The Hidden Path to a Sustainable Author Career
Real sustainability starts with you, not your word count.
Hey there, fellow author friend.
Want to know the secret to building a sustainable author career? It's not what you think. Forget about perfect writing routines or mastering Amazon ads for a moment. The real key? It's addressing the core issues in our lives that impact our ability to create and thrive.
I've got a confession to make. I published my first book back in January 2020, and I'm only now figuring this out. And let me tell you, it's been one wild ride.
In this article, I'm going to take you on a tour of my journey—from discovering I had ADHD to making some pretty big life changes. I'll share:
Why focusing on big life challenges is crucial for true sustainability
How personal struggles can impact your writing career (and what to do about it)
The importance of addressing limiting beliefs and toxic relationships
Why your sustainability journey will be unique to you
Practical steps you can take to create true sustainability in your author life
Why sustainability is an ongoing process, not a destination
This isn't your typical "how to succeed as an author" article. It's raw, it's real, and it might just change the way you approach your writing career.
The Sustainability Myth: What We Get Wrong About Author Careers
Before we dive into my journey, let's talk about what we often think sustainability looks like in an author career. If you're anything like I was, you probably have a mental checklist that goes something like this:
Write at least X books per year
Post on social media every day
Have a rock-solid daily writing routine
Diversify into multiple genres to "recession-proof" your career
Hit the bestseller lists consistently
Master Amazon ads and other marketing strategies
Network at every conference you can afford
Sound familiar?
Don't get me wrong – these aren't bad goals. In fact, many of them can be helpful in building a career. But here's the kicker: they're not the whole picture. Not even close.
You see, I used to think that if I could just check off all these boxes, I'd have it made. I'd have that coveted "sustainable author career" everyone talks about. I'd be set for life, churning out books and raking in royalties like a well-oiled machine.
Oh, how wrong I was.
The truth is, you can do all of these things and still feel like you're drowning. You can hit every item on that checklist and still wake up one day realizing you're burnt out, creatively drained, and wondering why you even started writing in the first place.
Why? Because this checklist, this "conventional wisdom" about author sustainability, misses something crucial: you.
It misses the person behind the books. It overlooks the complex, messy, beautiful human being who's trying to build a career while also, you know, living a life.
It doesn't account for your mental health, your relationships, your beliefs about yourself and your work. It doesn't consider the impact of trauma, or neurodiversity, or any of the myriad personal challenges that can affect your ability to create and thrive long-term.
In short, it focuses on the external factors of your career while ignoring the internal landscape that actually drives your success and fulfillment.
Don't get me wrong—learning craft, developing discipline, and understanding the business side of authorship are all important. But they're not the foundation. They're the house you build on top of the foundation.
And that foundation? It's you. Your well-being. Your core beliefs. Your life circumstances.
That's what I had to learn the hard way. And that's what I'm going to share with you now—how I discovered that true sustainability starts from within, and how addressing my biggest personal challenges became the key to building a career that could weather any storm.
We're about to look beyond the myth and dig into what really creates a sustainable author career. And fair warning—it might not be what you expect.
The ADHD Revelation: More Than Just a Focus Issue
First off, I learned I had ADHD. Surprise! Turns out, all those years of struggling to focus, jumping from project to project, and feeling overwhelmed by simple tasks had a name.
This wasn't just about finding a new productivity hack. It was about fundamentally changing how I approached my work. Getting diagnosed and finding the right treatment took time and effort, but it was a game-changer for my writing career. Suddenly, I could sit down and write for more than 15 minutes without feeling like I was going to crawl out of my skin.
Understanding my neurodiversity didn't just improve my writing; it transformed how I approached my entire author business. It allowed me to establish consistent writing habits, finish projects I started, and maintain the focus needed for long-term career planning.
Lesson learned: Sometimes, the biggest obstacle to our success isn't our lack of discipline, but an unaddressed personal challenge.
Navigating Family Drama and Trauma: The Unseen Productivity Killer
Next came a series of family issues that triggered significant trauma. Each time, it took 6-12 months to regulate my nervous system. Because, you know, life doesn't stop while you're trying to create a sustainable business.
During this time, I took course after course, convinced that if I just learned one more strategy, I'd finally crack the code. But you know what? It wasn't working. I was exhausted, burnt out, and still not seeing the results I wanted.
What I realized was that no amount of marketing strategies or writing sprints could compensate for the emotional toll I was experiencing. Addressing my trauma and learning to set boundaries with family members was far more crucial for my long-term sustainability than any writing technique.
Lesson learned: Your mental health and personal life directly impact your writing career. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do for your career is to step back and focus on healing.
