Why should I keep doing creative work when it isn't paying the bills?

A call for creativity in turbulent times

Jul 31, 2025

I am a creative professional, and many of you are, too.

The thoughts we think, and the things we make as a result, are the drivers for our livelihoods and incomes.

I've heard more than a few writers (in particular) ask lately: If I can't even make a living at this, then what's the point?

When money feels tight and commissions aren't rolling in like they used to, our carefully constructed worlds can feel like they're falling apart.

For me, there's not so much a fear of giving it up as there would be spreading myself too thin, or doing less of what I want to do to put food on the table (which, sometimes we need to do, and we can still find some balance with our more desire-driven creativity. If you ever need help with that, I'm here).

And in listening to others talk about their concerns, I see that fewer contracts and less money aren't at the core of people's worries: Many creatives are worried about having to give up creative pursuits entirely, or are internalizing the societal narratives that creative work is 'frivolous' and 'not real work' (I have opinions about all the reasons why that is incorrect. If you want me to step onto that soap box for you, I can).

So this morning, I sat down and pulled together this list. These are some of the reasons to keep creating.

The reasons why your creative work deserves your attention, even if you end up taking on other work to pay the bills. Or you're feeling like there is no point to being creative because of the current climate with AI.

This is a list of reasons to keep going.

And if you need more (or you need help balancing your passionate creative pursuits with your day job, or reconnect to that passion in the first place), I'm here to help.

What would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments!

-You deserve to feel pleasure and live a rich and fulfilling life. No matter what anyone says. No matter who you are or what you do. You deserve to feel the full, expansive pleasure of being alive. And being in touch with your creativity is a pathway to that experience.

-Somewhere out there, someone is waiting for the work you're creating. Even if that someone is you. You almost certainly have creative work inside of you that could help thousands of people see the world in a new way, or could change the world in some other way.

But sometimes the person who needs that work is you (or just a few people) and that's it: And that is just as worthy a cause for creating. Because when you're feeling fulfilled, you move through the world in a way where you're better resourced. You can show up for yourself and thus show up for others. You're a better world citizen, community member, and friend.

Dedicating time to your creative pursuits isn't selfish. It's central to the experience of being human and central to being a person who can show up for others.

-Your work is more likely to stand out when you are doing work you're genuinely interested in. We're increasingly living in a period of time where people just churn out garbage just to make something, and feel entitled to produce novels or drawings without navigating the creative process (see below).

Sticking with your creativity and following your creative urges gives you a body of work that's more likely to stand out from the noise, and whether or not that results in more short-term commissions, it will pay off in the long term.

-Creativity keeps us connected to our humanity when the world feels uncertain. You probably turn to your favorite shows, books, movies, art, music, etc. when you need to process emotions: Not to your favorite Excel spreadsheet. We need the creative output of others, and to experience producing our own creative output, to make life worth living. And specifically, to make life feel like more than just an endless series of to do lists.

When you create, you give yourself permission to feel and be and feel present and alive. And your creations can give that permission to others.

Creativity is a source of power and pleasure: And it's a limitless resource that you can share with others. It's one of the most impactful gifts you can give the world, and yourself.

-The process of creating offers us many lessons and lots of space for growth: I focus on embracing the process for a reason. The ups and downs, the rich pleasure of being in flow with your ideas and even the frustration of being stagnated or getting less-than-great feedback all serve us in the long run.

Being willing to undertake a creative endeavor is to undertake a quest for personal expansion, and that in itself makes creative work worth sticking with. The creative process offers opportunities for novel problem solving and asks you to engage with or develop new perspectives.

You're willing to move beyond where you've been before and to, and to meet the uncomfortable parts of the process (like having to say what you believe in publicly, or wondering if people will like your work, or the discomfort and revelation that comes from taking a nebulous idea and putting it into a concrete form).

You're unlikely to be exactly the same person at the end of a creative project as you were at the beginning.

-Critical thinking is something to be cultivated and cherished: I have a lot to say about how humans in industrialized areas are engaging with critical thinking right now (tl;dr, we aren't doing it enough). Many people are happy to plug something into a search engine or LLM, snag the first result and assume it's good enough, whether or not it even closely resembles the truth.

It can feel disheartening: But it is also something that will bite folks in the long run.

Humans have a tendency to throw spaghetti at the wall with new technologies before they settle into a more sustainable rhythm with our lives and societies. Granted, we are currently dealing with some particularly destructive and environmentally damaging spaghetti. But at some point our relationship to it will change.

I firmly believe that we'll reach a point where the people with deep pockets will be hungry to hire critical thinkers and people with curious minds and original ideas. Those are the folks who can solve complex problems, offer novel solutions, and adapt to a changing world more quickly.

And when they do, because you stuck with your critically engaged mind, your messy-and-human creative process, and embraced the experience of living fully even when things feel totally sideways: You'll be ready.

-It's a chance to stand in alignment with yourself. When assignments are rolling in, it can be easy to lose our voices or push parts of ourselves aside to prioritize the parts of ourselves and our work that are getting us paid. When things are slower, it's an opportunity to get quiet and go within. What work and opportunities are feeling like they nourish you and are aligned with who you really are? What's feeling off?

I find when I do this, sometimes new insights come to me, too. I realized, for example, that I wanted to start offering half-day coaching calls and that those are not only fun for me but helpful for others.

When you're open to new ideas to come to you, they are much more likely to find you.

Roots & Branches (for writers + creatives)

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