Growing a Creative Empire (While Still Forgetting Where I Put My Keys)

 

I have this not-so-secret dream of building a thriving creative career—one where my brain, weird wiring and all, isn’t something to mask or fix, but actually the superpower behind it all. 

So, here’s my current (ambitious but hopefully not delusional) plan to grow Beyond the Balcony into a sprawling creative empire that pays the bills, fulfills my soul, and maybe buys me a new pair of pants that aren’t from 2012. This is the roadmap. Subject to change. Often. Possibly hourly. 

🖋️ The Novelist Path (AKA The "Make Believe But Get Paid" Path) 

• Write short fiction and submit it to paying magazines. Not to Procrastinators Weekly, but places like Noema, The Atlantic, or anywhere that doesn't pay in exposure. 

• Build a portfolio of short stories—ideally 1–2 a month. And yes, that means finishing them. Not just having three openings where someone is probably going to die by page three. 

• Start brainstorming a serial fiction project, because apparently I think juggling five things at once is the sweet spot for my neurodivergent brain. 

• Down the line, maybe publish a story collection or finally finish that novel I’ve rewritten more times than there are Spider-Man reboots. 

How it pays: Magazines, anthologies, reader-funded fiction (Substack, Patreon), serialized platforms, and possibly becoming the next Canadian Brandon Sanderson. Just with more apologizing. 

🎧 The Podcast Path (AKA Yelling About Movies With Heart) 

• Keep posting a new episode of The Movie Breakdown every Monday. Ideally with functioning audio and the right intro music. 

•  Promote the podcast a little better. (Telling people “Hey, I do a podcast!” once every six months doesn’t count.) 

• Maybe lure in some local sponsors. Cineplex, Hollywood Suite—let’s talk! I watch movies. I talk about movies. I don’t sleep. I’m your guy! 

• Possibly create bonus content: maybe a Cult Film Club, or a “Family Movie Night Survival Guide” for parents who’ve sat through Minions 87 times. 

How it pays: Ads, sponsorships, affiliate links, Patreon, and someday, a podcast empire where I get invited to film festivals for free. 

📝 The Blogger Path (AKA Beyond the Burnout) 

• Aim for something new on the site daily: a movie review or two a week, one longer essay, and some short blurbs, thoughts, or creative rambles that don’t fit elsewhere but still want to be born. 

• Keep writing about parenting, mental health, neurodivergence, and other topics that fall under the umbrella of “things Christopher is living in real time and trying to make sense of.”

• Make the blog not just a home for writing, but a hub. Tie in affiliate links, write sponsored posts for local businesses (the ones with heart), and maybe finally add a tip jar that doesn’t feel like I’m holding out my hat on a subway car. 

How it pays: Affiliate revenue, freelance blogging for others, Ko-fi/Patreon, sponsored posts, downloadable extras (like writing prompts or “ADHD Dad Survival Manuals”). 

🧠 The Neurodivergent Creative Path (AKA Wired for Wonder, Literally) 

• Keep building on what I started with the mental health manifesto. 

• Write and pitch essays about being an AuDHD creative dad. 

• Maybe develop a mini-course or workshop for other neurodivergent creatives (and parents) who feel like their brains are both glitchy and magical. 

• Possibly offer sensitivity reading or creative consulting for neurodivergent representation. (Because we need more weird, wonderful characters who stim, fidget, hyperfixate, and still save the day.) 

How it pays: Workshops, guest speaking, consulting, downloadable guides, and reminding people that being neurodivergent doesn’t mean being broken—it just means being rewired for a different kind of brilliance. 

So, What’s the Weekly Rhythm? 

• Monday Post podcast + maybe a blog post 
• Tuesday Send 2–3 pitches + fiction writing/editing 
• Wednesday Write/revise a movie review or article for site 
• Thursday Write longer essay or serialized fiction entry 
• Friday Admin, outreach, affiliate setup, & re-reading my to-do list in awe 
• Weekend Optional creative time, family bonding, or melting into the couch 

And, of course, show compassion for the days when none of the above happens. Also, realize right now the main source of income needs to be client work and writing for magazines/websites—so that must take up a lot of time and energy. 

Because this isn’t just a business plan—it’s a life plan. One that allows for naps, setbacks, executive dysfunction, and still counts making it through the day as a win. I’m not here to build the biggest brand or hit some algorithmic jackpot. I’m here to build something that feels true. 

Something sustainable. 

Something with wonder. 

Thanks for joining me on this (messy, hopeful, weird) journey. 

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to find my keys. 

Again.