Is it Better to Work as a Writer or Have a Day Job?
This question comes up a lot in writing circles: Is it better to work as a writer or to have a day job?
I’ve actually done both.
Back before I went to grad school for my MFA, I was convinced that my day job was standing in the way of my productivity as a writer. I just knew if I worked in a more writing adjacent field (Because at that point becoming an actual working writer was unimaginable to me) I’d feel more inspired to write.
Fast forward to graduating and less than a year later launching a career as a full-time freelance writer. That’s it. That’s all I do. I write and I teach writing (and sometimes bring in a little coin off a hosting gig). So, which has been better for me? Let’s get into it.
Having a Day Job
Benefits
The money was a major benefit of having a day job. I worked in sales for a large corporation. I had a salary, an expense account, a company car and benefits. I didn’t have to worry how my bills were going to get paid every month. I could afford to take writing workshops. I could afford to buy all the books I wanted (and rarely read). I had every weekend free for my creative endeavors.
Cons
I was frequently too exhausted at the end of everyday to actually do any writing. When the weekend rolled around, I didn’t want to do more work even if that work was on a book. I was mostly surrounded by non-writers and non-creative types (and a lot of people miserable with their career choices). Not knowing many writers made by goals of becoming a published writer feel distant and unachievable.
My Advice
Life as a starving artist is hard. It’s nearly impossible to focus on your writing when your lights are about to be cut off. And while having a corporate job earned me more money, it also left me too drained to write. So, if you’re going to go the day job route, I recommend getting a job that pays okay, but doesn’t take to much out of you mentally. And being financially secure, but not cozy, can actually serve as motivation to make it as a writer.
Working as a Writer
Benefits
Best benefit of being a working writer? My schedule is super flexible. This gives me a lot of room to write when I’m most inspired and to write where ever I want since I’m not tied down to being in an office 40 hours a week. I also interact with more writers in person and online now, which has helped me find more opportunities and level up my skills. I also don’t get rusty as a writer because I’m writing almost every single day.
Cons
The biggest drawback of being a working writer is pretty similiar to having a day job. After finger-kicking my keyboard all day the last thing I want to do is more writing. I don’t care how important to me an essay is or how badly I want to finish my memoir, there is just only so much writing you can do in a day (and even less good writing you can do). There also some physical consequences, it’s a lot of sitting plus stress on your wrists and thumbs.
My Advice
If you’re interested in becoming a working writer, I suggest you also plan physical activity into your routine. I felt like I could feel all of my muscles melting into my body I was becoming so weak and slouched over from hours and hours of writing each day. So, I spent several months powerlifting with a physical trainer, which helped me build and maintain muscle, but also got me out of the house regularly. It’s hard, but the most important thing you can do as a working writer is give your passions as much priority as your paying work. Block out the time on your calendar and make it happen. Or it won’t. You don’t want to have writing regrets when you’re gumming down Cream of Wheat in your nursing home do you?
Whether you keep a day job or you decided to become a working writer has a lot to do with your preferences in life. I don’t think either path is the wrong way to go or that one is easier than the other. Writing is almost always going to be a struggle, so the most important factor in whether or not you write is your dedication the your craft.
If You Write It, We’ll Edit It
So, I mentioned that when I had a day job I didn’t really roll with many writers. Back then, it would have been so great to have a service like Penmob that allows me get feedback from editors on my writing. Not only does your piece become better writing, you become a better writer because you’re learning from your editors. Want to give it a try? Go right on ahead.
