Blog Post No. 515
My first story submission to an open call was rejected. I’m not surprised. I wrote it last minute, it was for a horror collection, and I struggled to make the story any scarier than intense. It would have been nice if it had made the cut, though. I was happy with the idea, if the execution was a bit lacking. Plus, even though it wasn’t a big payday or anything, the little bit of extra cash would have been a tiny boon to my current focus on financial goals.
I’ve been very lucky to have lived as easy a life as I have. My parents worked very hard to make sure I never did without and I’ve always had a ton of emotional and financial support through school and since. While I’ve not been so naïve to be unconcerned with money or saving at all, I haven’t really had to worry about going without day-to-day.
It’s been pretty nice, but I’m no spring chicken and with medical concerns, I’ve had to adjust my perspectives on money. In the last few years I’ve taken some serious steps to plan for my future (without relying on the possibility of a big payday from making a book deal). Outside of simple saving, changing spending habits, and working more tightly to a budget, I’ve also changed my perspective on the day job.
While I’ve always tried to remind myself to be a pirate (and not get too emotionally invested in an inherently chaotic atmosphere) in the past I didn’t strive to make the most out of the potential of the job. Since the job relies on rentals to provide hours, there were plenty of opportunities to turn down work or not seek out extra shifts. While it’s not feasible for my sanity or practically sustainable to take every shift that crosses my path, I’ve been more keen to take the ones that I know will be unpleasant since I could really do with the hours.
My precious Mondays off have been taken over by a shift that tests my patience and blood pressure, but it’s a steady source of hours that I can’t afford to turn down. The day job is still feast or famine, and while it’s been on the feast side for a while now (I think rebounding from being shut down for so long for the pandemic) famine could be just around the corner. That’s why for the first time in years, I’ve taken the idea of a supplemental job much more seriously.
I still need to know a lot more about the opportunity before I jump in with both feet. While I have to be concerned with growing my financial stability, I also don’t want to ruin any hope of continuing to grow my writing career. I hope that I’ll be able to add a little extra work with this particular opportunity which will provide a buffer when times are lean and not be too taxing when they are crazy busy (which happens often at the drop of a hat).
If it works out the way I hope, I’ll be able to keep my lifestyle where it is (and regulate the coffers when I feel safer going back out into the world spending cash) and still invest a reasonable amount (for me). I don’t like to get too ahead of myself, and nothing is ever perfect, but I’m in a position and mindset right now to give this a try. (Or at least look into it more thoroughly). It may work out great and be exactly what I need without draining what little motivation for writing I have. Maybe it’ll be awful and I’ll keep looking for alternatives. I’ll never know if I don’t try.
Ben Van Dongen 