Photo credit: CDBaby.com

The dream for so many local and independent musicians is to “take the leap”: that is to say, quit the day job and pursue music full-time.

It’s a terrifying plunge, to leave the security of a full-time job (or even a series of part-time jobs) and go all-in on any creative endeavor. Fortunately, we found this article on CD Baby’s DIY Musician blog — which has really become a great source of inspiration for us, as of late — that provides insight from someone who has done it.

Laini Marenick, of New Haven, CT-based band Laini and the Wildfire, speaks of “the leap” as a process that is ideally less fly-by-night and more calculated than romanticized stories of musicians who have “made it” often suggest. Here’s an excerpt:

The stories you hear where someone just impulsively “quit their job” one day so they could pursue their dreams are misleading and make all of us feel like being a full time musician is impossible. Maybe that technique works for a small portion of the population. But for the majority of people, including myself, becoming a full time musician means months and maybe even years of planning.

Learn more about Laini’s process, successes, and failures — as well as what the band has been up to — when you read the full article.