The Death of the American Hobbyist
In the age of the side-hustle, nothing can be fun anymore.
I have a full-time job working as a grant writer for a mid-sized agency in my city. It pays the bills, and it pays them fairly well.
I also publish semi-regularly on Medium as a side-hustle. It doesn’t earn me a ton, mostly just spare money to buffer my bank account. It’s mostly cathartic, since I write primarily about my mental illness and take joy in people commenting about how much they relate to my stories.
I have a second side-hustle in my field as a grant writer. I do freelance contract work on the side, with the endorsement of my boss. It earns me a bit here and there — I can charge a high rate because of my experience, but I don’t get (or want) work every month.
I know that I’m lucky to have a supportive workplace with my side work, so I don’t take it for granted. My bosses are happy to let me side-hustle away, and also periodically throw me clients or read my Medium writing. I know that I’m really lucky in this aspect.
For me, writing is my work and my play. I write for a living in three ways, and I also write for fun. At least I used to. Not so much anymore.
Side hustles have gone from a nice way to make a little extra…
