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Why do you write?
I do it because I enjoy it.Having people tell me how much they enjoy my work is a great bonus as well.
If I was looking to get rich, I'd be better off doing a paper round.
I too write because I enjoy it. I wrote for years before publishing. The stories I wrote were the kind of stories I wanted to read, but could not find. The more I wrote, the more addictive it became. In the end I only published because friends and family pushed me into to doing so, and went to great lengths to convince me that my writing was good enough. Even now I have doubts, but people seem to like my books, so as long as I continue to enjoy the process, I'll carry on writing and publishing.As for riches, I'm surely averaging less than a penny per hour when taking into account the hours work I've put in.
I write for the money or, at least, that's why I started. Old (ish), sick, and on benefits, I was desperate for a way to pay off our debts and eke out our meagre budget. I still am ;)Discovering that people actually liked my books and that I was even (shock! horror!) gaining fans, has been an unexpected and very welcome bonus.
I won't get rich quick at this, unless I change my name to Amanda Hocking, JK Rowling, or Steve Robinson, but I'll keep on writing. I have to, my fans (all half dozen of them) would gang up on me otherwise.
I write as a means of keeping sane and giving purpose to my insomnia hours. One day I hope it will lift me from the 9-5 ghetto. The fact that some people like my writing is a wonderful side-effect from which I hope to continue to suffer!
I always hate this question, because the honest answer to "Why do you write?", for me at least, is "Um, well... I just... sort of... do."Why do I publish, though? Well, it seems silly to just leave stuff kicking around once I've written it for no particularly discernable reason.
I've now sold around 170 books and made maybe £50 from self-publishing. I gather that's actually pretty good... but at one point my freelance articles were making me upwards of $2,000 a year.
In my case, it's because people told me I ought to. It's been a case of putting my money where my mouth is! I have to say, having people's reactions to it has made it hugely worthwhile publishing. It's great to think that something you have written has struck a chord in someone else's mind.
Because. Although the adoration of my fans is nice (both of them), but I haven't made enough money to pay for the coffee yet alone anything else. As for fame... I can't even give my newest Socko book away!
I write because all that stuff kicking around in my head needs an outlet. Transferring a tale from the mind to paper or a hard-drive, particularly if the story is a little disturbing, can be cathartic.I publish so it can be read. For me, a story isn't complete until it has been read by a total stranger.
Fame? No thanks - it's one of the reasons I use a pen-name. (Although, of course, I recognise that the pen-name becoming well known is essential for success.)
Riches? Yes, please, so I can give up the 9-5 grind and have more time to write. (And if it never happens, I'll carry on nonetheless because I have to.)
Adoration of fans? For me, no. For my books, yes please.
Because, as Bob Dylan put it:'I need a dump truck mama to unload my head' (From a Buick 6)
All the stuff in there needs to go somewhere.
I do write stuff for money, have done since the 1970s, it's been a useful source of income when other stuff wasn't doing well.But there's only so much you can write about important stuff before you realise that there's so much more than you could do.
So yes, at some point I'd really like to see some money back out of it. If it actually did pay I could do more of it and less of some other stuff.
In fact I've got a vague hope that it might sort of pad out the pension,but candor compels me to admit that it'll be the important stuff that continues to do that, if I'm lucky.
Enjoyment now, thanks to a reasonable pension (too late, Osborne!). Especially that thrill that comes from completing an entertaining scene or inventing a memorable character and having no idea where they came from. My brain seems able to go places unknown to me.
10 years ago I had delusions of retiring at 60, now I have little prospect of affording to retire ever.
Tim wrote: "10 years ago I had delusions of retiring at 60, now I have little prospect of affording to retire ever."Aye, my smugness is tempered in no small measure by my mental health nurse daughter and son-in-law, both of whom can look forward to many, many more years of this delightfully stress-free occupation than they originally anticipated. Commiserations.
Shaun wrote: "I write for the sex."Puts me in mind of an interview with Jarvis Cocker, in which he was asked why he went into music. He explained it was because you could get girls even if you looked like Phil Collins.
I'm informed I look like Ben Elton, evidently a bridge too far for the potential groupies out there.
Richard wrote: "Tim wrote: "10 years ago I had delusions of retiring at 60, now I have little prospect of affording to retire ever."Aye, my smugness is tempered in no small measure by my mental health nurse daug..."
as a mental health nurse myself I know what you mean!
I write because if I didn't I fear my head would explode. Storytelling is fun and I've been doing it all my life.Self-pubbing I got into because I could at no cost to myself. I had four or five completed books that I was willing to put on kindle for free, just so people could read them. Now, I have a little holiday fund going and can make donations to disaster appeals, but I was earning pennies for years before I started earning tens of pennies. I can't quit my day job, but one of the best feelings in the world is when someone says they enjoyed something you wrote.
