Double Life of a Writer: Managing Your Job and Author Goals Without Losing It

Author vlogs on YouTube are my complete hyper-fixation right now - and have been for a while. Watching authors wake up, make their coffee, pet their adorable animals, and sit at their computers to create their magic has made me visualize that life for myself. And let me tell you, I can't wait for that to be my future.

But what about the rest of us? Those of us who reluctantly drag ourselves out of bed at 6 AM, trudge into work, and sit behind a computer - our screens filled with emails instead of fictional worlds - for eight long hours?

Time

The biggest hurdle I've found while balancing a full-time job with being an author is time. Waking up early sounds great in theory, but when you're already dragging yourself out of bed at 6 AM, it's a daily struggle. And after work? Especially on meeting days, all I want to do is collapse on the couch and watch mindless sitcoms to decompress.

Creative Fatigue

Whether in a corporate job, retail, or food service, work is exhausting. Dealing with people in any capacity (remember, I'm hella introverted) is exhausting. By the time the work day is over, there are days when our mental state is so drained that even the idea of being creative sounds impossible. The burnout is real.

Guilt

I know this one all too well. Fulfilling work obligations and pursuing passion projects can create a sense of guilt. Am I doing enough? Am I sacrificing one for the other? On one hand, having a full-time job gives financial stability, making it a necessary priority. On the other hand, passion projects are what drive us. Feeling a responsibility between practicality and passion can make someone feel torn.

What is a Full-Timer to Do?

The most important thing to first do is learn to give yourself grace. Both your writing and your job are important, but they don't need to compete with one another. Set realistic expectations for yourself and acknowledge that you are doing your best.

All authors started somewhere:

Stephen King taught English.

Toni Morrison was an editor.

Margaret Atwood worked in a coffee shop.

You don't need a formal writing session. Even jotting down a single line in your notes app is progress. Think about lunchtime! Whether it's a half hour, a full hour, or two 15-minute breaks - those can be times to get words going. There's even an option for driving time. When driving to and from school, I set my phone to record and ramble. Coming up with ideas, quotes, and things to look up. Spending that twenty-minute drive home coming up with ideas I could later flesh out made all the difference.

Repeat after me: If it has to do with my story, it counts.