I'm Banking On My Writing: Opening A Writing Expense Account

As part of my plan to become a professional, I've decided to use every bit of graduation gift cash and whatever I could scrounge up in change as seed money to start my very own business checking account completely devoted to writing expenses. Any income received from writing jobs will go directly back into the bank account.

My writing checking account will pay for:

• Professional business cards
• Setup and maintenance of a professional website
• Writing contests
• Conference attendance fees, traveling fees
• Writers association fees
• Writing supplies, postage

At the bank, I'm seated across from a banking associate. She wears bright blue, dangling earrings and her black hair is pulled into a knot. She looks a couple years younger than me and I bet her job pays benefits. I remember when I was happy with a regular desk job, and wonder for a moment if I could be again. We shake hands and I tell her I want to create new checking and savings accounts. She's very nice, though rarely looks up from her computer screen between the questions she asks me.

"Are you currently employed?"
"No," I say immediately, then wish I could still say I'm a graduate student with a valid purpose. "Well, I'm a freelance writer."
"So you're self-employed." More typing.
"Uh, yah."

Later she hands me a small stack of papers to sign to create the account. I look down at the sheets, verifying my address, contact information, and that everything is spelled correctly. Under employment, it reads:

Self employed - Writer

Writer. It's there. Right in front of me in black and white. So official and from a real institution. If the bank says I'm a writer, it must be true.

I love receiving affirmation from large institutions.

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Note: Although I've been part-time freelancing for years, I've chosen to list this post under "How to Become A Freelance Writer". I'm attempting to be more methodical about finding regular work as a full-time professional.