Darren I have enjoyed everything you wrote. Even Stormwreck a little bit...
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Even Orc????"Yes.
I still need to read the paper copy he gave me. Wish he'd re-format the ebook.
Whats wrong with Orc?
Nothing he's not aware of. ;)
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Nothing he's not aware of. ;)"That wasn't what I was asking.
Gingerlily - Smiter of idiots. wrote: "Whats wrong with Orc?"One complaint from one reader. I really have to completely reformat it instantly!
Erm... not.
Hurumph.One should ever discount the opinion of your number one fan, Darren.
It may come back to haunt you in disturbing ways.
Heh heh heh...
Shaun wrote: "Another interesting read: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sara-..."The final sentence sums it up.
If we don't value the people who inspire us (and money is one mark of that) then what kind of culture are we building?
There's a singer called Paddy MacAlloon that I like. When he was talking about songwriting he called it a sickness, something that he had to do whether he wanted to or not. He was kind of joking but I know what he means. I write because otherwise this would all just be daydreaming. Better to be John Grisham than Walter Mitty.
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Hurumph.One should ever discount the opinion of your number one fan, Darren.
It may come back to haunt you in disturbing ways.
Heh heh heh..."
His number one fan's only complaint about Orc is the lack of Orc 2, isn't it, Darren? :)
Sam wrote: "There's a singer called Paddy MacAlloon that I like. When he was talking about songwriting he called it a sickness, something that he had to do whether he wanted to or not. He was kind of joking bu..."Oh yeah - Prefab Sprout. They had some wonderful songs :)
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Shaun wrote: "Another interesting read: http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/sara-..."The final sentence sums it up.
If we don't value the people who inspire us (and money is one mark of that) then what kind of culture are we building? ..."
A culture where people will pay more for the cup of coffee than they will for the book.
Shhhhhh Kath.We can't let him know he has more than one fan!
Patti (baconater) wrote: "Shhhhhh Kath.We can't let him know he has more than one fan!"
I'm not getting in the middle of this one.
Gingerlily - Smiter of idiots. wrote: "http://cache.wists.com/thumbnails/6/1..."I know what I'd like to throw at them.
Get David in to help you...
I have always written non-fiction (lots of years as a journalist) but decided a few years ago that fiction was a lot more fun. I started my first novel after being made redundant and am now working on my 11th. I make a little money but it's mostly for the enjoyment.
I'd love to give some deep meaningful answer like "there's a yearning in my soul to tell a thousand stories and be forever remembered" but I write simply because...Because it's fun.
Because I like it.
Because I can.
Because I enjoy the clicking sound of my keyboard.
Because I can have fun with words, play with them, change them, move them all around.
Because I believe, I hope, that I am good at it.
Because I prefer fiction to reality.
Why do I publish? Well, why not? I've written the books. It seems a waste not to put them out there and see if anyone buys them. I could sure use the money. Even if it is only £50. I would like to make money from my books. Why wouldn't I? I've worked hard on them and every hard worker appreciates being rewarded for their labours. But I'm certainly not writing purely for the money. Anyone doing that is likely to be sorely disappointed.
I write because I go a bit bonkers if I don't have a creative outlet. It takes my mind off the every day and I can lose myself for a while. It's the same thing as when I make music or take photographs.Why do I publish? Because I can and if I'm honest,I like the thought of people reading my work.
I write because I have always had lots of activity inside my head, and these ideas can be interesting enough for me to write them down, and in turn, make parts towards a story. These thoughts have been circulating in my head since a child, but I've grown up, as have these ideas, which have become my first novel.
I write because I enjoy it.I publish for the bacon.
As a very recent recruit I'm amazed at how much I enjoy it.
Kath wrote: "As a very recent recruit I'm amazed at how much I enjoy it."It's the god complex, isn't it?
I've decided within the last week I'm going to make a career of it - have applied for a new job with a hefty pay cut just to give me more time to write. Come on!
David wrote: "Kath wrote: "As a very recent recruit I'm amazed at how much I enjoy it."It's the god complex, isn't it?"
I suppose it is. I'm in charge!
I write because I have to.I do enjoy it too, of course! I think! ;)
Also enjoyable is reading why everyone else does!
Debbie wrote: "I write because I have to.I do enjoy it too, of course! I think! ;)
Also enjoyable is reading why everyone else does!"
But you like the bacon, too. Right?
Reading this article that Will posted in the morning thread got me wondering.
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014...
Is it the fame? The riches? The adoration of your fans?
Tell us!