Happy Friday, friend! Today, I have author Jennifer Lewy with me! She is sharing about her journey as a freelance marketing writer to cyberpunk author. Couple days back, I had shared an interview with her and an excerpt from her debut novel, The One Game. I really enjoyed reading this post, particularly, the lessons in risk-taking. Without much ado, I will let Jennifer tell you her story.
On riding the waves of creative risk: From freelance marketing writer to cyberpunk author
A guest post by Jennifer Lewy
It’s 6:30am on a regular Tuesday. I’m in the midst of the morning rush, trying to get two kids ready for school. I’m juggling bowls of oatmeal, two pairs of wet snow pants, and my second cup of coffee.
After successfully launching my kids onto the school bus, I retreat to my home office. My mind shifts gears from field trips and school lunches to the intricacies of healthcare technology. My inbox overflows with client emails, my to-do list is a mile long, and I’ve got a new paper about the future of healthcare delivery to wrap my head around.
Just another day in the life of a freelance marketing writer.
Then… vinyl scratch
When the pandemic happens, we’re at home, my husband, kids, and I, sandwiched between client calls and virtual schooling.
During that hazy time, a wild thought crosses my mind.
What if, instead of writing about real-world innovations, I create my own?
A heart-pounding pivot
Taking creative risks can make the difference between a life well-lived—and a life with everything checked off your to-do list. In my case, it meant trading marketing briefs for cyberpunk adventures. Here’s why and how I did it.
I went from balancing cereal bowls and marketing briefs to navigating the underground shelters of a post-apocalyptic future. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Let me take you back to the start, when my day-to-day involved more oatmeal spills and fewer rogue AIs.
The first leap
Once upon a time, I was just like any other cubicle dweller. I had a 9-to-5 job, a desk filled with sticky notes, and bunch of co-workers I really enjoyed hanging around.
But deep down, I knew that the corporate world wasn’t my cup of tea. I craved flexibility, autonomy, and the thrill of carving out my own path. So, I took the plunge and decided to become a freelance writer. And let me tell you, it was more like diving into a whirlpool than a serene lake.
Starting out wasn’t easy. I didn’t have a hefty client list or a ton of experience. But what I did have was courage, determination, and an insatiable desire to make it work.
And of course, I loved writing.
I put a lot of time and effort into networking, volunteering for writing gigs, and cold emailing potential clients. I remember my first real assignment. It came through a networking contact, and I broke into a sweat when I stated my fee. But when my client nodded like I’d said the most reasonable rate in the world, and then gave me the project, it was a victory sweeter than ice cream at the lake.
There were times when the journey got tough. Like when I had to learn to write new kinds of content on the fly, say goodbye to tough clients, or work on tight deadlines. I remember one time being on a client call while my toddler had a meltdown, banging on my glass office door. Another client call I took in a parking lot in my sweltering car with the windows rolled up, watching the minutes tick by, knowing my kids were ready to be picked up at summer camp.
Every stumble was a step forward. Every roadblock was an opportunity to learn and grow. And that’s how I built my freelance business from the ground up, one adventure at a time.
Trusting myself and protecting my time
Those adventures taught me two invaluable lessons about risk-taking.
The first was the importance of trusting myself. When you’re a freelancer, second-guessing becomes second nature. Every new project, every new client, every new gap in new work brings a wave of doubts. But I learned that trusting my instincts was as important as honing my skills. When I took on a project that was out of my comfort zone or raised my rates despite the fear of losing a client, I was trusting my abilities and my value as a writer. And more often than not, it paid off.
The times I didn’t trust myself—when a potential client raised a red flag, for example, but I took the project anyway—always cost me time, money, and stress. It just wasn’t worth it.
So now I try and let my intuition lead me, and not my fear. (Check out this inspiring talk by author and coach Becca Syme about how we can work with our fear as creators.)
The second lesson was about valuing myself. In the initial stages of freelancing, I would undercharge to land a project or keep a client. But I soon realized that this was a disservice not only to me but also to my clients. Resources like Peter Bowerman’s The Well-Fed Writer and Jennifer Gregory’s Freelance Content Marketing Writer helped me understand how to charge what I was worth, and it made all the difference. I was able to attract clients who valued quality over bargains, and my work thrived as a result.
There was another component to this lesson, too. As a freelancer working from home, especially with a family, it was often challenging to set boundaries. The lines between personal time and work time got blurry, and more times than not I found myself typing away at an article while simultaneously helping with homework and preparing dinner.
