It looks like you did not treat writing as your job (profession), i.e. 7. Writing was not my priority.

I did not figure out until age 33 what I wanted to do with most of my life, which was taken up by work of some kind.

First, I wanted to have fun. I even said that in my last job interview at age 65.

I designed and wrote computer apps. Writing is a surprisingly large part of that if done properly — user instructions, proposals, help, classes and articles.

The key: be a professional with everything, which comes back to point #1: I didn’t label myself a “professional writer.”

Everything else will follow.

Good article.