Turning that passion into a paid job….

I never thought I would see the day that I gave up nursing and spent my days behind a computer screen writing for a living.

Hobby Turned Career

I have always enjoyed writing. I get a huge amount of satisfaction sharing my knowledge both as a nurse and mom, with an audience who can learn from my experiences. As a nurse my audience often consisted of one person, now I know I can talk to hundreds of people and really make a difference.

I started posting regular articles on various sites and soon realised that the feedback I was getting was encouraging and people actually enjoyed my work.

I then found a few paid writing posts which enabled me to start building up a portfolio as a writer. My resume became very different to the one I used as a nurse, but the harder I worked and the more effort I put in, the more I was able to add to it.

 Making a Difficult Choice

Having been on maternity leave for several months, I had to start considering returning to my role as a nurse. Because I had been writing so much during my time off, I couldn’t bear the thought of not having time to spend doing what I love…. writing.

I had to make a very difficult and life changing decision. Do I return to my nursing job, which I enjoy very much? Or do I follow my dreams of making a career out of my writing? This was a decision only I could make, and despite having the full support of my partner it was one of the hardest decisions of my life.

 Help With My Decision

With an older child and a baby also, I guess my life priorities had also changed. With a baby who had been very ill and was classified ‘disabled’ I knew returning to work and putting him in childcare was not going to be easy. The beauty of freelance writing is that you can do it all from the comfort of your home, and it is flexible enough to fit round family life.

So that was the pivotal part of my decision. I needed to put my children first and be on hand when they need me.

So….. writing it was. I felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders when I finally announced my decision. I realised that I had invested so much of my time and effort with my writing, that I had only climbed half the mountain and I was not going to give up.

Making a Go of Things

A few months down the line I am finding myself in demand as a credible writer. I feel such a sense of achievement and really feel like I made the right decision - no regrets whatsoever.

I am loving the diversity that my writing career gives me. As a resident of Great Britain I am making contacts with people overseas and realizing there is a whole world out there to explore. Understanding other cultures and learning from other writing professionals has been an added bonus. It is amazing how many people in the writing industry are so willing to help out us newcomers!

…..always a nurse? There is a degree of truth in that phrase. After 15 years in the medical profession I am bound to have some habits firmly tattooed on me, and I think this applies only in the caring sense of the word. I am a born carergiver, I love helping people and sharing my experiences. In a way I guess I have the best of both worlds.

As for being a writer, this is a passion, career and hobby that I will always enjoy. There is so much to learn, and so much to give, the benefits are endless.

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