Social media and news outlets were abuzz on Labor Day this year, and the topic of conversation for once wasn’t beer, brats, or barbecue. It was actually… well… labor. Just prior to Labor Day, a photo of former Cosby Show regular Geoffrey Owens, who played Sandra’s husband, Elvin, on the show, caught digital wildfire because it showed him working as a cashier at a Trader Joe’s. Sadly, the article that accompanied the photo seemed to be shaming him for having to work a “regular job.” Owens’ life has since turned upside down as a result of the article, with thousands of people worldwide—workers, artists, and celebrities alike—jumping to his defense.
Many artists on social media then revealed their own day jobs that they have had or currently have (see below), in the struggle to work in fields that offer no consistency nor job security. Today, we’re celebrating you #WritersWithDayJobs who hustle every day to both put food on the table and to make your writing dreams come true.
Remember that your day job is what allows you cover your basics so you can work on your craft. In the words of Geoffrey Owens, “There is no job that’s better than another job. It might pay better. It might have better benefits. It might look better on a resume or on paper. But, actually, it’s not better. Every job is worthwhile and valuable.”
Keep working, keep writing, and respect the side hustle!
What’s your day job? Let us know in the comments!
Rebecca Norris is a producer, writer, and filmmaker with her production company, Freebird Entertainment. Her recent award-winning feature film, Cloudy With a Chance of Sunshine, has been distributed on Amazon Streaming and DVD. Rebecca is also a script analyst and consultant who has read for many companies, including Sundance, ScreenCraft, Bluecat, and the International Emmys, as well as her own script consultancy, Script Authority. Rebecca blogs for Screencraft, The Script Lab, WeScreenplay and Script Magazine, exploring the film writing and production process and encouraging writers to produce their own work. Follow Rebecca’s posts on Twitter at @beckaroohoo!
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