Natalie Ann Holborow

It’s the dream, isn’t it – when someone asks you: “So, what do you do?”, to confidently proclaim “Oh, I’m an author.”

But this isn’t the reality for most writers (especially poets). To get a contract for a huge five-part book deal isn’t something that happens commonly, and even if you do get something published, chances are the royalties aren’t going to pay your bills every month.

So most of us have full- or part-time jobs to pay the bills, squeezing time in for writing around our work, families and other commitments.

But this doesn’t mean that a day job is something that has to prevent you from writing or that you can’t enjoy having two careers. I’m both a content marketer and a writer, and it’s perfectly possible to enjoy both without having to see one as hindering the other.

In fact, some of the jobs I’ve had over the years have led me to have experiences – both positive and negative – that have actually inspired some of my writing (a great example of someone’s work inspiring their writing is Jeremy Dixon’s ‘In Retail’, which I urge you to check out. It’s a joy to read). 

Whether you’re clocking in hours as a teacher, working in a bustling café, or crunching numbers in an office, your day job doesn’t just pay the bills; it can also significantly influence and enrich your creative process. Let’s take a look at some different job roles writers have for their day jobs and how they can inspire writing.

Writers as teachers: shaping young minds and stories

Working as a teacher can be incredibly demanding and I admire those in the profession. It’s not an easy career path by any means – lesson planning until late at night, dealing with parents, worrying about targets and preparing for inspections is hard. 

However, teaching is also a job that can provide a wealth of inspiration as a writer too. 

When I worked as a teaching assistant and ran after-school creative writing workshops, I loved interacting with such young, inquisitive minds. It’s a beautiful thing to see how young children embrace playfulness and curiosity and aren’t yet held back with the fear of failure that can stifle our creativity as adults.

I’d just give them a prompt and they’d let their imaginations go wild. And the best part was seeing how proud they were to have created something, without wondering whether the person next to them had done it better or worried that no one would like it.

Here’s how a teaching career can influence your writing:

• Storytelling skills – Teachers often use storytelling to engage students, which hones their ability to create compelling narratives. It’s a skill that’s directly transferable to writing fiction or creative non-fiction.

• Diverse perspectives – Interacting with students and colleagues provides a wealth of character inspiration. Each individual’s quirks, stories and ways of seeing the world can serve as a foundation for building realistic, multi-dimensional characters in your writing.

• Continuous learning – Teaching subjects, especially literature, involves continuous learning and exploration of themes. This can really broaden your understanding and stimulate new ideas you wouldn’t have thought of before.
  
• Inspiring the next generation of writers – Not every child or young person feels supported in their ambitions to become a writer, so having a teacher that truly believes and encourages them can make a massive difference. I promise they’ll always remember you for it when they’re writing their own books in future (thank you, Mrs Gill).

Example: JRR Tolkein taught English Language at the University of Leeds, UK (there were no confirmed hobbits or wizards within his teaching cohorts). The inimitable Maya Angelou was also a teacher (and I imagine a highly inspiring one).

Writers in healthcare: healing bodies and minds

I’ve come across many truly brilliant writers working in healthcare. For anyone who’s ever read the anthologies produced by the Hippocrates Prize for Poetry and Medicine, the NHS category showcases a wealth of writing talent from those working in the field (some of whom I am lucky to now call friends).

Working in healthcare, whether as a nurse, doctor, or therapist, exposes you to the raw, unfiltered spectrum of human experiences. You see fear, joy, relief, dread, hope and recovery. It’s no doubt hard emotionally – we’ve all seen how stretched our health service is and how hard NHS staff work to make a difference in the face of massive challenges and underfunding.

Here’s how a career in healthcare can influence the writing process:

• Emotional depth – The intense emotional experiences in healthcare can add profound emotional layers to your writing. Understanding human suffering, resilience, and joy can lead to more nuanced and powerful storytelling (take care to protect your own wellbeing for this).

• Authentic dialogue – Healthcare professionals are often privy to honest, unguarded conversations, which can help in crafting authentic and realistic dialogue in your stories.

• Unique perspectives – Working with diverse patients provides unique insights into different walks of life, enriching your narrative with varied perspectives and experiences. Every day is different and no two patients will ever be the same.

Example: William Carlos Williams, a renowned poet, was also a practicing physician. His dual career gave his poetry a unique depth, grounded in real human experiences.

Writers in office jobs: finding creativity in structure

Office jobs might seem monotonous, but they offer a different kind of structure and discipline that can be beneficial for a writer. Whether you’re an accountant, HR specialist, L&D professional or project manager, there’s creativity to be found in the corporate world (which is where I am right now).

In my office jobs as a marketer and copywriter, I’ve always had a little stack of post-its or a ton of email drafts filled with random snatches of dialogue, sparks of inspiration or poetry lines that hit me while I’m digging into Google Analytics (even if it hasn’t directly inspired me). 

