For twelve years, I made a living as a writer and was pretty successful. But despite the publishing deals, movie options and screenplay sales, I still struggled financially. Some years I’d make six figures, others I’d make hardly anything. Add to that no health insurance, retirement plan, or savings account—and something needed to give.
In 2015, I decided to get a day job to stabilize my finances. It was still creative in that I’d be working in social media for a TV show, but it was a major shift from being an independent writer and a big kick to my ego.
I remember my first day so clearly. I put on a brave face and pretended to be excited, but deep down I felt like a failure. I wasn’t a writer anymore. I simply couldn't keep up the hustle. When I walked to my car at the end of the day, tears streamed down my face.
But as time passed, I found myself enjoying the new role. I discovered that I had a real knack for marketing and social media, which actually helped me achieve success as a writer in the first place. I moved into a position at corporate and started working on several TV shows, eventually becoming a go-to person for all things digital.
Despite this, the nagging voice inside my head persisted. Failure, failure, failure. When someone asked me what I did for a living, I didn’t know how to respond. I worked in social media currently, but is that what I did now? Was I supposed to ignore my previous accomplishments? It seemed weird to discount it all—but was I not a writer anymore?
And then one night I watched an episode of ‘Girls’ and it changed my perspective.
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