I write, therefore I am.
"Why do you write?"
I've lost count of the number of times I get asked that. I often shrug and say, "because I can." Or, "Why do you breathe?" There's no easy answer.
But, why do I offer my writing for you to read? That's a whole different question.
I do that because I am no shrinking violet, I do that because I want, demand, that my voice be heard. I do that because I love engaging with people, love watching people and I bask in the feedback that I get, yes, even the not so positive as well. I love it all. After all, I want my creation to spark a reaction from you.
So, it really does beat me why there are writers out there who want the sales and still sit back and try for the humble, try to hide and stay secret. We're not all Lady GaGa, we're not all flamboyant and over the top, but by putting our names out there we are creating our own celebrity. Surely if we want to share our work it's because we want to scream out our words and our stories from the rooftops, with a stonkingly loud PA system? Surely it's because we really do crave and long for that moment when we're out shopping and someone taps us on the shoulder, saying, "Aren't you…" Isn't it because we yearn to wander into a book shop and see ourselves there on the shelf?
Yes, sure there are other reasons to write in the first place, but to offer it to others, to expect other people to place a value on our words and pay money for them? It's not just business, is it? There's a business element to it for sure, but if it was just sharing then we'd make our books free, we'd just give them away. But we don't. We ask that people pay for them, and we set our prices so we make some small profits from each of those sales. We gather in forums and bemoan the low payouts, and we celebrate when we're worth more and can see more profit per book.
I'm just rambling here, but I think we need to be so open and honest about this. I write because I am driven to. I write, therefore I am. It's part therapy, part self worth and a huge part fun. Apart from the editing, which I'm avoiding doing by writing this rambling blog post….
Oh, I am getting desperate now, I may even get my tax return done.
But the writing is an exhilaration, and the publishing is something different. The publishing, the offering of my words to you readers, that's the ultimate buzz. That's me saying, I think I'm good, I know I'm good, I hope you agree and I hope you can enjoy this as much as I enjoyed creating it.
It's all about ego…..
OK, Tax return time. Do feel free to start a discussion in the comments that'll help me procrastinate over the accounts and fail to do the tax return, I'll love you forever. Until next year. And it does need doing, soon.
