People Think I’m Doing Fine...

Dear Readers,

It has been a long time since I last sat down to share an article here on “Letters from Awriterstip.” For the past several months, my energy has been entirely consumed by other corners of my creative world, poured deeply into recording podcast episodes, publishing books, and constantly trying to feed the social media algorithms.

If I am being completely honest, much of that shift was driven by necessity. Like many creators, I found myself chasing opportunities that promised a more stable income while trying to keep my creative work alive. But in the rush of trying to build something better and keep up with the practical demands of life, I realised how much I missed the quiet, honest connection of writing directly to you.

This article is my return to that space, born out of a realisation that the stories we hide behind our hustle are often the ones that need to be told the most.

In many ways, my podcast, “Louder Than Letters,” is the natural extension of everything I write here on “Letters from Awriterstip.” It is a project born from the desire to take the raw realities I put onto the screen and convert them into spoken words.

I know that life gets incredibly busy, and people don't always have the time to sit down and read a long article. Because of that, I wanted to turn these written reflections into an audio space, a place where you can press play, grab a cup of coffee when you finally have a free moment, and simply listen and connect with these truths on a deeper level.

A little behind-the-scenes note: when I first sat down to write this article, I expected it to be around 1,200 words. As I continued writing and reflecting, the piece grew naturally to 1,770 words. Perhaps that says something about the subject itself. Sometimes the stories we think will be short are the ones carrying the most weight, and once we begin telling the truth, the words have a way of finding their own length & Strength.

Yes, this article will become a podcast episode too.

There is a curious illusion that follows writers, authors, podcasters, and creators wherever they go. It is an illusion built from book covers, social media posts, podcast episodes, articles, photographs, and carefully crafted words.

To the outside world, it can appear that a person who has published books, hosts a podcast, writes articles, and maintains an online presence has somehow arrived at a place of comfort and success.

The assumption is entirely understandable because, in a digitally driven culture, visibility often looks like prosperity. People look at the five-star ratings, the polished profile, and the finished work and assume you are just effortlessly enjoying life without a care in the world.

They think everything comes easily to you, that you are not struggling or putting in real effort behind the scenes. Yet visibility and prosperity are not the same thing, and the public version of a creative life rarely matches the private reality. Nobody truly knows the depth of the struggle it takes to keep going, and while I know I do not have to prove my worth or my five-star achievements to anyone, there are still times when you feel the weight of needing to show people the reality of what you are actually doing right now.

I have spent years writing, publishing books, recording podcasts, maintaining newsletters, and sharing stories, poems, and reflections across different platforms. To someone scrolling through my profile, it might appear that life is moving smoothly, that the work is paying off, and that I am living the kind of life many aspiring creators hope to build.

The truth, however, is far more complicated. There have been moments when I spent weeks working on a project, only to watch it disappear into the noise of the internet. Moments when I questioned whether anyone was listening, reading, or paying attention at all. Yet the next day I found myself sitting back down at the keyboard and starting again.

Behind every published book is a person who worries about bills, behind every podcast episode is someone wondering whether the immense effort will ever translate into anything tangible, and behind every article is a human being carrying responsibilities, disappointments, hopes, and fears that readers rarely see.

People think I'm doing fine because they see the books, the articles, the podcast episodes, and the social media posts. What they do not see are the moments of self-doubt, the health challenges, the financial pressures, and the countless hours spent working behind the scenes. They do not see the days when I wonder how I will keep everything moving forward. They see the finished chapters, not the sleepless nights that helped create them.

What many people do not realise is that, for independent authors and creators, much of the work happens in complete isolation. When a new book appears online, readers see a polished cover and a finished product. What they do not see is the writer acting as editor, proofreader, researcher, designer, marketer, promoter, and project manager.

Many times, I have edited my own manuscripts, created promotional images and graphics, formatted files, designed covers, written descriptions, prepared social media campaigns, and handled every stage of publication myself.

There is no large team standing behind many independent creators. There is often just one person sitting in front of a screen, trying to bring an idea to life, carrying the weight of every technical problem, troubleshooting challenge, and administrative responsibility alone. For many writers, creativity is not the problem; the challenge is sustainability.

