Pursuing Your Passion

… Even in the Midst of Diaper Duty

- Meagan Church

Local author Joy Callaway knew from an early age that she wanted to be a writer. “I had a creative vibe going on even when I was little,” she says. “I was a creative kid, singing, doing plays, writing magazines about whatever topic I was interested in.”

But as is often the case, as she got older and life set in, she thought less of that creative passion and more of what made practical sense.

“Sometimes you lose sight of what you wanted as a little kid because it doesn’t seem feasible and you think of the responsible thing to do,” Callaway says.

In college, Callaway studied journalism and settled into a marketing and public relations career, but her love of reading and desire to do something more creative remained. After her first child, Alevia, was born four years ago, Callaway left her job to stay home with her daughter. She began writing as a hobby and wondered how caring for a baby full-time would affect her creativity.

“My greatest fear about having kids was that it would mean I wouldn’t write anymore. I had this illusion that being creatively free minded would somehow go away when my mind was occupied with kids.”

Instead, she pursued her creative endeavors even in the midst of diaper duty and sleep schedules.

“When I had Alevia, I had to find a way to adjust and to carve out time,” Callaway says. “I couldn’t afford the luxury of being in the zone. I had to do it when I could. It was great training for me. The kids took priority. My writing was also a priority, but I had to do it around my other responsibilities. It wasn’t the romantic idea of a writer, but it made me a better and more organized writer.”