Ah, the day job. Yes, it helps pays the bills but hinders the writing. It’s a catch-22.
I found this interesting post from M.J. Rose on her Buzz, Balls & Hype blog that talks about this very subject.
Susan O’Doherty, Ph.D. aka “Dr. Sue” is guest blogging and giving advice to a writer who hates the day job but is at a loss of what to do.
“There does not appear to be one particular type of work that suits writers as a group. However, most of the jobs that fall into the ‘loathed’ category seem to entail wearing a suit and pretending to care about corporate goals. (If you actually support your company’s mission, that is great, but writers in particular seem to find the pressure to project a false persona excruciating.)
The jobs that range from ‘tolerable’ to ‘great’ vary according to the writer’s personality and temperament. The three major divides seem to be: writing vs. not writing, solitude vs. company, and money and prestige vs. freedom.”
If you don’t have a sponsor or a spouse to help you financially, you have to have a day job. I have a day job and it does have its dark moments, but for the most part, I don’t “loathe” it. In ways it actually helps me since it’s so technical and geeky.
I think of my day job as “cake.” It helps to pay my mortgage and sometimes on occasion when I’m spontaneous, lets me buy very high heels and other materialistic things. I think of my writing as “icing.” It’s the thing that I love best. It gives me my sugar high.
At the cake job, I use the left side of my brain all day. I like to think it lets the right side of my brain rest so when it’s time for the icing job, I’m ready to go into my creative world.
Writers with day jobs should ponder about the three major divides that Dr. Sue presents to find that balancing act.
You should go over and read the full post, The Doctor is In.
