At 64, I've spent most of my adult life as a creative. I've always gotten my most uplifting support from other creatives. Some members of my family really don't believe I make any sort of viable living this way. Maybe they see it as more of a hobby? (Oh, really?)

When my husband and I meet with our financial planners the boys (the two member FP team) dismiss my income when they crunch their numbers. "Oh," they say, "we just consider that, like, bonus income." They've seen our tax return so they know I'm not lying about how much I make.

I'm not making us rich but I do okay--I bring in about 2/3 of what my husband makes at his 35 year 9-5 job. To be fair, his job includes the health insurance and paid vacation. When I go on vacation I have to work three times as hard as normal to make up my lost income, not complaining, just sayin.

Do the folks who give you crap look at what you were able to bring in financially when you worked a 9-5? Hasn't writing been a true saving grace for you? I don't understand why so many remain skeptical. I don't understand AT ALL the lack of support you experience for the initiative you've taken to put yourself on the map.