Before You Write Online, Accept That It Can Be a Prison

I’ve published over 250 pieces of content this year. That’s roughly one post every day, and I must say one thing:

I’m exhausted.

Now, don’t fret. I’ve felt exhausted before from writing. I probably get burned out at least twice per year — this is one of those times.

Part of why I talk about my own writing journey is to give beginners, veterans, and everybody in between proper expectations.

Writing is not always a dream life, and sometimes it can even feel like a prison. Let me explain.

To Stay Relevant, You Need to Keep Publishing

Once you start making money from your writing, it’s like strapping a ball and chain to your ankle.

Your earnings are directly tied to your output. If you want to make more money, you have to produce more articles. And if you want to get paid next week, you’ll have to write more articles next week, too.

Suddenly, you’re caught in an endless cycle of blog posts stretching out as far as the eye can see. I got into writing so I could break up the monotony of my life — not chain myself to a heavy-ass ball that I’d have to drag around just to stay relevant.

And that’s what I mean when I say writing can be a prison. You’re technically free to write whatever you want but — wink, wink — we all know that steady output is the only way to keep making money.

Every day I feel this expectation that I need to write another blog post — sometimes against my own will. Why is this happening? Am I not in control of my own life? Isn’t this why I started my own business in the first place? For freedom?

I don’t have it — yet. You need to watch out for that.

The Spotlight Gets a Little Hot, Too

The other day I spent about three hours responding to people underneath a Youtube video. I used to be very careful about what I said because I cared a whole lot about my image.

Nowadays, I tell people exactly how I feel.

Some might say that this is a bad decision and that I’m risking my credibility as a vlogger. To that I say one thing:

Fine.

The spotlight has gotten a little hot. I’ve received my fair share of criticisms and unpleasant comments. And you know what? I’ve realized you can’t really change anybody’s mind going back and forth with them on Youtube.

I need to create more to stay relevant. I need to respond because I have paper-thin feelings. It feels like I’m not in control here.

My Only Desire Is to Get Off This Train

I love writing and I always will, but after seven straight years of writing for clients and myself, I’m sick of it.

Let this be a cautionary tale to anybody who turns their hobby into a full-time job and main source of income. Maybe it’s a prison to sit in a cubicle, but it can also be a prison to do what you love. Some might even argue that it’s a worse prison because you’ve taken something you used to enjoy and turned it into something unpalatable.

“Entrepreneurs are willing to work 80 hours a week to avoid working 40 hours a week.” — Lori Greiner, Shark Tank

My advice? Do your best to give yourself options. Diversify your revenue streams. Try to create a new branch of your business every year. For instance, I’m going to try drop-shipping in 2021.

Protect your hobby. Protect what you love. If you mine it too much for money, it could turn into a prison cell without you even realizing it.