Whenever people ask me what I do for a living, I have an answer that I throw out every time. “I’m an accountant.” Talk will go to my designation and where I work and it is all Fine and Good and Acceptable. If I talk to people in my field about writing or photography I am usually met with a bemused smile or a deer in the headlights look. Accountants don’t do that.
But I do. I do that.
I have been writing in journals since I was eleven and have been writing an online journal (this one) since 2005. Thanks to those of you who read and comment and subscribe, I have been offered (paid) freelance writing gigs for the past three years. The offers have been ramping up lately and I can’t even begin to explain to you how geeked out I am that, 1. People are paying me to write and, 2. That I am writing alongside writers whom I respect and admire and whom I have read for so many years.
And, yet. When people ask me what I do for a living I tell them that I am an accountant.
When we were at Family Camp a few weeks ago, one of our retired guys pointed out my camera while we were getting coffee. He did photography back in the film era but life interrupted him. We got talking about manual photography and settings and how he needed to get a digital camera. He asked what I did with my camera and I swirled my toe in the sand and said that I “did some photo stuff” and “wrote about photography sometimes.” He pressed me for details and URLs and told me to stop downplaying myself. “You are a writer and photographer. Sing it loud!” He then proceeded to tell me about his son who is a graphic designer and how he is so proud of that artistic trait.
In a related vein, I often have people asking me how I manage to do my freelancing work on top of a full-time job, one husband, three kids, two dogs, two cats, fifty chickens, exercise and extra-curricular activities. And sleep. The short answer is: I don’t watch much TV (a few hours a week) and spend many nights up late meeting deadlines. My spare moments on the weekend are spent doing the same.
It’s a little bit ridiculous.
Matthew and I had a State Of The Union meeting and determined that my income is (more than) great from freelance writing. It covers almost two days a week of my regular salary (which isn’t small) and that maybe I should step away from my office job one day a week so that I can get my writing done and have a semblance of a life outside of work hours.
I clinched that deal at my office and will be a freelancer one day a week, as long as I have work to do. I’ve turned down so much because I didn’t have wiggle room and who knows? Maybe more work will come my way and I can take it on. (Hire me?) I could scale back more and more at the office and one day realize my dream of being here every day when my kids get home from school.
Even if I don’t, I need to speak up about who I am. I am a writer. I am a photographer. It’s nothing to be shy about.
Yay! That’s so cool! You were just saying not too many posts ago that you wanted more of that work-life balance, and it sounds like you’re well on your way to getting it. I’m so glad your company was okay with you cutting back 1 day/week. Very happy for you! xx
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angella Reply:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Thanks, Hannah! I’m excited.
Also! We’ve just gone paperless and I can log in from home and I’m working from HOME this afternoon. Woo!
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Exciting!
It’s weird how I talk about my blog with everyone and it’s not weird anymore. For the most part. Until I was at a wedding this weekend and someone asked who I had hung out with the day before and I said “oh, she’s a blog friend” and I got a lot of weird looks. I didn’t get it!
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angella Reply:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
It’s like two different planets of people. Or something.
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WOOHOO!!!! I imagine I’ll have some work for you somewhere down the line, don’t you worry. So happy for you. And proud. Really proud.
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angella Reply:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
I know we emailed this morning, but I forgot to tell you how the “proud” part made me smile. Huge. Thanks, friend.
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Angella! My work has been so busy and backed up that I haven’t been keeping up on blog reading for weeks. I just read through your last few weeks of posts and I just wanted to say that I’m adding you to my prayer list. It would make me SO HAPPY to have you be able to achieve your dream of being there when your kids get off the bus every single day. I know you can do it. Finding out how will be the key, but I know it’s possible and I think you will find out how to make that a reality. So happy to hear you are doing well and taking that day off from the office to write!
Also, I am right there with you on the depression that comes with winter’s approaching. I’m going to try Vitamin D this winter too.
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angella Reply:
September 29th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
Thanks, friend! My office has set me up with the ability to log in from home, and I can work some afternoons from home…starting today! I’m sitting at my kitchen table working (and taking a “coffee break”).
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That’s so exciting! I’m sure there will always be freelance work for you. Congrats!
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This makes me so happy for you, friend! Hooray!
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Hey there! I understand this is somewhat off-topic but I needed to ask. Does running a well-established website like yours require a lot of work? I am completely new to operating a blog but I do write in my journal every day. I’d like to start a blog so I can easily share my personal experience and thoughts online. Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions or tips for new aspiring bloggers. Appreciate it!
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Good for you!
People are going to be banging down your door. Soon you’ll be creative full time and still be turning down work. Go you!
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Congratulations!!!! So excited and proud of you.
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Congrats! Good for you and glad to hear your firm will allow you to be flexible like that. I also work in one of those professions where the majority just don’t get creative pursuits so completely understand that deer in the headlights look.
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I think it’s great that you have a full-time job that allows you to cut back your days like that! I think you are a wonderful writer and photographer and I’ve learned a lot from you over the years.
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Funny, I never bring up my blog. Maybe I should? It’s not really a paid gig for me, though, unless you count the amount from BlogHer which doesn’t even cover a cup of coffee a month.
You ARE a write and a photographer AND an accountant. And you should be damn proud of it.
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That is awesome. So, so great that things are going so well for you, because you are a writer and a photographer and there’s nothing even remotely wrong with that. Kudos.
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Fantastic. It’s often a difficult (or impossible) transition for creative people to shift to “professional” status. The complete leap from day job to artist (or writer, or whatever) is just too far for most — sounds like you’re lucky and smart to be able to do it part way, dialing your regular job back a bit to make room for the stuff you love. Well done!
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and a fantastic one at that!!
i’m so glad 1. you are ABLE to scale back & 2. your “job” is OK with you scaling back.
it’s coming….. you’ll be home more and more. i just know it.
enjoy!
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Rock ON. You are all of those things. And a damn fine friend too! xo
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what Leah said
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