head would check out if I honestly have the chops to make a living doing it. Have I had success so far? Solid prospects (library contacts etc.) lined up, a catalog of strong material?. Don't know your situation but how about taking a consulting/reduced hour position where you had more time to pursue music but still some income coming in? Wish I was in a position to make this choice, good luck to you... Geo

[thewillbrock]

I saw this and as the last post was a few days ago it may a bit late.I hear all of the risk management stuff but your dilema strikes a serious chord with me. I know a guy a (very very well) who was in a similar position a few years back. 2 kids good job making a little money... and miserable. If you truly know that you have the goods... If you truly believe you can make that happen... Dude(and I mean that in the most androgenous sense of the term) ... GO!I'm telling you from absolute personal experience, If you're world doesn't look like you want it to, you must... you have a resposnibility as a human being to change it. It might look daunting for a moment but many super succesful super wealthy super happy people say the exact same thing. A single minded sense of purpose, and absolute obsession with "your thing" can only result in you winning.Don't mean to get preachy. I just remember being there. Making that leap was the best thing I ever did financially spiritually and menatally. (It kept my butt out of the bar, too). ; )Good luck

[anne]

When I responded earlier about keeping the money you have stashed away for retirement, that was because you are so young -your future funds can sit and grow interest for 30+years, so your retirement is secured. Also, you have a good paying job that will allow you to save up some money rather quickly - that way you have some money to live on while getting your new career off the ground without tapping into the retirement funds. We never know what is going to happen in life. I'm here because, like others on this board, I got hit with a serious illness that made my career choice an impossibility. Writing music is what I wanted to do "in my dream job" , and now I do it, so it worked out for me. However, it will take a while to make money at this right off the starting line and , if I were doing it under different circumstances, I'd just do it the way I suggested. Not having to worry about your financial stability while working on what you love is a much more ideal situation. You only get one shot at life - you have to do what you love, be who you are - but it never hurts to spend a little time making it the most beneficial situation you can!

[hummingbird]

This should be a good readhttp://zenhabits.net:80/2008/01/so-i-quit-my-day-job-holy-cow-i-took-the-plunge/copy & paste the link or it don't work

[lopc]

Have any examples we can give a look and a listen?

[daskitso]

Whoa Big Fella! Before you go off making such a decision ... You came to the right place. I'm so glad you asked me because i just happen to be the smartest man alive and if I'm not mistaken, last I checked, I know everything. LMAO! Just kidding. But a few thoughts in the name of a game plan. You don't need to quit your job and you can still dedicate more time to your writing. If you hate the job you have, you should still weigh your other employment options before just taking the year off. Spending your nest egg could be seriously bad news in the long run since even successful writers sometimes become unsuccessful again later on. You may get one huge hit, which is more than most, and then never get another. Don't forget it's the entertainment industry. First take a couple songwriter classes from the folks that work through Taxi to see where you stand. Taxi has already checked them out thoroughly so they have done an important part of the process for you. Then if you get enough good feedback, maybe you could take a leave of absence from the day gig to focus on the writing and build your body of work. If that goes well and you are making both creative and financial progress from the writing, then go full-time writer. Some folks say you should always have a back-up plan, something to fall back on. Some people say you should never leave yourself an escape route so it will force you to succeed. The few who brag about making it with out a back-up plan don't like to talk about the others who starved to death. Try to think of your day job as nothing more than a necessity to pay the bills and derive your joy from your creative time and other places.