Turning Creative Work into Income: What We Don’t Talk About Much

“What if I just go all-in on writing? What would that look like?” I asked myself…again…

It’s a conversation I’ve had with myself several times over. I want my words to make an impact. Whether in blog form, newsletter form, or my books, I want my writing to connect and make people feel something. Anything. I have always been driven to write. I love stories, and I can’t imagine a life where we don’t exchange our stories – real or imagined – with each other.

I built this blog platform more than a decade ago, and it grew with my stories of mental health concerns, my love of words, and then it really blew up when I shared my dating journey in my late 20s.
After that, things shifted. From graduating grad school to starting my career then marriage and kids, my life took many shifts and changes.
I listened to so many voices about what writing businesses and coaching were supposed to look like, so my blog moved.

I’ve tried so many things, and I’ve been keeping my coaching and my writing separate, even though they are just different sides of the same coin. Building something creatively and helping other moms do the same, they go together.

So, I found myself once again asking, “what if I went all in on my writing?”

I never have a good answer for this, though, because I don’t actually know what that would look like. Would it be strictly books? Would it include monetizing a blog or newsletter (enter Substack, which I’m letting go of to return here)? Would it be nonfiction books? Would it be some combination thereof, but taking away my coaching program completely?

That last option feels only half right. My desire is to write more in this blog space, get back into writing my books – fiction and nonfiction alike – and then have one program running. My hybrid group membership program that works on my terms, my timeline, and with limited upkeep but still human connection.

Simplified Systems, not Better Time Management

The problem? Something we don’t talk about when we are turning creative work into income is that we don’t need better time management, we need simplified systems. Each of these goals require a lot of work, and if we’re not careful, we will be consumed by busy work, and we will neglect the creative work.

For writer, it means writing social media posts, scrolling, styling images, dancing in reels, fulfilling orders, the list goes on. For artists and musicians and crafters, the list looks similar. It’s printing labels, packing pretty packages, and spending a lot of time at the post office. It’s trying every new platform that comes our way, agonizing over website copy, and wondering how many shows/events we can fit into our schedule.

Suddenly, the business of creativity has stolen our creativity right out from under us. We’re creating less, or enjoying the process less. We move deadlines. We doomscroll or binge watch. Sometimes we even call it research.

What we don’t talk a lot about when it comes to creative business: it requires creation to actually be sustainable.
And that means simplifying our systems.

I am currently trying to go more “all-in” on my writing, but I don’t want to do it at the expense of a simple, sustainable coaching program that I love.
For me, that’s going to involve a simplified marketing plan, a rhythm that allows me to show up without staying sucked in. For me, that’s going to be choosing the absolute bare-bones tasks that move the needle forward, mindset work around doubt, imposter syndrome, and time. For me, it’s going to look like doing more writing, even when I don’t feel particularly inspired.

For me, it’s going to look different than it might for you. That’s what actually makes my program so nice. I help you make your plan. I help you determine what works for you at your stage of creative business building in motherhood. (Because motherhood adds in a whole other layer of complication. Hello, sleep? Who’s she…? Don’t worry, I’ll reintroduce you.)

If you’re creating a business around freelance work, indie and creative work, this simplification is something we need to talk about more. None of us should sacrifice our creativity and passion to the alter of business, even if we want to bring in sustainable, livable income to support our families. And I don’t think we have to, as long as we’re willing to embrace the simplified version that suits us best in each season.

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If you’d like to know more about the Soul Cadence program, contact me and I’d love to answer any questions you have.