The key is, they are differently unstable. Two unstable careers can combine to a stabler career. While you work on the novel, you collect the check for the video game, say.

The challenge always is ensuring that when you serve two masters, you don't wind up serving only one (as happens to many novelists or writers who went to Hollywood, and perhaps now with video game projects...).

The tech industry is super unstable so I switched to independent game development. Gonna do something with my skills either way.