Changed and changed back: I started as a programmer in Summer 1980; by 1994 I was tech writing, and then ghosting business books, and finally ghosting fiction. Seeing the low returns of even really good authors -- for one popular business book, I got $30K to ghost it, the author ended up making only $7K -- I decided to re-tool and learn Web languages. Now I'm a reasonably-well-paid Wiki administrator for a medium-size public medical software firm. I don't think it's one career, it's kinda surfing in place.
Andy Weir was a programmer when he wrote the martian: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Weir" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Weir</a>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Chandler" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Chandler</a><p>There probably are more at <a href="https://bloom-site.com/about/" rel="nofollow">https://bloom-site.com/about/</a> <i>”literary site devoted to highlighting, profiling, reviewing, and interviewing authors whose first major work was published when they were age 40 or older.”</i>
Do you have to change your career to become a writer? I would focus on becoming a writer, and then if it works out change your career.<p>Also, it depends what kind of writer you want to become - some options are easier than others. For example, would you classify a journalist as a writer? Is technical writing "writing"?<p>Barry Eisler is a good example of a writer who broke into writing gradually. A former lawyer, it took him 7 years to get his first book published. He wrote in lunch breaks, on flights, after the kids went to bed. He had to re-write that first book at least twice based on feedback from agents/publishers.<p>Ted Chiang is an example of a technical writer who changed into science fiction writing.<p>I changed from teaching into technical writing.<p>How you will change into writing (which I assume is what you want) will depend on your starting point and how far down the road to becoming a writer you already are.<p>p.s. Have a read of "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert - I believe there's much of value in her suggested approach.
Successfully? Not me but I got the audio version of my book up as a podcast:
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/codecaine-scummy-tech-for-techie-scum/id1321755882?mt=2&i=1000396467718" rel="nofollow">https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/codecaine-scummy-tech-fo...</a><p>Fiction about 2 devs that sell coke to fund their redundant start up
Ha! Well I’ve thought about it ... but first I really need to work out a sound and complete story calculus to make sure his damned thing is self consistent ... then , well the story arc needs to balistically perfect for which I’ll really need differentiable characters ... wait maybe I’m thinking about this the wrong ? Hang on let me google to see if someone’s come up with a story writing language.<p>:)
I wouldn't say I've changed my career to become a writer. However, I've shifted directions and have began writing a ton more as part of my career.<p>I'm in marketing, and before was focused quite a bit on social media content which was just quick little snippets accompanied with a photo. Now I write mainly long form content for blogs.<p>I focus on digital privacy and security at: <a href="https://choosetoencrypt.com/" rel="nofollow">https://choosetoencrypt.com/</a><p>If you like writing, you can incorporate it into many careers, without having to quit your job and be a starving artist.
Charlie Stross did and is now a very successful science fiction author. He wrote about his career changes here: <a href="http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2009/07/how-i-got-here-in-the-end-my-n.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2009/07/how-i-go...</a>
I tried, but failed in the career shift. I found myself more draw to the tools than the writing. The problems of the extant tools were too distracting and I felt I was more drawn to solving those problems than the many my writing threw up. Once a code geek, always one, I guess. But, if you're keen give it a go, but it will be unlikely to support you unless you are exceptionally lucky.
The Nobel prize winning author J. M. Coetzee worked as a programmer when he was young - he describes it in his autobiographical novel, Youth. The promiment novelist Richard Powers worked as a programmer when he was young - that part of his life is described in the recent book, The Friendly Orange Glow.
Matt Gemmell was quite the prolific developer before he transitioned out of tech into writing: <a href="https://mattgemmell.com" rel="nofollow">https://mattgemmell.com</a>
Whether technical or creative writing, todays writing cannot be replaced with a full time job. Unless of course you are writing for a huge publication.