I’ve definitely gone through phases of chasing my dream of being a full-time writer, and phases of putting it on the shelf. In 2013, I realized that this was a dream of mine and started working toward it. I published my first book and started my first blog and decided to be an English major. I learned and wrote and pursued that dream for five years, through undergrad and grad school, and then stopped writing for a while. I had to get a big girl job that actually paid the bills, and I was worn out from my education experience. Then slowly but surely, I started up a blog again. I started casually writing again, just for the fun of it, still with my dream on the backburner. But in September of 2019, I read a book and took an online course that really inspired me to start chasing my dream again. I committed to pursuing my writing career through the end of 2021, to see where it might take me. During that time, I started a monthly newsletter, I wrote my first official book proposal, I started querying literary agents, I became more intentional with my social media presence, I joined an online writing group, I participated in NaNoWriMo, I started a podcast, I submitted my writing to several different publications, I was a guest for a few different blogs and podcasts…all with the goal of landing a book deal. And if it didn’t happen by December 31, 2021, I said I was going to reassess.
It didn’t, so I did.
During those 16 months, I experienced real burnout. I dealt with more frustration and writer’s block and feelings of failure than I have in my 7+ years of being a writer. I became so angry with the social media game and wondered why I had to be born in a time where you had to have followers in order to get a book deal. I received rejection letter after rejection letter which led to discouragement and a lack of faith in my work and my writing ability (I actually stopped pitching to agents back in April— I couldn’t last the whole year). I truly discovered what had been life-draining in my writing but also what was life-giving.
I was finding joy in writing my weekly blogs. They are a quick and easy way to get my thoughts on the page without much editing. They keep me in a regular rhythm of writing and connect me to my small community of readers. I discovered that I really thrive in community. As an extroverted writer, it can be so easy to succumb to writer’s block, but when I have like-hearted writers to talk things out with, I am inspired to keep going. To write almost every day. To set goals and stick with them. I learned that I was meant to have a podcast, y’all. Not only do I love talking to myself and others about my favorite stories, but it has become a great practice to write out all of my episode notes before I record. And even though I received several rejections in the last year, I also received yeses. I got to be featured on a few different blogs and podcasts hosted by some amazing people I’ve had the honor to connect with recently.
So I’ve decided that my current plan for my writing career is to let it be a side hustle. I actually do like my day job. It allows me to flex other writing muscles I don’t normally work with, and connect with people I wouldn’t normally interact with. I can see myself doing a job like this for a while, even if it’s not what I originally planned. Tim Hawkins, one of my favorite comedians of all time, has a podcast and he recently said that more people should let their dreams be side hustles. When he was first trying to do comedy, he didn’t quit his day job and put everything on the line, hoping it worked out. He worked all sorts of odd jobs to pay the bills and provide for his family, while trying to do comedy on the side. And eventually, it ended up working out for him to where he could pursue his dream full-time. But the sad reality is, that doesn’t work out for everyone. Another comedian, Bo Burnham, once said in an interview that he hates being asked how he got famous. He said it’s like asking a lottery winner how they won the lottery. So many people are out there trying, scratching tickets, with no success. But every once in a while, someone hits the jackpot and wins big. It’s pretty much random. I mean, I think I have something special to say, and yet I know there are tons of other blogs and podcasts out there just like mine, and I may never get my moment in the spotlight. But I need to learn to be okay with that.
And I really think I am.
The life-giving things have absolutely nothing to do with money or followers. I have found such joy in just writing for fun, for myself, for God, for my tiny little audience. But those in that audience are so important to me. They support me and help me keep going when I want to quit. They encourage me and give advice and they actually read my words and take them to heart. And I am so thankful for that. So. My plan for 2022 and beyond is to keep my day job. Keep paying the bills with my big girl career. But also to keep writing, in a way that’s fun and life-giving and on the side. No, I’m not giving up. I still have a dream to have a full-time professional writing career. But if you notice in my first paragraph, I kept using the word “chase,” which is so often used when discussing dreams. I’m tired of running and chasing without catching. So I’m going to sit on the sidelines for a while, enjoying the view, and listening to God’s plan. If He tells me it’s time to share my story with a larger audience, I will try again. I will start pitching again. Because, as you know, I do have some killer book ideas brewing. But until then, I am content with offering my words for free, in hopes that they are life-giving to someone else, even just one person.
So thank you so much for coming on this journey with me, for being a part of my small audience, for being life-giving to me. I hope my words are life-giving to you. And I hope you take this as your sign in this hustle-culture world we live in, that you can let your dream be a side hustle. The work you do is still valuable, even if you only impact one person, and even if that one person is you.
If you like what you read, share it with your friends. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @kdsubcreations. Subscribe to my email list to receive monthly emails including blog highlights, book recommendations, updates on my writing projects, and the occasional free perk. Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me.
Keela Dee Subcreations 
Leave a comment