Students often ask me about writing for China Daily. Usually it's along the lines of, "Why do you still teach, when you must be rich from all those columns you have published?"

Actually, we "Hotpot" contributors aren't in this lark for the money. To most of us, this column's just a place for us to share our experiences - often strange - about our everyday lives.

If we really wanted to make wads of filthy lucre, we'd take up robbing banks ... which, given my limited Chinese, just isn't an option.

Recently, I addressed a group of students who were all studying to be writers, mostly in the field of medicine. All of them told tales of how hard they were working, and they all wanted to go out and make a name for themselves in the literary world.

One of the students put his hand up, and asked, "What's the best way to get a steady income from writing?"

Twenty pairs of eyes focused on me as I contemplated my next statement very closely.

"Well," I mused, "have you thought of becoming a plumber? Or an electrician? Everyone needs a tradesman "

Their sharp intake of breath almost sucked the glass out of the windows, and a couple of students looked as if any second they would burst into tears. It was as if I'd kicked a puppy in full view of everyone.

I went on to tell them that it didn't mean that they shouldn't try to become famous in their chosen field. On the contrary, they should push harder, sharpen their skills and take every available chance to get ahead.

Over the past two decades, I've interviewed hundreds of authors about their books, and they've all said pretty much the same thing:

"Never quit your day job. Follow your dreams. Do anything."

Of course, some of these authors are now multi-millionaire bestsellers, but it's nice to know that they started off with nothing.

When I tentatively put forth my first piece for China Daily, I never expected it to be picked up. I'd written it on my iPhone, whilst standing at a bus stop in the snow, and sent it out of pure exasperation with the whole public transport system.

In fact, it wasn't until I got an e-mail much later, asking me to expand it to 650 words, and fiddle about with some of the ideas, that I realized it was actually going to make it into print.

At that stage, the idea of money didn't even enter into the equation, I was just more than happy to see my name on the page. Actually, it wasn't until a few months later, when a sum of money mysteriously turned up in my bank account, that I even thought about it.

One thing then led to another, and I wrote more stories, often with a bit of back and forth help from Liu Jun, the column's editor. At times it was an uphill struggle to try and change things around to fit the way she wanted it - but it was worth it.

It's never been about the money. Sure, it's nice, it buys bits and pieces along the way - but it's erratic and you couldn't live off it.

It's been about telling the stories of the things that have happened to me from day to day, and generally trying to get people to see that there's more in the newspaper than just doom and gloom!

China Daily

(China Daily 01/11/2011 page20)