I saw another post regarding SSDI, but I feel my situation is somewhat unique/different. Perhaps it has the same outcome.

I am in my mid 20s, and legally blind. I've been working since 18, have attended several major writing conferences and publishing events, but was never traditionally picked up. For the last 8 months, owing to low wages at a previous job I decided to self publish short fiction (4-10k ish).. I haven't earned more than $100, but any money is better than nothing.

Late last year, I was let go from a job and my blind services caseworker told me I ought to apply for SSDI. It's been about 5 months since application and as the days tick on I don't feel comfortable sitting on my hands. My parents are getting up there, and while they talk about inheritance and all this money that could come my way, I don't want to bank on a cent of it. They are getting up there in age, and who knows what can happen. SSDI payments won't cover the mortgage, let alone food/transit costs in our rural area. I need to set myself with some side income, while i keep up the hunt for traditional employment.

As a blind person I can make up to 2.5k each month, on top of the payments.. I figure if I self-publish , something will click and I'll hit $500/month, which isn't nothing. I am talking to employment counselors through my voc-rehab agency and despite literal years of work experience in media and professional writing all they can offer me is work at a call center or "oil machine operator" (no, I'm not joking). It seems as if whatever career I have, it'll be forged by my own two hands. I am not looking to stay on SSDI forever, but in the near term it is keeping me afloat, and if I were to trad publish something who knows what the royalties/advances would look like.. I could get just enough to cut benefits entirely.. but then earn nothing on the back end to fill the gap.

On the trad publishing side of things, I have a work I am shopping around to agents. One thing I have yet to get a read on is how an advance might impact my benefits..

Advice would be appreciated.. I recognize I probably do need to seek therapy and/or an accountant.