I work mostly remotely now, but one thing I’ve learned is to keep your writing space and working space separate. Work is done in my office room. Writing is done in the conservatory or on my lap in the living room. By doing this, it feels like a treat to close my work laptop and pick up my personal laptop to get playful with any ideas I’ve had during the day (without the temptation to check my Teams messages out of hours or associate my environment with stress).

Here’s what having an office job can bring to your writing:

• Routine and discipline – The structured environment of an office job can help instil a routine and discipline in your writing practice. Consistent writing habits are crucial for completing long-term projects like novels. For example, perhaps you’ll sit down 30 minutes before clocking in to work on some writing. Over time this will build up.

• Professional skills – Skills such as project management, marketing and communications are valuable for organising your writing process and promoting your work once it’s ready for publication. Embrace any learning opportunities you get, especially if it’s something that will complement your writing skill set. 

• Character archetypes – The corporate world is full of distinct personalities and power dynamics, providing endless inspiration for character archetypes and plotlines. We’ve all popped a character in our work based on someone in real-life, right? Piss me off and you can get in my novel, thankyouverymuch.

Example: Franz Kafka, known for his surreal and complex narratives, worked as an insurance clerk. His experiences in the bureaucratic world influenced his writing, most notably in ‘The Trial’.

Writers in the service industry: observing human interaction

I think it was my five years behind a checkout as a student that brought me the most writing inspiration – far more than any other job. I was constantly listening to other peoples’ stories (it was a small supermarket in a community where everyone seemed to know everyone) and I would start learning about what makes those people tick, their habits, their interests and their quirks.

There was the woman who would buy expensive salmon every week for her cat but bought budget tins of tuna for herself. There were elderly couples who would wind each other up non-stop then fall about laughing. There were people who wouldn’t engage in conversation, no matter how many times you tried, and those who were clearly ready to fight to the death every Monday at 7pm in the reduced section.

My pockets were full of poetry notes scribbled on the backs of receipts from whenever there was a brief lull in scanning groceries. Having to talk to people all day moved me out of my comfort zone as an introvert, which not only helped when it came to reading my work aloud, but also meant I craved getting home to my laptop to get lost in my writing alone.

Here’s what it can add to your writing:

• Observational skills – Service jobs such as bartending, waiting and retail require keen observation of human behaviour, body language, and interactions. These skills are essential for writing detailed and believable scenes.

• Realistic dialogue – Frequent interactions with different people help you pick up on various ways that people communicate, which can make your dialogue more authentic and engaging.

• Conflict and resolution – Service industry jobs often involve managing conflicts and finding quick solutions, providing valuable insights. And while it’s rubbish having someone lose their head because you forgot to scan their Nectar card, it can help you work on the dynamics of tension and resolution in storytelling.

Example: George Orwell worked as a dishwasher and waiter in Paris, experiences that informed his book ‘Down and Out in Paris and London’, offering a vivid portrayal of life in poverty.

Writers as freelancers: flexibility and self-discipline

Being a freelance writer and marketer involves a lot of self-motivation, but it’s also incredibly liberating. I can work it around my writing and can easily incorporate my own projects into my day, treating it like any other important appointment – even if it’s just for half an hour. 

Freelancing, whether in writing, design, or consulting, offers flexibility and a variety of experiences that can fuel your creative projects. You’ll often find yourself juggling multiple gigs, which exposes you to different industries and people.

Here’s why it’s also great for your writing practice:

• Diverse projects – Freelance work often involves a range of projects that require quick learning and adaptation. This versatility can enhance your ability to write across genres and subjects.

• Time management – Freelancers need to be adept at managing their time effectively, balancing multiple projects, which can translate into a disciplined writing schedule.

• Networking opportunities – Freelancing often involves networking and building relationships with clients and other freelancers, providing a rich source of stories and character studies.
  
• Cross-collaboration with other arts – I love when I get a message from someone who does videos, podcasting or music. It really pushes me out of my comfort zone and gets me to look at different ways of being creative, which in turn brings fresh ideas and inspiration.

Example: Neil Gaiman started his career as a freelance journalist, which honed his writing skills and provided the flexibility to work on his fiction, leading to the creation of his much-loved works.

What does your day job bring to your writing?

Rather than feeling despondent over the fact that working on your books full-time seems like a pipe dream, make a list of all the skills and opportunities your job brings to your writing. 

Balancing a day job with writing can be challenging, but it also gives you so many unique opportunities to enrich your creative process. Embrace the dual life of a writer and a professional, and you’ll find that your day job can be a wellspring of inspiration, providing the raw material for when you settle down to write. 

Remember, every interaction, observation, and experience has the potential to fuel your imagination and propel you forward on your writing journey, far more so than staring at a blank screen all day. 

Here’s to finding creativity in the everyday.