Far too often, creatives are presented the end result of someone else’s success story, without any knowledge of the peaks and troughs their idol had to go through before reaching the finish line. All too frequently, artists (in all disciplines) punish themselves with ultimatums—believing they must either stick with a day job that is unfulfilling but pays the bills, or risk homelessness and a lifetime of Pot Noodles for the sake of their art. Sadly, a lack of self-belief, the insurmountable pressures of millennial life and Trump (he may not be to blame on this occasion, but if there’s a chance to have a go at him, it’s only natural that I should take it) leads to so many of us throwing in the towel and looking back on the zeal we had for art and for life as something attributed to ‘youth’ and ‘naivety.’ 

The primary learning objective in the time we have together is to identify the ways a creative (namely a writer) can benefit from a portfolio career. To begin, we’ll focus on brand identity, establishing one’s ideal freelancing role and the cost-effective ways of networking in an effective and professional manner. We’ll then explore the various job options in the public and private sectors that are flexible, allow for financial stability, and offer opportunities to develop fundamental and transferable skills for roles in creative industries.