Is writing a luxury that few can afford the time to do?

I was inspired to write today’s post after reading this article in The Guardian about writers who are struggling with rent during the cost of living crisis. It got me thinking about a related issue: is writing a luxury that few can afford the time to do?

I admit I hadn’t given this topic a lot of thought before reading the article; maybe ignorance on my part or maybe privilege. Or both. Before I continue, let me clarify that I don’t come from a background of family wealth. I have a steady job, which pays the bills, as does my writer hubby. There is no money tree in our garden. Nope, none. Writing, for both of us, is a supplementary income; a luxury, if you like. I am thankful to be in a position to be able to write regularly and I don’t take this for granted. The reason I am able to write regularly comes down to one word: stability.

In my personal life, unlike the authors in The Guardian article, I haven’t had to move addresses on a yearly basis since my hubby and I were renting in London nearly a decade ago. My current stability allows me to make the time to write. Some other writers, or aspiring authors, may not be so lucky. At a time of soaring food and energy costs, where many people have to work more than one job to make ends meet, exhaustion and other priorities may get in the way of the desire to write. I personally know many writers who have given up on a work-in-progress simply because they can’t juggle everything. Non-essential things fall by the wayside, and for many writers, that means their writing.

Cuts to public funding don’t help matters. On the Arts Council NI website, there have been no grants available for individuals since lockdown in 2020. Believe me, I’ve looked, because like any author I’m always thinking of ways to try and support my writing career. On top of this, bookstore closures cut people off from reading materials from which they may otherwise draw writing inspiration. Money for writing is another luxury that few can afford in precarious economic times; putting books out in the world costs money. Even if an author is traditionally published, where the publisher incurs all costs, they will still have to pay for marketing expenses. Books don’t sell if nobody knows about them.

Economic instability is not conducive to creativity. If creativity is stifled, and original art declines, then what is left?