We all know that’s a recipe for diluting focus and underselling the time and effort that goes into creating quality work. Now I try to honor my own work schedule each day, as obvious as that sounds, instead of fitting my writing in around everyone else’s demands.
Both these lessons have been instrumental in shaping my career as a freelance writer and business owner. They pushed me to grow, not just as a writer, but as a creator in business.
A new reality dawns
Then came 2020, the year that turned our collective reality upside down. And it was my moment of reckoning. Amid the chaos, a thought emerged: “If I don’t write a novel now, when will I?”
A question that refused to be ignored.
Did I always want to write fiction? If you had asked me before the pandemic, I would have said, “Sure, someday.” But when the sky starts to fall around you, you realize that “someday” might be the version the future you use to keep yourself from taking those big creative risks.
The transition from freelance marketing writing to dystopian cyberpunk was as daunting as it sounds. Swapping white papers for stories of AI rebellions felt like learning a new language. But I was fueled by a sense of urgency, an understanding that life is too short to not pursue your passions.
A thrilling pivot
I started listening to indie author podcasts on long walks around my neighborhood. I joined author communities like Derek Doepker’s Bestseller Secrets and MetroWest Writers’ Guild. I found tools like Sudowrite, an AI-assisted writing program, that made me laugh and experiment more. After the world opened up again, went to a self-publishing conference in London and met indie author idol Joanna Penn. It was exhilarating, terrifying, and absolutely challenging.
There were times when I felt like I was lost in a maze with no map. But with every wrong turn, I learned something new. With every setback, I discovered a different aspect of my writing style. And with every word I wrote, I fell more in love with the world I was creating.
The second leap
After about a year and a half, it was time to publish my first novel. I remember the day I uploaded the manuscript to Amazon’s publishing platform. I had poured my heart and soul into crafting a dystopian world filled with high-tech rebellion and adventure. But as I hovered over the ‘upload’ button, my heart sped up and my hands shook. Was it good enough? Would people read it? What if it failed spectacularly?
I tapped the button. The novel uploaded. It felt like stepping off a cliff and hoping for wings. But the moment I did, I felt an incredible sense of liberation. I had put my creative work out into the world, and regardless of its reception, I was victorious.
That decision to publish expanded my creative future in ways I couldn’t have imagined. It introduced me to an incredible community of authors and readers and showed me that I was capable of more than I had given myself credit for.
And it only happened because I listened to my instincts. When I’m paying attention, my gut leads me. When I first considered writing fiction, that felt like a leap into the unknown. But something inside me just knew it was the right move. And that internal compass hasn’t led me astray.
Riding with fear instead of staying stuck
Creative risks can be terrifying. They push us out of our comfort zone, challenge our skills, and force us to confront our fears. But they can also be incredibly rewarding. In my case, it meant pivoting away from a successful career in marketing writing and steering into the uncharted territories of cyberpunk fiction.
A year after publishing my first book, I’m getting my second novel ready for release. While I haven’t completely walked away from my freelance marketing writing business, I’ve decided to try creating a course to help other writers instead of taking on more clients myself.
Do I know with certainty the outcome of my creative risks? Absolutely not! But that doesn’t mean I should walk away from what I’m being guided to create.
To anyone contemplating a creative risk, take this as a sign. What would you do right now if you couldn’t fail? If you knew no one would judge you or tell you it wasn’t possible?
Take that little step, or make that big leap, but listen to your heart. Follow your joy. Every great creative accomplishment begins with the decision to try.
About the Author
Jennifer Lewy writes about the connection between humans, our planet, and unseen worlds. She worked as a medical assistant, social worker, and voiceover artist before opening her own freelance healthcare writing business in 2005.
The idea for her young adult science fiction series grabbed her during the 2020 pandemic. The One Game, A YA Sci-Fi Adventure is her first novel. Jennifer was born in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, grew up in the outskirts of New York City, and lives near Boston, Massachusetts with two teens, two cats, and her husband. She enjoys taking hikes all over New England to soak in the region’s rich history and is slowly transforming her suburban yard into a haven for wild things.
Thank you for reading to the end of the post. I hope you enjoyed this guest post. Sign up for Jennifer’s newsletter and get freebies, behind-the-scenes writing updates, and new book announcements on her website. Connect with her on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Pinterest.
Have a great weekend! I will pop back here on Monday for a birthday post! 🙂
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