Season 3, Episode 2: Taking Up Writing as a Side Hustle with Simone de Munoz
As working moms, finding time for anything can be tough, especially when it comes to getting a few hours alone and uninterrupted to work. A new side hustle might sound impossible for you but the truth is that there will never be a perfect time to get started. Simone De Munoz, my latest guest on Confessions of a Working Mom, recently shared some valuable tips about how to write a book amidst all the chaos of being a mom…and she did it during a pandemic!
Simone wrote her book, Man Flu, last year after being inspired by the real life events of politics. Her topics are funny, insightful, and she did it all while raising tiny humans and working a full time job. She’s a Working Mom Collective gem and there’s a lot to learn from her journey.
1. It’s Okay to Start Slow
Building any business takes time and a side hustle is still a business, even if you’re only doing it part time. It’s easy to find yourself paralyzed by the structure and sheer magnitude of the project in front of you. The hardest thing to do is start.
If you’ve decided that writing is what you want to do for your side hustle, then set goals to get started, even if they’re small.
2. Keep Your Goals Realistic
Not everyone (especially working moms!) is able to find time to write every day or write a lot. That’s okay. Set goals you know you can reach. If you’re only able to find 30 minutes a day to write, then that should be your goal! As you move forward, create new goals to build on the momentum you create.
3. Strengthen Your Village
All parents need a team. We don’t have to do everything by ourselves and there’s no shame in asking for help. If you need time to work during your off hours,
- See if a friend (or a babysitter if you can afford it) will do something fun with your little ones for a while so that you can have time to work.
- Talk to your partner or other family about what you’re planning to do. Include them in your goals and routines so that they know how to help you.
- Join writers’ groups on social media to find tips and other people on the same path. It’s incredibly motivational to have people that get it to talk to about your business.
A Few Extra Tips from Simone
During our talk, Simone gave some other useful tips about her routine and writing as a side hustle. We talked about her non-negotiable for being productive, her inspiration, and a great way to use chicken in the crockpot as a couple of quick weekly meals.
While getting started on your writing side hustle, Simone suggests you take a look at the Am Writing podcast and search the “bookstagram” hashtag on Instagram. These tips were part of her own inspiration when writing her novel.
Your “Perfect Time” to Start is Now
Writing as a side hustle can look like an overwhelming and saturated industry but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start! There are a lot of ways to market yourself effectively and stand out. Head to The Working Mom Collective today to get your free Calm the Chaos Planner and get started with your writing side hustle today.
Simone’s Bio:
Simone de Muñoz writes dystopian, or perhaps utopian, fiction, depending on your perspective, where women drive the story and sometimes even run the world. She holds a master’s degree in public policy from UC Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in economics from MIT, which she uses in her day job as a data analyst at a nonprofit. Based in Silicon Valley, she lives with her patient husband, their two young sons, and a grumpy dog named Fish. Manflu is her debut novel. You can find her hanging out on Instagram.
Sign-up for the Free Calm the Chaos Planner from The Working Mom Collective:
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Listen on Apple Podcasts:
Confessions of a Working Mom Season 3, Episode 2
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Who is this course for? Moms who are looking for an actionable plan to build their online business, whether you want to build a side hustle, an online biz to replace your day job, or you’re a mom who is currently not working but wants to have a plan to build an online business that is straightforward and will take you from idea to action plan.
This will be for all the moms out there wanting to do something more, that have a bigger dream in their heart.
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