We were lucky to catch up with Jamie Aderski recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jamie, thanks for joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I’ve been in the performing arts my whole life, and while I had always dreamt of being on Broadway and the big screen, I’ve ended up making a living as a writer.
Living in NYC, I stumbled into improv comedy, when as an actor, I wan’t being cast as I had hoped. Creating characters through my improv practice and performance gave me the courage to start writing the parts that I wanted to play. I felt such freedom in being able to create whatever I wanted for myself, not having to wait for the greenlight from anyone else.
Just after I had my first child, I wrote a solo show: “My Reluctant Journey Into Motherhood,” a raw and comical look at my post-partum experience, and it resonated with people. I started getting press on my show, and media outlets contacted me to write op-eds, social videos, and branded content, where for the first time, I started geting paid to write.
Before the pandemic, I was making a living acting in commercials, shoe modeling (yes, it’s a real job!), lifestyle modeling, teaching improv and comedy classes, and working as the Artistic Director at The Peoples Improv Theater in NYC. Then the world shut down. Like so many of us, I had to pivot. Luckily, word-of-mouth kept my writing career moving, and I transitioned into full-time work as a copywriter, content strategist, and scriptwriter for branded content.
A few years later, some time around last year, as life had gotten back to “normal,” I was missing perfoming, acting and doing comedy. I’m not getting auditions like I used to. And as a mom of two young kids, now living in NJ with a full time job, it’s not easy to just roll up to a comedy club when I want, so I went back to my roots, and started writing for myself again. This time, teaching myself the ins and outs of the social media world.
For the past year, I’ve been creating content on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Not only has it been fun, but it’s also led to some pretty cool opportunities, including a feature on CBS Mornings and getting called to audition for a Netflix show.
Curently, I work at a (very) well-known social media company on their GenAI creative content team. It’s honestly a dream gig—combining creative writing with cutting-edge tech, alongside an insanely talented team. It’s wild to think about where I am now in my writing career because if I hadn’t fallen into improv out of frustration as an actor, I don’t think I’d be a writer at all. It all started with creating characters on stage and writing comedy sketches based on those characters, which ultimatly led me here.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a comedian and actor who makes a living as a writer. My expertise spans copywriting, generative AI content, content strategy, editing, scriptwriting, and content creation.
I bring my experience in the entertaiment industry; production, comedy writing, acting, etc., to my work which gives me a unique perspective, along with the social media skills I’ve accquired by experimenting with my own content, going viral (and not going viral lol).
I love that I get to blend all these passions into my work. And I think having a “side-quest” as an artist makes me better at my job. I’m always creating, absorbing pop culture, art, and that keeps my mind flexible, innovative, and, most importantly, happy.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I think one of the most surprising things about about being an adult is how many times in your life you will have to pivot. Nothing goes in a straight line or trajectory like you think it will, even if you do “everything right.” Growth requires flexibility—you have to flow like water.
I was ready to give up on acting and comedy. In my 40s, living outside of NYC after making a life there for 18+ years, with two kids and a full time job that wasn’t fulfilling, I was ready to let go of my dream.
But then I tried something new and started making silly videos on social media. I had zero expectations, but it ended up renewing my spirit in a way I never could have predicted. I was in a slump, and just the act of doing something creative, even if no one was watching, lit a spark in me. It made me feel like my old self again. From there, doors opened and now I’m in a place I could never have imagined just a year ago.
So I will tell anyone who will listen: If you have something you love to do, a creative pursuit, do it. Try, fail, and try again. I fail constantly. But I don’t give up on myself. Even if I stop making videos tomorrow, I trust that I’ll find another way to create. Because I’m not tied to a medium, only to myself.
Somehow, without even meaning to, I’ve built a career around my creativity, and I’m so grateful. What I’ve learned is it’s never too late to start something new. It’s never too late to pivot. And often, we have no choice.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
For me, it’s creating something that makes people feel seen, makes them laugh, and brings them even the smallest amount of joy. It’s about connection. Art brings people together—it humanizes us. And right now, we need that more now than ever.
I love the creative process; it’s like putting together a puzzle. It’s so satisfying when it comes together, and so frustrating when it falls apart. It’s not easy. There are so many times I’ve wanted to give up. But the magic of creating is addicting, and that’s what keeps us coming back.
And I’m drawn to the risk. Art is risky, so is life if you do it right. And hopefulness—creativity is inherently hopeful, it has to be. I’ve always intended to live my life to the absolute fullest, and you can’t be fully alive without risk, or hope.
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Headshot by Mindy Tucker