Ian here—Gina Troisi is a fellow writer, memoirist, and overall awesome person who wrote about finding security with a full-time Day Job in her BIAHADJ guest post last February. At the time she felt good about her decision, but over the last year things have changed, and I invited her back to write a follow-up to explain how.
Gina’s journey shows us that what works for us at one time in our lives might not work in another, and that it’s always OK to make a change. Enjoy!
I took the Day Job in an office back in 2017 because I felt scattered and overwhelmed, and I thought having a conventional nine-to-five schedule might help me feel more organized and in control of my writing life. It was the first time I wouldn’t have to wonder how much money I’d make each week, and the job came with exceptional benefits that had always seemed desirable but beyond my reach: a retirement fund, paid time off, and excellent health insurance.
I adopted a traditional nine-to-five schedule, and used my weeknights to exercise, see friends, cook, and complete writing-related tasks while I devoted most hours of my weekends to my writing. And for a while, this routine worked.
That is, until it didn’t.
How Publishing My First Book Changed My Perspective
In March of 2020, just as the pandemic hit, I signed a contract to publish my first book, The Angle of Flickering Light, with Vine Leaves Press. I’d been publishing short stories and essays for several years, but once I signed the book contract, my life as a writer began to evolve, and of course, I was elated.
In the months leading up to publication, I was very, very busy, as you might have guessed from reading about Ian’s experience as he prepares for the release of MFA Thesis Novel. I finished my developmental edits for the book, sent out advance review copies to editors and publications, worked to line up promotional events and readings, reached out to bookstores and libraries, bartered with a former student who agreed to work as my publicist, and the list goes on and on.
At the same time, the pace of my Day Job was picking up, and it began to feel difficult and unrealistic to meet the job’s pressing deadlines within a forty-hour workweek. Still, I continued to focus on the positive aspects of my routine: I was no longer hustling from place to place, and I took solace in the consistency of waking up at the same time, being able to work from home, and having a steady paycheck.
But while I’d been used to designing my life around my writing, I now had to find time to promote and market my book as well. And promoting my book was like another job, one I desperately wanted to invest my energy in, and to have the time to celebrate.
But I found myself absolutely exhausted. And my Day Job was a huge part of that.
My job was mentally challenging, and after staring at a computer screen for eight-plus hours a day, I felt taxed and depleted. I was also striving to finish my second and third books while promoting the first, and since my long-term goal is to continue to publish, it became more and more clear that this lifestyle was not conducive to stepping fully into my identity as a writer.
There was no question that this pace was unsustainable. I was losing sleep, and I was losing stamina, but most of all, I was losing my sense of joy and purpose.
I reflected on the reasons I’d taken the job, almost four years before. I’d wanted stability, a consistent paycheck, decent health insurance, and more savings. But in exchange for all of this, the space and time for my creative projects was diminishing, as was my health and well-being.
When I’m too busy for self-care (cooking healthy foods, exercising, getting enough sleep, and spending time outside), I don’t feel well, and I can easily enter a state of stress and anxiety. Many days, simply looking at the to-do lists in my day planner halted my breath, and there was no denying that something had to change. But where could I cut?
In September, I Quit My Day Job
And while it felt difficult to make the decision of quitting a job blanketed with security, it also felt like the only decision—that is, if I wanted to nurture my life as a writer.
So when a position opened up at the restaurant where I’ve tended bar and waited tables on-and-off for several years (continuing to fill in while maintaining my Day Job), I returned, committing to two solid shifts a week. And since I’d also remained a faculty member at the college where I’d previously taught creative writing, I was able to return to teaching there on a regular basis. Quitting the Day Job also carved out time to take on new clients, who I coach on their own individual creative projects.
Almost four months into my new schedule, each day reaffirms that I made the right decision, as I’d desperately needed to clear the space for my writing life. I’d also missed teaching regularly, as I find it to be such gratifying, meaningful work.
With the flexibility of this new schedule, I’ve also had time to line up teaching gigs, like workshops and seminars, which I hope will create more buzz for The Angle of Flickering Light. I wake up feeling more alive than I have in a long while, excited to dive into my second book, a collection of linked short stories, which I hope to complete by the first day of spring—a goal that I now have a chance of achieving.
How Will it Be Different This Time Around?
While redesigning my life, I also needed to be mindful of how to avoid finding myself in the same spot I was in before I took the Day Job. I thought carefully about how things would be different this time around: What would stop me from feeling overwhelmed and scattered, as I had four years ago?
I’m practicing the art of setting boundaries, of being careful of what I commit to, how much I take on at any one time, and constantly reminding myself that the creative work must be at the center of this new lifestyle. And because I was able to save money while working my Day Job, I feel more comfortable financially than I did four years ago, as I know I have a cushion if I need it.
Still, there’s no denying that I’ve foregone security and stability in the way of money and benefits—but right now, I’m okay with this, as living fully by prioritizing my writing life feels far more valuable.
There’s certainly no one answer when it comes to figuring out how to pay the bills as a creative person. And oftentimes, it feels like a constant exercise in trial and error. But for now, I’ll embrace this new calmness, take time to process and reflect, and to follow my intuition, listening to the voices of my characters burning inside of me.
You can find more about Gina Troisi at her website, or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.