Pragmatic Rationality (the art of being realistic)
Video script:
Hi, I’m Jess, I’m a writers and a careers advisor, and this is careers advice for writers. This video is a follow-up from my last video, about portfolio careers...
...and specifically, this one is about making pragmatic career decisions.
Not to go all “career theory” on you, but in 1997, the researchers Phil Hodkinson and Andrew C Sparkes published a paper in the British Journal of Sociology and Education called “Careership: a sociological theory of career decision making”, in which they argue that when people make career decisions, they do not always do so entirely out of free choice – that is, they have to make “pragmatically rational” decisions based on things like what information is available to them, what resources they have at their disposal, and also, what the hell else is going on in their lives.
For example, let’s imagine an A Level student called Ben. Ben wants to be a doctor; he gets good grades in science, and he’s done some work experience at a local hospital, so he’s been given information and resources by doctors who’ve already been through their training. The problem is, Ben is also the main carer for his mum, who has a chronic health condition. There isn’t a medical school at the local university, and Ben doesn’t feel like he can afford to move to another city, away from his mum, for the six years plus it will take him to qualify. Ergo, Ben ultimately decides to study physiotherapy at his local university instead, because it’s still a form of healthcare and means he can live at home and continue to support his mum.
That is a pragmatic choice Ben makes, not a free one. It’s based on his life circumstances and his field of knowledge. There might have been better options, but Ben didn’t know about them. He made the best of the situation he was presented with.
We all do this to some extent in our careers – and when you have creative ambitions, this has to factor into things too, because let’s face it, most of us have bills to pay, and most writers don’t make tons of money, especially early on.
I think it matters to recognise this because everyone’s situation is unique. There is no point comparing your writing journey to that of someone else, because their situation is likely different to yours. Instead, you need to look at the practicalities of your life, and ask yourself: what knowledge do I wish I had? What resources exist to help someone in my position? What is going on in my life that I need to account for?
Be curious about the industry as it stands – knowledge is power in a lot of ways. I would never tell someone not to aim for publication because it will be hard and you might face difficulties – instead, my advice is to recognise the barriers against you, so that you can make a strategy for overcoming them if it’s at all possible.
And also – crucially – be kind to yourself about it. There is no failure in being pragmatic about the realities of your life; in fact, in the long run, I think it’s a lot healthier.