Is It Possible to Be a Full-Time Author? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 1, 2026 · 46 MIN

Is It Possible to Be a Full-Time Author?

from Most Writers Are Fans · host Terry Bartley

At least once a week, I find myself sitting at my desk at work thinking, “Is this my whole life?”The truth is, I love being an English teacher. But it’s exhausting to run an indie press, write a fantasy series, manage multiple social media accounts, produce and host a podcast, and still teach full-time. Sometimes it feels like something has to give, and I don’t want it to be my creative work.But is going full-time as a creative actually realistic?I don’t make a ton of money doing any of this yet. Will there ever be a point where it makes sense to quit my day job and do creative work full-time? Or is that idea itself a myth?That’s the question I put to my guests: empowerment coach Angeline Constantinou and fantasy author Lou Wilham. In this episode, we explore two very different perspectives on what it takes to become a full-time author, and what advice actually holds up for people who aren’t independently wealthy.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tyranny of the Fey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is now available in ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hardcover and paperback⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠eBook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠audiobook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Read my stories now on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠terrybartley.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Send requests to be a guest or comments about the episode to [email protected] Theme Song: Young Squire - TrackTribe, Piano track by sing2piano

At least once a week, I find myself sitting at my desk at work thinking, “Is this my whole life?”The truth is, I love being an English teacher. But it’s exhausting to run an indie press, write a fantasy series, manage multiple social media accounts, produce and host a podcast, and still teach full-time. Sometimes it feels like something has to give, and I don’t want it to be my creative work.But is going full-time as a creative actually realistic?I don’t make a ton of money doing any of this yet. Will there ever be a point where it makes sense to quit my day job and do creative work full-time? Or is that idea itself a myth?That’s the question I put to my guests: empowerment coach Angeline Constantinou and fantasy author Lou Wilham. In this episode, we explore two very different perspectives on what it takes to become a full-time author, and what advice actually holds up for people who aren’t independently wealthy.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tyranny of the Fey⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is now available in ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hardcover and paperback⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠eBook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠audiobook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Read my stories now on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠terrybartley.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Send requests to be a guest or comments about the episode to [email protected] Theme Song: Young Squire - TrackTribe, Piano track by sing2piano

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Is It Possible to Be a Full-Time Author?

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This episode is 46 minutes long.

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This episode was published on January 1, 2026.

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At least once a week, I find myself sitting at my desk at work thinking, “Is this my whole life?”The truth is, I love being an English teacher. But it’s exhausting to run an indie press, write a fantasy series, manage multiple social media accounts,...

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