There is a romantic image of the successful author sitting comfortably in a beautiful study, living entirely from book sales and literary achievements. It is a pleasant fantasy, but for most creators it remains exactly that. The reality is that many published authors continue to work other jobs, freelance, consult, edit, teach, or pursue multiple streams of income simply to maintain stability.

There is no shame in that reality, yet many of us carry shame anyway, perhaps coming from the high expectations we place upon ourselves or the assumptions others place upon us. When someone sees the words “published author” or “podcast host,” assumptions naturally follow. The reality is often far less glamorous than people imagine.

What they rarely realise is that creative work can be highly visible while producing very little actual income. A person can have readers, listeners, and books in print, and still find themselves searching for work and worrying about tomorrow.

That reality is difficult to discuss because society often treats success as a binary condition: you are either succeeding or failing, thriving or struggling. Life is rarely that simple, and most people exist somewhere in the middle. I know what it feels like to look successful from the outside while facing challenges that remain completely invisible to others.

There have been moments when posting a new article felt easy, while dealing with the realities behind the scenes felt overwhelming. There have been days when sharing a creative achievement online seemed almost dishonest because it represented only a small part of the story.

The story behind the story is often where real life exists, where health challenges change our priorities, and where stress finds its way into the body. There are days when fatigue becomes overwhelming, when pain makes concentration difficult, and when uncertainty weighs heavily on the mind, making you wonder whether you will be able to finish the next chapter or simply keep going.

Stress does not always stay in the mind. Over time, it finds its way into the body. It affects sleep, energy, focus, and even confidence. Many creators carry those invisible burdens while continuing to show up and produce work because the world only sees the finished product, not the cost of creating it.

The older we become, the more we learn that talent alone is not always enough. Hard work, persistence, opportunity, timing, health, and circumstances all matter, and many people are fighting battles that never appear in their biographies.

When I look back on my own journey, I realise that writing was never simply about earning money. Writing became a way to survive difficult periods, process experiences that could not easily be explained, and transform loneliness into connection. The written word offered something deeply valuable long before it offered anything profitable.

We write because something inside us refuses to remain silent, because stories matter, and because words help us make sense of a confusing world. For me, writing also became a way of helping others. Topics such as mental health, suicide prevention, loneliness, resilience, and hope are things I understood because I lived through them. My work around men’s mental health awareness and my podcasts came from a desire to start conversations that many people are afraid to have, and to use whatever platform I have to elevate, promote, and encourage other artists whose work deserves recognition.

The truth is that I help because I understand what it feels like to struggle, to need a chance, and to hope someone notices your effort. Recently, I found myself preparing to make a post indicating that I am open to new opportunities, and I hesitated. I hesitated because I worried about perception, wondering if people would think something had gone wrong, question my accomplishments, or assume my creative work was less valuable because I was seeking additional income.

But seeking work is not an admission of defeat; it is an act of responsibility and a recognition that dreams and practical needs must coexist. Today, I remain a writer, an author, and a podcast host, and those identities have not disappeared because I am searching for work. If you happen to see a creator posting that they are looking for work, remember that you are not witnessing failure. You are witnessing resilience, responsibility over appearances, and a person who has chosen determination over surrender. And sometimes, that willingness to adapt may be the most courageous story they have ever told.

Perhaps that is one reason the “Creators Royal Raffle” matters so much to me. On my podcast “Louder than Letters”, it was never intended to be only about authors or books. While writers and poets will always have a home here, my vision stretches much further. I want to shine a light on creators from every walk of life, musicians, artists, photographers, podcasters, small business owners, entrepreneurs, local restaurants, community projects, and anyone working tirelessly to build something meaningful.

I am already actively looking for ways to expand this initiative and support a wider circle of talent, and in many ways, that work has already begun. The world can be a difficult place to navigate, and if I can use this platform to help someone be seen, discovered, supported, or encouraged, then that is exactly what I intend to do. Because at the end of the day, growth matters, dreams matter, and people matter.

Let’s continue lifting one another up and celebrating the incredible things we create together.

Jacob Mascarenhas