I had lunch today with a friend who wants to write a book. In fact, I think I have yet to meet a person who doesn't want to write a book.
What worries me is when someone wants to quit his job so he can focus more on writing his book, when he has bills to pay and isn't really in a position to not work. Of course, I point that out--always--and almost always the response is, "Yeah, but once I sell my book I'll be fine."
Here's a tip: Your financial plan should never include the profits from a book that not only is not finished so it technically doesn't exist yet, but it might never be published. And if it does get published, there is a strong possibility that you might never make a dime (depending on your contract).
I understand that your book is screaming to get out of you. And I understand that it is most unromantic of me to say that you shouldn't quit your job to follow your passion. I feel obligated to suggest that you review your current financial situation and all of your obligations. Some families can indeed afford to have someone write for potentially no money. But that set-up isn't for everyone. If you have a family and a mortgage and you're the breadwinner and must remain the breadwinner, your financial priority should be making certain you don't sacrifice your family's well-being in order to write.
Meanwhile, if you're single, not in debt and can downsize or move if you need to cut expenses so you can change jobs or take a leave of absence for a while to write, I say Go for it! Everyone's situation is unique and must be considered in its context before making the decision to spend more time writing.
Sometimes, a change in job is all it takes to free up mental and physical time. Check out the job job and the junk job here.