The Big Leap: Major Life Changes for Major Results
In the last two years, I've made some massive changes. I separated from my husband, moved across the country, and went "no contact" with essentially all of my immediate family.
I know, I know. It sounds drastic. And it was. But here's the thing:
I couldn't create REAL sustainability until I adjusted my life enough to allow for it.
Now, I'm in a warmer environment (goodbye, Seasonal Depression!), and I've minimized or eliminated contact with people who don't believe in me.
These weren't easy decisions. They were terrifying, honestly. But they were necessary for my personal growth and my career sustainability. No amount of "write every day" advice could have had the same impact as removing myself from environments and relationships that were stifling my creativity and self-belief.
Lesson learned: Sometimes, drastic changes are necessary for drastic improvements. Don't be afraid to make big moves if your current situation is holding you back.
Addressing the Core Belief: "I'm Not Good Enough"
Underneath all those tasks we're told to do—write more, market more, hustle more—was a driving belief that I wasn't good enough. That belief shaped every decision I made, ultimately leading me to continually add more to my plate in an attempt to make up for the "lack" I saw in myself.
Tackling this belief has been the hardest work of all. It's involved therapy, self-reflection, and consciously challenging my negative self-talk. But it's also been the most rewarding. As I've learned to value myself and my work, I've found it easier to set boundaries, prioritize my writing, and approach my career with confidence.
(I’m definitely still working on this one)
Lesson learned: Our deepest beliefs about ourselves shape our actions more than any external advice or strategy ever could.
Your Big Challenges May Be Different (And That's Okay)
Now, I want to make something crystal clear: these were MY big challenges. Yours will likely be different. Maybe you're dealing with chronic illness, or you're a single parent juggling writing with childcare. Perhaps you're struggling with impostor syndrome or battling addiction. Your challenges are unique to you, and that's okay.
The point isn't to replicate my journey, but to recognize that creating a sustainable author career often requires us to confront and overcome significant personal obstacles. It's about identifying what's holding YOU back and having the courage to address it.
And here's another truth bomb—I probably still have some big challenges that I haven't even identified yet. Creating a sustainable career in an ever-changing life isn't a one-and-done deal. It's an ongoing process.
Life keeps throwing curveballs, the publishing industry keeps evolving, and we keep growing as individuals. What worked for me three years ago might not work now, and what works now might not work three years from now.
That's why sustainability isn't about reaching a fixed destination. It's about developing the resilience, self-awareness, and adaptability to navigate whatever comes our way. It's about creating a flexible framework that can evolve with us and our circumstances.
So as you read about my experiences, don't think of them as a blueprint to follow. Instead, use them as inspiration to look deeper into your own life and career.
Practical Steps Towards True Sustainability
So, how can you apply these lessons to your own author career? Here are some practical steps:
Identify your core challenges: What personal issues might be impacting your writing career? Be honest with yourself.
Seek professional help if needed: Whether it's for mental health, neurodiversity, or any other personal challenge.
Evaluate your environment: Is your current living situation and social circle supportive of your author goals?
Challenge your beliefs: What limiting beliefs might be holding you back? Work on addressing these.
Set boundaries: Learn to say no to things that don't serve your long-term goals.
Prioritize self-care: Your well-being is crucial for your creativity and productivity.
Be patient with yourself: Big changes take time. Celebrate small victories along the way.
Remember, creating true sustainability is HARD. It can be REALLY hard to make the changes in your life that might be necessary. But doing the HARD things is essential not just for your sustainable author career, but for your joy and success.
Conclusion
While the day-to-day tasks of an author career are important, they can't compensate for or replace the deeper work needed for true sustainability. So, my friend, I want you to ask yourself: What does true sustainability look like for you? What core beliefs or life circumstances might be holding you back? What hard changes might you need to make?
Your path to sustainability might look different from mine, but I hope sharing my experiences helps you in some way. Maybe it'll inspire you to look deeper, to go beyond the surface-level practices and address the core issues that impact your ability to create and thrive.
And here's the thing—you don't have to figure it all out at once. Start small. Pick one area of your life or career that feels out of alignment and focus on that. Be patient with yourself. Change takes time.
Because at the end of the day, that's what sustainability is all about. It's not just about maintaining a career—it's about creating a life that supports your creativity, your well-being, and your joy. It's about writing not just because you have to, but because you want to. Because it fills you up rather than drains you.
So here's to the journey, my friend. May we all find our path to true sustainability, one brave step at a time. It won't always be easy, but I promise you, it's worth it. You're worth it. Your stories are worth it.
Now, go forth and create. But do it in a way that nourishes your soul, okay? Your future self (and your readers) will thank you for it.
hugs and happy authoring,
Ella
"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending." - C.S. Lewis
We are all working through it. I am glad you have found the space you need.