Making a living as a writer when you haven't got a publishing deal

This time last year Catherine Ryan Howard was trying to persuade someone to publish Mousetrapped, her non fiction account of a year working at Disney, Florida. 
Twelves months on she still hasn't got a publishing deal.
She has, however, sold over 3000 copies of her self published book, made a modest income from writing and had a helluva journey along the way. 
This isn't about writing. 
It's about what you can do when the writing is done and the doors of agents and publishing companies are still closed.
Click on the title of this post and read Catherine's recent presentation to a writers' conference in Belfast and be inspired...