Welcome to Writer Rants–where every Friday a writer just lets loose on whatever the heck is bugging them this week. Enjoy.
I’ve been a paid freelance writer for nearly seven years. During that time, I’ve gone from making $8 an hour to earning premium rates on a regular basis. I have clients that work exclusively with me, and I know I’m good at what I do.
Despite all of this, I feel like something’s missing. I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve somehow sold out.
Is this it? Am I going to write marketing copy for random clients until the day I retire? Based on the money I’m making, the odds are pretty good that I will. After all, it pays a lot more than the hypothetical book I’ve never written and the website I’ve never created.
I wanted to go out and find my own way, even if it wasn’t as lucrative. Which I did, until I got comfortable. In a sense, I feel like I’ve become the writing equivalent of those people that took a path that was easier, but had a lower ceiling.
Creative people always feel like there’s something “more” that they should be doing. I’m sure my marketing copy helps a lot of people. But is there a greater purpose I should be achieving? I don’t know. And I’m afraid I’ll never find out. There are only so many hours in the day, and many of those are already filled with obligations.
But you know what? I’m meeting those obligations. My family might not have much, but we’re not starving. And thanks to the writing work I do, I’m able to provide a lot more for them than I could provide if I didn’t write.
I was a marketing major in college, and the fact that I could never find a marketing job bothered me for years. But today, I have a reputation as a legitimate marketing writer. I write both advertising copy and content relating to the marketing industry as a whole, and I’m paid well to do so. That means a lot to me.
Although I may sometimes feel like a sellout, I have to remind myself that it’s not really the case. I’m not flooding the web with spammy content, and I’m not supporting causes in which I don’t believe. I’m making a difference in my own way, both in terms of feeding my family and providing great content to clients who genuinely need my help. It might not be the New York Times best-seller I always dreamed of writing, but it’s still very satisfying.
Writer Bio: Bryan B is a freelance writer based in Long Island, NY. He is very happy to do what he does, largely because it allows him to watch pro wrestling while he’s working.
