Camille Paglia earned a PhD related to the subject of her book then taught classes at Bennington College related to her book.
It's what I mean really. I believe I am condemning myself to the status of rare outlier if I ever do make it. While Camille and others have practically worked towards their goal. It would be unlikely that she would have researchedand written that book of hers if she had spent the time working instead as an accountant.
Examples:
1. Phillip Meyer (American Rust, The Son)
>graduated aged 25
>worked as a trader until 28
>lived with parents from 28 to around 31
>started studying to become an EMT
>attended MFA and made it
2. Faulkner
>worked in the office of postal office from 25 to 27
>resigned and lived as a NEET in New Orleans and Paris
>published Soldiers Pay at 28 / 29
3. Douglas Adams
>graduated and worked with Monty Python in London
>ran out of work
>moved home to live with mommy aged 24
>stayed there six months and wrote Hitchhiker's Guide...
4. Kerouac
>graduated and worked as a reporter
>quit and bummed around the US working numerous brief jobs
>moved home with mommy at 25 and wrote Town and The City
>accepted at 26 and published at 28 / 29
5. Knausgaard
>graduated at 21
>worked occasionally at at a psychiatric hospital, newspaper and on an oil rig
>avoided military duty and bummed around Bergen
>returned to college for art history at around 25 / 26
>NEET for years
>published debut at 30
6. John Kennedy Toole
>graduated with PhD at 24
>taught essentially part-time as a military conscript in Puerto Rico
>worked 10 hours a week in New Orleans from age 25 while writing Confederacy...
7. Mishima
>graduated at 21
>worked for the Economic Ministry in Japan
>made up a story about almost falling asleep on the train track
>told his parents he couldn't work and write
>father allowed him to quit
>published at 24
8. Tennessee Williams
>graduated at 21
>worked at his father's factory until 24
>quit after becoming exhausted and depressed
>attended writing school at 25
>worked jobs across the US (chicken farmer, cinema attendant, hospital worker)
>published earliest play by 27, recognized by around 31 years old
9. John Steinbeck
>moved to New York at around 21 to become a writer
>fails
>moves to California with wife at around 23
>works odd jobs around Lake Tahoe
>ran out of money
>wife and father persuaded him to keep writing
>lived as a NEET at age 26 /27 in his father's spare home in Monterrey
>first published aged 27
10. Kafka
>graduated around 21
>worked at two different office jobs while trying to write
>become so disheartened by full-time work that he negotiated a reduced working day
>worked from 8am to 1pm
>first published aged 28 / 29
I could go on and on due to the amount of research I've done and that amount of information I've memorized, if only to gain a helpful and reassuring insight into how other writers (and other artists) made it an what lifestyle was necessary in order for them to do so.