@ NancyJ: it works just like the Mr3000 guide to become a millionair guitarist: specialize your sim in only one or a few skills. In your case: a writer.
Exceptions on this rule are some skills that are compatible together like fishing, gardening, cooking. Or painting, sculpting, inventing. The longest I can think off is a 5 skill combo: gardening, fishing, handyness, inventing and nectar making.
Those goes hand in hand. But for the others mostly counts: focus on one, just one.
Okey, this comes a little late for you now, but now you know it for the next time.