Do we want to write as a hobby or to make money?
This question is so important. I believe if you want to write simply for the pleasure of writing, you are freer to express yourself in any way you please. If you desire to make it a career, then more pressure is placed upon you. You need to follow the market, see what is selling, market your stories, Tweet, Facebook, PinIt, or use what ever social networking tool you can come up with. The problem is, I just like to write, then I think of people who work in the industry as comedy writers or sitcom writers and I think, I want to make money at what I'm doing. After all, I'm spending hours every day creating or marketing yet I work mostly on my own dime. Others who work for companies to promote their product whether it's insurance, commodities, or medical supplies, someone is making money. Why can't writers be monetarily successful? Is it because we don't believe in ourselves or do we believe the market is glutted. or are there too many writers? Why does nonfiction seem to do better than fiction? What do you think? Let's throw out some ideas on making money or not making money as a writer.
I think it' important to write what's in your heart with the market in mind. Writing what's popular today will put you behind tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteMarian is right. On the other hand, it is often a combination of things that contribute to an author's success and sustained popularity. No doubt, marketing is important in this world of ours, but in the end, it will be the quality of one's writing that will attract steady audience, and with it, hopefully, some remuneration for the effort put into it. A family member who wrote scholarly books calculated once that what she earned from those publications translated to approximately 10 cents per hour of research! I hope all of us fiction writers will do a lot better.
ReplyDeleteAll the arts suffer the same demise. Write what you love, write 21st century (Donald Maass).If the commercial market appeals to you write a column and send it to your local/favorite publications or public TV. Or, investigate RWA, they are always seeking new faces and they pay. Getting paid to do what you love is a dream all of us have, follow your dream.
ReplyDeleteYes, Gail. I often think of comedy writers working on a sitcom. How much fun they must have coming up with spoofs and at the same time, getting paid for their gift of humor.
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