Is it time to reframe your writing dream?
What if you are already doing it right?
Years ago, when I used to dream of being a writer, the vision was picture-perfect.
A little cottage in the country. A few cats. Long, peaceful days spent writing – maybe a bit of cooking, nice walks, time with friends. Always sunlit and nostalgic, like something out of Lark Rise to Candleford. I’d write my books, send them off to be published, and they’d pay the bills. That was the fantasy.
And while some of those things have come true, the reality of being a working writer is a little different.
The truth is most professional writers don’t make their living solely from book sales. Or even from writing alone. Not even close.
The most recent research shows that average author earnings in the UK are £7000 p.a. – much less than minimum wage and down 33% in the last decade. I’m sure the figures elsewhere are similar.
This means that most published authors have day jobs – full or part-time. Some rely on personal wealth, or support from a spouse or family. Others are self-employed and earn money from writing-adjacent work: teaching, mentoring, speaking, freelancing, ghost writing, consulting etc. Some juggle all the above.
And yet, somehow, if you’re not earning your living exclusively from your books – a reality that exists for only a tiny handful of people – it’s seen as a failure. As though earning a living elsewhere means you’re not ‘successful.'
I encounter versions of this misconception often, both inside and outside the industry. And, honestly, it’s nonsense.
The idea that writers can and should earn all their income from one source is outdated and – many would argue – never true in the first place. As Amie McNee points out in this brilliant Substack post, authors have always had to hustle to earn money. We have always had to champion our own work, and it’s always been a challenge for artists to make a decent living from their creative work alone.
Reframing the writing life
So what do we do when blunt reality means we might never reach our dream life? We reframe the dream.
What if, instead of approaching these facts as the cause of inevitable failure, frustration or disappointment, they actually hold an opportunity?
What if we think holistically, with writing just one strand in a portfolio career?
What if earning money from a day job, freelancing, or other work isn’t a sign you’re failing, but a savvy, sustainable move – one that shows resilience, diversification and long-term thinking? Which, by the way, would be seen as smart in any other industry.
What if, instead of seeing ourselves as struggling artists, scraping by in the hope that one day a publisher will make our dreams come true, we saw ourselves as multi-talented creative entrepreneurs with agency?
And what if that ‘other work’ had value just as meaningful and crucial to our wellbeing, and was equally rewarding?
Learning to build a business was never something I meant to do, but by doing it I’ve grown so much in confidence and experience. My ‘day job’ now brings me just as much joy and fulfilment as those rare quiet writing days when I get to live out my original fantasy. Does it look like I thought it would? No. Does that matter? Not one bit.
I’m passionate about supporting all writers to find a writing practice that is sustainable over the long term, and often that means working within the realities and limitations of everyday life. Earning a living is usually a part of that. I talk a lot about separating the art from the business of writing, but we can’t create to our best if we are stressed out about paying the rent or putting food on the table.
Building a working life that enables your writing right now is more important than chasing a fantasy that might never happen. When we accept this it liberates us from unrealistic expectations and helps us prioritise and value our creative time even more.
For those of you interested in taking an entrepreneurial approach to your writing career, next week I’ll be sharing a guest post from Sharon Woodhouse, a publishing consultant, author coach and indie book publisher, who specialises in helping authors build flourishing businesses. I can’t wait to see what she has to say.
Till then, happy scribbling!
P.S. Did you miss this?
The replay of The Inkwell Salon is now available here. Join me and our special guest Essie Fox for a frank conversation about writing, publishing and building a life as a writer. For Inkwell members only. Essie’s new book is out now!
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Well said.
Deeply resonating here too, Katherine. Thank you! ❤️