One thing for certain, being a fiction author is a much different world than being a CPA and investment advisor. The professional world has overlord oversight, suffocating compliance dungeons, and little creativity (well unless prison is your thing). Writing provides me the necessary escapism from this drudgery. Don’t get me wrong, for 31 years I have provided financial advice for clients and it has been rewarding at times (I think). This was until the DIY generation arrived and spread its virus. Fellow authors know what I am talking about. You read about it everyday, should I use an agent and publisher, or just self publish?
In 1985 I began my accounting career. Personal computers were rare, so much was still done manually. Clients brought us their entire business work and we handled it all for them. Then the PC arrived as did bookkeeping software and voila, the first DIY Virus appeared. “I don’t need the accountant, I can do my own books virus.” Then a few years later the Turbo Tax virus appeared. “I don’t need the accountant, I can do my own taxes.” But the funny thing is these clients were attacked by the “Oh crap, it’s an IRS audit Virus.” So naturally I get a call to represent them in their moment of dire straits. This is where the DIY acronym has a second meaning – “Damage It Yourself.” Sorry, call Roni Deutch for tax resolution services (Oops – sorry she is in prison.) Now we have the multi-tasking day traders using dopeler (sic) heat radar, or some other nonsense as shown in the commercials. When you lose your shirt or home that second meaning of DIY becomes irreparable. Nobody likes #2, if you get my drift.
I love writing. If I have a DIY moment (#2) then I don’t go to a debtor’s prison, sweat profusely in an IRS audit, or be seen screaming at my dopeler heat radar on my smart phone as I walk into open sewer cover or water fountain. I get to write about these folks, as real life supplies the best comedy.
Accounting has taught me to be adaptable to change, be analytical and methodical in my writing. What I learned writing the trilogy has been documented into a checklist like those we CPA’s use in an audit. So I am now officially a DIY’er (#1). Hopefully agents and publishers realize the trend in time and can adapt as well.
So yes, I am an anal author infected with a new strain of the DIY virus called JWM2012, or “JUST WATCH ME in 2012!”
