I never wanted to be one of those people who started writing when they retired. When I quit my day job in 2002 and moved to where my family now lives, it was so I could write as well as be there for my children who were then five and seven years old. I had been inspired by a woman who presented at a God Uses Ink conference. She had shared how her husband had agreed that if she wrote and sold enough work in a year to make it financially viable, she could resign from work to write full-time. She succeeded! I had a talent for writing, so if she could do it, why couldn't I? I had also been "inspired" by the events of 9/11. Life could be cut short in a moment. If ever I wanted to write, the time was now.
I think we all know where this is going... There's a reason they say "don't quit your day job." My story didn't pan out as did the presenter's. Why not? Well, for starters, I'm not her. I didn't have her level of discipline, didn't have access to her plan, didn't share her network of contacts in the business, didn't live where she lives (New York), and didn't keep sending out my work after receiving several rejection letters.
Three years after exiting paid employment, I returned to work part-time, if not fulfilling my dream, at least achieving a modicum of work-life balance. I continued to write in the margins of time, even beginning a novel that (to date) remains unfinished. I published when and where I could, including three short stories for different anthologies and two personal experience pieces for Chicken Soup for the Soul. I've been blogging here since September 2011, had a column in FellowScript one year, and have had one or two other FellowScript articles published as well. And let's not forget the poem in Good Times magazine in September 2019! Not quite the body of work I'd hoped for by this point but it is what it is.
I've learned something about myself and my writing along the way. My definition of "success" looks different today. Then, I hoped to make a living at it; now, I hope for a writing life that honours God and contributes to the good of others, whether by educating, informing, or entertaining. Money is no longer a goal. Canadian author Wayson Choy once told me, "You are a writer!" and Jane Ann McLachlan said, "You have something to say." Those encouragements, spoken years ago, have been enough fuel to keep me going, despite any lack of remuneration.
My retirement was officially announced on Monday. And yes, I'm still providing eldercare for my mom in our home as well as dealing with the struggles of my children, now in their late 20s. Still, I'm looking forward to the freedom of (loosely?) setting my own schedule, including daily writing, even if it's just a journal entry or response to a writing prompt.
I'm sure my retired friends have advice for me? My final work shift is July 5th, so please send your best recommendations for starting the next stage of my life off on the right foot and I will do my best to follow your suggestions. It seems I aspire to be one of "those people" after all, and I'm looking forward to this next chapter in my story!
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For more about Susan Barclay and her writing, please visit www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com.
Well done, my friend! Starting a new season in life is exciting, challenging, a little scary, but always filled with hope.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to cross the retirement bridge, as I'm not working outside the home while I care for my mom and handle ministry duties. But one day, my turn will come. Will I write? Will I travel? I'll definitely spend much more time reading.
When you finish writing your novel, I look forward to reading it!
Thank you, Cathy! I will keep you posted!
DeleteThanks for your sensitive and honest retrospective of your hopes for a full-time writing career. Retirement does bring you into a new season of life. In August of the year I retired from teaching, I faced a question: "How will I handle life without the beginning and ramping up of a new school year, or a new term teaching ESL?" God graciously brought to my attention a little reading on the theme that the river of life carries us forward, and I would be in a boat looking to the Lord for what comes next as He showed me new purposes and tasks.
ReplyDeleteI love that image, Sandi - thank you for sharing it!
DeleteCongratulations! I can totally relate. At one point in life I saw myself quitting my day-job to write and imagined being able to replace that income. Not so... However, like you, I've come to the conclusion that my success isn't measured in book sales, likes on Social media, or income. "Now, I hope for a writing life that honours God." Well said. Thanks for this Susan.
ReplyDeleteWell-concluded, Tracy! May God give us *His* words and let His pleasure be our "success"!
DeleteCongratulations on your upcoming retirement, dear Susan. I love that your writing goal is to honour God and bless others. It's more rewarding than money. Way more.
ReplyDeleteBlessings as you follow where the Lord leads you in this exciting next phase of your life.
Thank you, dear Wendy!
DeleteIt sounds like you're already on the right track - to write to your own (looser) schedule and to write something everyday. Plus, I love your aim "for a writing life that honours God and contributes to the good of others." Beautiful. Which can be done whether it's in a book or a blog post or a letter in the mail.
ReplyDeleteHappy Retirement, Susan. You'll love it.
From Brenda, a fellow retiree. :)
Thank you, Brenda. I have every reason to believe I *will* love it! :)
DeleteSusan, this is my favourite line of your post: "I hope for a writing life that honours God and contributes to the good of others." That is a worthy goal indeed, and one that I aspire to as well. Happy Retirement!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joy. May God help us in reaching that goal!
DeleteDear Susan, you are one of my peeps! I retired from my "work" as a chaplain in September 2017. My health was giving me challenges and I couldn't give as much energy to the work I loved as I once did. In my experience of retirement, I took time to process what my life would be like, since I was no longer formally employed. After a few months, I devoted time to writing. I write regularly, but in a way that suits me. I know some of our dear writing friends write for so various hours per day, or every other day. I don't follow this pattern. I write according to my writing energy level on a particular day. There are days I can write for four to six hours, whereas some days only two or three. I am my timekeeper. If I have a deadline, say for our InScribe blog or something else, I make sure I meet the deadline with time to spare. The thing is, I do what I can and what I love in my writing. I also concentrate most of my writing on what I still love, helping people. For me, this means I do a lot of writing on the place of grief in our lives. This concentration led me to develop my tagline, "Touched by grief, held by hope. This also helped me develop my "voice." I write a lot of poetry these days with my writing voice and my energy. When I need a break for grief writing, I turn to our faith and nature.
ReplyDeleteI hope this gives you an idea of what "retirement" might look like. Please feel free to message me if you would like to explore this transitional time in life. I would love to chat with you about your transition.
Thank you so much, Alan! You are one of my "peeps" as well :) Thank you for sharing what writing in retirement looks like for you. I love that you are your timekeeper (as we all should be) and that you do what you can and what you love without putting any pressure on yourself. An excellent example for us all.
DeleteAs I write this, I am just a few days from my last shift at work. Huzzah!
This post also blessed and encouraged me, Susan. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you for letting me know, Michelle. That kind of response from a reader makes my heart happy! :)
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