A Writer's Life Sucks But Fulfilling Nonetheless
It is enough to illuminate a corner, you don’t have to light up the whole world
“The pain and boredom of life swing back and forth like a pendulum.”
A writer’s life is a hard
If you have only just begun your writing journey on Substack, I welcome you. I have started my journey since the end of 2021, and there are a few things I can share with you.
There are many upsides you can look forward to, but there are also many downsides you need to be aware of. To do well in this game, you must first learn to handle the downsides before indulging yourself in the upsides.
If you are hoping to make your Substack writing a viable side hustle, you will begin with a lot of helplessness from time to time, like you feel you can't carry on. There will be many instances you feel you have put in the consistent hard work, but somehow the needle just doesn’t seem to move. You will feel it is a struggle, and you will wonder if your future is worth all these sufferings.
But think about the reason why you are unhappy and ask yourself if your expectation has been realistic. If you only went to the gym for a week, is it reasonable to expect it to make you slim? If you only wrote a couple of good article, is it reasonable to expect to make a living out of it? If your expectations are not met, you will end up angry with life and yourself.
Most of us can’t depend on writing for a living
It is true of writing; the majority of us can’t depend on it for a living. When you are new and just starting out, you have to do other work to make a stable income. When you choose to write, you have to work, there is no such thing as happy or sad, and it doesn’t matter whether you want to do it or not. It’s just that you have no choice but to work. So, when you are unhappy with work, you should re-examine your expectations.
Not every job has to be linked with meaning, and not every step has to be bounded by dreams. You can work just to live. Because of work, you can support yourself and not depend on others; Because of work, you can raise children and fulfil your responsibility; Because of work, you can write to connect with others and find belonging in society.
Stop asking for the meaning and just work so you can write
When you stop looking for the meaning of your work, you can have a life, and then you can focus on your writing and have the resource to pursue other dreams.
We have been told since childhood that life should be planned. A person who is not prepared will never have a future. But there is no need to plan everything because no matter how you plan, life will throw you a curve ball, and problems will still arise. Don’t live worrying about the future that may not come. What is important is to exploit the present that may not last.
When you find yourself worrying about the future, write about it. When you find yourself in intricate situations of internal conflict and friction, write about it.
A writer's life is basically what he writes of himself. The secret to living a fulfilling life is simple: write about it. A philosopher once said: “A man can be himself only when he is alone.” If you can be alone, you will not crave what other people think of you; If you can be alone, you will reflect on your life and write about it; If you write about your life, you can transcend your troubles and find a sense of fulfilment in your own life, it can be a significant source of happiness.
Eat when you need to, sleep when you have to, and write when you want to
Treat life normally, and life will treat you equally. Don't meddle in other people's business, and don't measure yourself with somebody else’s ruler.
Don’t make too many plans for the future. When you do have to make plans, separate the plan from the result. Put effort into implementing your plan, but don’t be overly obsessed with the results. Live well in the moment, think clearly about what you have to do every day, handle your work well, and fulfil your responsibility.
Do whatever is in your control, and leave the rest to fate. There is nothing you can do about it but to enjoy the process.
As Chaplin wrote in his poem:
When I started loving myself
I refused to live further in the past
and worry about my future.
Now I live only at this moment where EVERYTHING takes place,
like this I live every day and I call it CONSCIOUSNESS.When I started loving myself
I recognized, that my thinking
can make me miserable and sick.
When I requested for my heart forces,
my mind got an important partner.
Today I call this connection HEART WISDOM.We do not need to fear further discussions,
conflicts and problems with ourselves and others
since even stars sometimes bang on each other
and create new worlds.
Today I know: THIS IS LIFE!
When I started to love myself, I stopped dwelling on yesterday or worrying about tomorrow. A writer’s life is hard, but it doesn't have to be miserable.
Live your life a day at a time, and write your blog an article at a time; believe that success will come eventually.
Takeaways
Others do not determine your life, and you should never pursue the same life as others. Everyone has their own life, which can be successful or mediocre. We have our own life trajectory, our own issues, and our own sense of happiness and satisfaction.
In life, it is enough to illuminate a small corner; you don’t have to light up the whole world. So long as you can unleash your strength and let people around you feel the warmth you radiate, it is already a remarkable achievement.
Enjoy your writing journey, however difficult it might be.
Take your time, and everything will fall into place.
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Work is indispensable for many writers, only the fortunate few can make a comfortable living from their writing.
Excellent. You're inspired. May the force continue to be with you!