If you didn’t need to work for money, what job would you do?

[Dangeos]

Say you’ve not got a minimum amount you need to earn, you just want to keep working to have some money of your own.

what job would you do?

I’d be an author. I have written a few novels but when I became a single parent I had no choice but to work full time so over the years I lost the time to write. Before then I was contacting agents. Unfortunately writing is too unpredictable to raise a family on until you do get published so ended up in a catch 22 situation.

I'd be an author.
I have a book in my head and no time to actually write it.

I’d either work alongside horses, or drive a tractor on a huge farm in Scotland or Yorkshire.

Travel writer - maybe 3-4 months a year and have the rest of the time to walk, write fiction, do lots of yoga, spend time visiting friends, go to theatre

I’d work for @PruthePrune covering her holidays squeezing blackheads.

In reality - the job I have now, just fewer hours. In the past for a while I had my job but just Mon to Fri 8-1. I loved that schedule.

Chancellor.

Ecology, I'd go round rewilding damaged ground and bring life back to it.

At National Trust type property as a guide a couple of days and a day or two in conservation of properies- no chance of the latter- mega clumsy 😂

Growth industry😂

I'd have a lovely little coffee shop that sold wool and lovely home baked cakes and had an attached Waterstones but the books aren't for sale, just for browsing whilst having a coffee. My role would be faffing around between everything, no major responsibilities.

Virtually no one can live on their royalties, though — nearly all novelists (assuming that’s what you want to write) need a job alongside. The good thing about mine (teaching in a university department of Eng Lit and creative writing) is that it requires me to write and publish work as part of the role, but realistically, much of my working week is spent teaching, prepping classes, supervising MFA students’ work, seeing tutees, administration, marking assignments, meetings etc, like any other academic.

Anyway, all I’m saying is that most writers, even very established ones, are writing alongside a FT job, and finding the time somewhere. So don’t let that stop you, if it’s something you really want to do!

Be a recipe developer or run a cosy bookshop

I feel like in reality a lot of these jobs involve working with the general public who would ruin the lovely experience of it! A bookshop with very few customers would be fun.

If I could afford it I’d be a primary school teacher.

Id write. I do it on the side but never have enough time for it and haven't put anything out there yet

That would be my perfect job!

Me toooooooo. Vindolanda run a lottery every year to volunteer on digs. It was yesterday and I missed out :(

Dessert consultant

I really need to learn how to spell. Spent a bit of time thinking this was interesting but really strange. Then I realised you're a fan of sweet stuff, not sand and cacti. 😂

I'd never work if I didn't have to. I have a job I enjoy well enough but it's always to someone else's schedule. I worked for myself for a while and I wasn't my own boss, my customers were my boss.

One of my favourite jobs was a part time job I had supporting staff at a university. No stress and a couple of extra days to spend with DS, who was very small at the time. If I had to still earn some money I don't think that would be a bad shout.

Oh I wouldn’t work if I didn’t need to! I’d spend my time maybe exploring the world of art (which isn’t really a salaried sort of role).

I’d be a florist

Gardener.
I'd even love just cutting grass. Such a satisfying job.

Something with animals or helping look after small, specifically aged, children (between 2-3 years) in a fabulous nursery.

I'd like to write children's books.

I can't leave my job, as it pays ok and the pension is great, but I'd like to write alongside it.

I actually planned on doing a BBC maestro writing course this month as there was a sale on, but the sale had finished by the time payday came 😭

I'd like to have written 2 books by this time next year (unpublished is fine, as long as I'm happy with them)

I'd retrain as a painter and decorator and learn some extra DIY. I'd then offer to repaint people's houses at a massive discount who've been having a tough time in my community. Home is everything and having a carpet replacement or a lick of paint can make a massive difference to people's outlook.