You may want to take all you have learned and go into higher ed. They don't know how to write for persuasion rather than reporting (Crisis Comms/PR backgrounds). They need us desperately in all ways. Expect to take a big hit in salary (mine was a 66% hit) - but you will have job security and free tuition for you and your children. It's a whole new world, and a culture shock, but it's the best product you'll ever sell.
Go to higheredjobs.com (expect weird titles like Content Editor for CWs).
I took a CW position in MarCom at a Midwest D1 university when I was 43 (12 years ago). They primarily needed help launching a new endowment campaign. My title was “Editor,” and I did do some writing for university pubs, but mostly I was there for the endowment campaign and student recruitment materials. My pay cut was only 25% of my agency salary.
So the pay cut hurt some, but the benefits were fantastic, including a state pension. Students were always great to work with, and a lot of the staff I worked with were great. But the ones who weren’t great? Holy crap. If you think agency and client egos can be massive, work for someone who is convinced a Ph.D. means he/she knows more about everything than everyone. There were a lot of people who clearly weren’t used to being disagreed with. Some were downright abrasive, like we were intruding on their turf. And if someone has eyes on a dean position, look out.
On the other hand, I did a lot of work with the NPR station, plus two Pulitzer winners, a brilliant US ambassador, and a former close, personal friend of Hunter Thompson.
When I’d been there not quite five years, the department got a new dean, and she decided all the “Editors” were going to become Project Managers, and actual creative work would no longer be a focus. It wasn’t that important. So every single “Editor” quit, including me.
It was a wonderful change from agency life, and we did some fun work. I’m glad I had the opportunity, but I wouldn’t go back.
I wonder how long ago you made this jump and if you’ll miss that 66% soon.