If you’re doing something creative, you’re going to have to make a decision at some point: 

Are you going to try to apply your craft into a structurally difficult business model? Or are you going to find a different—less prestigious, less crowded, easier—business model to apply your craft?

In writing, the decision is to spend either more time writing and selling it directly as a freelance writer or author, building a business model as a leading thinker, or more time in a writing-related career (like marketing). 

As Byrne Hobart observes, writing is a great career move, but a horrible career. Jean Hannah Edelstein tweets, “I saw the best writers of my generation become ‘content strategists.’” It’s not all or nothing, of course; for example, you can work as a full-time job and write books in your free time; but it is a decision.

The business model you choose to work in can make or break your creative process. The key is to know that you always do have a choice, and that you can make a change if you need. A clever career pivot isn’t the same as quitting.

P.S., A couple of days ago, I wrote about Jay Jenkins wanting to be a record label CEO, and realizing that he would need to be an artist instead in order to accomplish his goals. He made the decision with reluctance, but he committed fully to it after.