A Work in Progress

Do it because it's what you love, not just for the money (unless you're the non-fiction guy!)

Keep good records.

Have a separate writing space. Some writers even have two different computers, with the one dedicated to writing without an Internet connection to avoid distractions.

Writing from home as a living requires discipline. Set it up so that when you're going to write that you're "going to work".

Find a way of working that works for you. You might need to you need to mix it up occasionally to avoid it becoming *too* routine.

There are definite advantages to working on writing away from the house. Most writers find that working in a place such as a coffee house is not as hard as it seems, as the surrounding sounds just become "white noise", whereas you often feel compelled to react to sounds at home.

Most writers are not accustomed to the idea of a regular paycheck. Self-publishing has changed that since the payment checks come in regularly--monthly or quarterly.