"I Don't Write For The Money." Um...

Friday 29 April 2011

I have been chewing over the topic for this week's post since the comments began to roll in on last week's post. Luke Raftl's comment in particular caused thoughts to spark between the wires in my brain.

Luke said this:

I like to think that I don't care about the money, that I write solely for the love of the craft, that I just want the thrill of having my work read and I'd do it for free if I could, and for most of us this is all somewhat true; however I think we are all also vain, we are all also ambitious dreamers, and while we like the romantic notion of being driven by purely selfless aims in reality we want to be as successful as we can.


Honestly, I could stop this post right here. His comments give you enough to think about until next week. But I am going to pile some more thoughts on top of his. Open your mind; maybe something will spark inside your brain as well.

*

I don't write for the money.

I come across this statement (or a variation thereof) somewhat frequently. I am sure you have come across this statement as well.

Perhaps you have said it yourself.

Perhaps I have said it also.

And perhaps it is true for all of us, and for everyone we have ever heard say it.

But this statement is often said in a sanctimonious manner by one who has never made money writing - is often said by one who fears they might never make money writing, and so they say this in such a way to condemn those who have met success.

In Luke's comment, he said this: we are all ambitious dreamers; and it is true. None of us started out as writers saying, "I hope only a few people read my work."

Luke said, while we all like the romantic notion of being driven by purely selfless aims in reality we want to be as successful as we can. And this is also true. And the question is:

Why?

Why do we want to be successful with our writing?

The answer:

It varies.

If you write, you probably write because you love to write. You write because writing makes you fly, because writing is in your soul, because stories burst out of you.


The ultimate goal, for many of us, goes beyond money:
we write because we want to influence lives;
we write because we want to influence thoughts;
we write because we want people to read our stories;
we write because we want people to love our stories.


Book sales mean money.

Book sales also mean you are selling copies of your book. Book sales mean that people are reading and loving your stories - that you are influencing lives and thoughts.


You may not write for the money (in fact, I hope you don't write for the money)...
        But you better write for success.
        The money is part of that. So is everything else.

*

A set of non sequiturs

This week flew by.

I am a new sleeping bag shy of everything I need for some epic backpacking/camping, multi-day adventures. I'll be heading out mid-week, two weeks from now, for a couple days. I expect to make major headway in Blue The Person on those days, with the help of silence, serenity, clear air, and nature.

Speaking of things doing with physical exertion: I played indoor soccer with The Shutterbug, part of her family, part of my family, and some friends on Sunday. I found out the hard way that I am no longer in sprinting shape. I went out a few days this week to run sprints and kick a ball around. Maybe I will keep my dinner down during this Sunday's game.

Two more readers finished their ARCs of The Great Lenore this week. It's always fun to receive emails from those who completed the book. And remember, I will post the links on the Lenore page to all reviews that come in - good and bad.

I am out of non sequiturs. I probably have more, actually - but I am tired. I watched the NFL draft tonight (I am not really sure why; I had never watched it before - after all, I know hardly any of the college players, and all I really need to know is whether the Patriots made a good pick), and so I got started late writing this post. And I wanted to make sure I shared everything on my mind. And now I am rambling.

Today: writing in the morning; rock climbing with The Shutterbug in the afternoon; dinner with The Shutterbug; and then, off to see a production of Swimming In The Shallows with The Shutterbug at night. Beauty.


Keep writing, Dear Writer.
Keep reading.
Keep searching for beauty.
~JM

If your heart is made of gold (or if you just enjoy littering...)

Learn
how you
can litter to
help out with
The Great Lenore

Play nice and share with others
  ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