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We Need to Talk About What “Success” Means for Today’s Writers
What is a “reasonable” dream in today’s writing market?
When I decided to pursue the path of the artist in late 2019, I gave myself a goal: I’d try this life for 3–4 years. If things didn’t work out, I figured I could always go back to marketing.
At the time, I was a marketing specialist for a major company while also building my portfolio as a marketing consultant for small to medium-sized businesses. I had two clients, plus my company work.
But marketing was soul-draining for me. Deep down, I knew I was only doing it because it was something I was above-average good at, and it paid.
I wanted to live for more than that. I wanted to be an artist. So, I resigned from my big city corporate job, finished my contracts with clients, and moved back to a smaller town to save on rent. I tried different creative pursuits, but by mid-2020, I decided to focus on writing.
Now, over five years later: Have I “made it”?
Not in the way I envisioned. When I started, I had a picture in my head of what success looked like, one I think many new writers share.
I imagined “making it” as a writer would mean finishing a novel, getting an agent who would believe in it, and…
