The Simmonds Signal

Weekly insights for artists, writers, and storytellers to turn art into a fulfilling, sustainable career.

I’ve been obsessed with art since day 1.

As a kid, I got lost in worlds like Harry Potter, DC superheroes, and Pokémon. By 15, I knew creating art was for me.

The only problem? I had no idea how to make a solid living off it, and everyone around me—teachers, peers, society—said it couldn’t be done.

But I wasn’t about to let that stop me.

I had to find out for myself…

My first attempt at an art career? Music producer.

I spent 2 years producing dance music full-time for an indie record label.

It looked like the dream: chillen in my manager’s mansion, rolling around in a G-Wagon, and always in with the “it” crowd.

But here’s the reality check:

1. I was surrounded by wealth but didn’t actually own any of it.

2. I loved the music but didn't care much for the people. Let’s just say they weren’t exactly friends. They cared more about image than authenticity.

By 21, I realized this wasn't the life I wanted. I’d been chasing an illusion.

Thank god it happened at 21, not 60, or I might’ve spent my whole life chasing a dream I didn’t even want.

That wake-up call? It turned me into something of a philosopher.

Looking for something real, I turned to teaching and became a college instructor.

I found a deep passion for it—but hit a new wall: $40,000 a year, drowning in debt, stuck in survival mode.

Had society been right all along?

I’d gone from a broke musician to a slightly less broke teacher.

Was it really impossible to make good money creating art that actually fed my soul?

Thankfully, I didn’t give up on my dreams.

My search for higher paying artistic opportunities, led me to Liam Kircher.

An entrepreneur who's words would change my life forever:

“Write on Twitter every day for a year, and I promise it’ll change your life.”

I was skeptical, but desperate enough to give it a shot.

Six months in, I’d learned how to write, market myself, and navigate the social media world.

Then the real breakthrough happened: I connected with an incredible mentor who showed me how to build a ghostwriting agency.

Thirty days later, I was pulling in $10K a month.

A few months after that? $40K. And soon, my agency was a core partner for Sahil Bloom’s Alto Studios.

It had taken 10 years, but I had finally proven society wrong and my self right.

By blending practical business strategies with my art—writing—I was finally making a real, honest living as an artist.

And soon enough, people started asking me to show them how to do it too.

So, I got to be a teacher again, but this time on my own terms, with no cap on what I could earn.

Since then, I’ve run ghostwriting and personal branding cohorts, launched an online community for writers, and released my first digital product, Micro-Writer.

This is what happens when you ditch society’s outdated script and take full control of your craft, your career, and your life.

Since this breakthrough, my life has changed in ways I once thought impossible.

I spent 2 years as a digital nomad, travelling the world with my best friends—Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, South Africa, Peru, Spain, France.

Along the way, I explored spirituality with Peruvian shamans, seen lions mating on an African safari, and swam with pigs in the Bahamas.

Looking back, it’s surreal.

Just three years ago, I was stuck and out of options. Believing that it might not be possible to make a living as an artist, writer, or creative.

Now?

Art is both my life and my love.

I choose to travel less, write every day, take long walks, and dive into books that fascinate me.

The simple life is the life for me.

With all that said…

… My hope for this newsletter going forward? Two things:

1. To help you gain as much agency over your life as possible - take back control of your life

2. To provide a clear path for artists who want to make a healthy living from art that they're proud of. Art that adds something real to the world.

If you’re here looking for quick hacks to get rich online, this newsletter is no longer for you—you can unsubscribe here:

I couldn’t care less about Rockefeller’s empire. But how Christopher Nolan wrote Inception? That’s worth talking about.

If you’re here to make a living creating art that matters, then hell yeah…

… This newsletter is still for you.

-Taylin John Simmonds