Dealing with Lack of Support in Your Creative Career

Lack of support is an issue that many authors face when making the leap toward pursuing writing as a profession. Much of this comes from well-meaning family and friends who think that they are protecting the writer from making a mistake. They believe that they know what is best for the person and that taking a more traditional career route is safer. Some writers may choose to give up writing or pursue it as a hobby, because it has been drilled into their heads over and over again that it will not work for them financially.

However, if every writer thought this way, bookstores would go out of business. Book sales are still a thriving industry, and just because someone else is not able to see the writer’s vision does not make it wrong. There are many careers that take years to pursue. For example, a doctor may pursue eight years of college to move in to their chosen profession. What is the difference between a writer and a medical student who works toward their career for eight years before finally pursuing it full time?

Like any profession, writing is not a walk in the park. It takes a lot of patience, persistence, and hard work. Nothing in life is ever handed to anyone. We as a society need to stop putting creatives down and start encouraging them to pursue their dreams. There is no right or wrong career nor is there a right or wrong way to live. Everything in this world just is. We all need to make our own decisions in life.

For some, that will mean a career as a creative writer, and for others, it may mean a career as a social worker, an actor, a police officer, or even a cashier. At the end of the day, everyone is just trying to create a life that pleases them. A career is a career, and it is not up to anyone else to be the judge of who has the most legitimate one. So the next time someone mentions that they are aiming to pursue a non-traditional career path, encourage them. You never know what they may be capable of.