It’s the season for Roland Garros (better known in the States as the French Open) and the usual suspects are heating up the clay courts (the Williams sisters, Federer, Nadal). And although, I’m not a purported tennis fan per say, I enjoy watching a few matches from time to time. (Side note: anyone who can’t figure out the scoring system cannot seriously call themselves a fan.) Okay, rambling over. My point: the abovementioned tennis players make their living off of their passion which is what inspired this post along with the following:
I’ve been reading a lot of gripe online recently along the lines of writers being foolish to write with the expectation of making money, which is (in my opinion) preposterous. On second thought, this isn’t something I’ve heard recently; I’ve heard it for years. I’m assuming here that writers love to write. At least I believe this of the writing community I’m apart of online. That passion and dedication to learning and growing as a writer pour out of blogs I read every day. But every other corner I turn online there seems to be a stigma that writers shouldn’t admit to wanting to make a living off of their writing.
I’ve been reading a lot of gripe online recently along the lines of writers being foolish to write with the expectation of making money, which is (in my opinion) preposterous. On second thought, this isn’t something I’ve heard recently; I’ve heard it for years. I’m assuming here that writers love to write. At least I believe this of the writing community I’m apart of online. That passion and dedication to learning and growing as a writer pour out of blogs I read every day. But every other corner I turn online there seems to be a stigma that writers shouldn’t admit to wanting to make a living off of their writing.
Why is that? Really, if anyone has an answer, please share. Yes, it’s unrealistic to think that selling a few books will solve all your financial problems because you’ve going to be the next [Insert name of latest bestselling author], but is it at all unrealistic for a writer to aspire to make income off of their work albeit not making millions or hundreds of thousands. I’m going to write whether or not I ever make a penny from it like most of you, but I'm admitting it here and now, I would love, that's right LOVE, to earn some income from my writing. Yet, I am not motivated by money (but that's another post).
Question of the day: What’s your take on the subject? Is it unrealistic to want to earn income off of something you’re passionate about and why is there a stigma online against talking about wanting to make money as a writer?
18 comments:
I don't think it's unrealistic at all. But the thing is, do people love it enough to keep pushing themselves to get to that. I guess the stigma comes from people in denial. I suppose they think it makes them sound more passionate if they don't want money for it. But the reality is, WE ALL DO. I think it's about time we start being honest about that. I'm not ashamed to say I want to make a living off my writing. Of course I do. That is the 'dream' isn't it? Otherwise really, what's the point in persisting?
Writers who sell their work, whose books are bought by bookstore and e-store patrons, should definitely enjoy some income. However, the bookstores are full of titles that most people have never heard of. That's reality. So aside from hopes of penning the next Eat, Pray, Love or landing on Oprah's book club list, writers should concentrate on the passion that drives them to write. That's my yard stick of success, at least!
I don't see anything wrong with making money for your writing. Why else would I sign with an agent and kill myself trying to meet her revision deadline?
But it's still not THE REASON I write. And to me--that's important. Money can be the reason I have my crappy day job I hate. But I love writing too much to let it be the reason I write. So for me, any money I get--no matter how little or how much--is just a bonus. The real joy comes from telling the stories I love.
Great post!
I think it's completely unrealistic for budding authors to think this way. There's only room at the trough for one of us, and that one is going to be me. Ha! Just kidding. I actually laughed out loud when I wrote that and now the kids are worried. I write regardless of fame or fortune I need the outlet.
I don't think it's unrealistic at all. Often times, authors who want to build a career in writing would like to eventually make an livable income off it. However, I think many of the caution against such thing is that very few author actually manage to do it. They do earn an income, but not enough to quit their day jobs, etc.
However, people *do* write with the expectations of making money, and as long as they know the odds, it's all right. The stigma that's associated with it is quite silly, really.
I was JUSt having this conversation with my friend the other day, spurred by a frustrating discussion with someone I should not have wasted time speaking to. He said I couldn't be a writer if I wasn't making money OR I must be a terrible writer because I didn't drive a Ferrari. There's so many misconceptions about the industry and the people who write it's frustrating - and all the more reason to just keep plugging through for your own reasons. I love to write. But I love even more having "written". At the end, I'm satisfied - but that doesn't mean I don't want more. Yes, I'd love to make an income from doing what I love. Who wouldn't?
i have to agree with you, and pretty much everyone who's commented. there is NOTHING wrong with wanting to make some money for doing what you love -- and not because of the money, but because then you would have the freedom to focus only on what you love, without sharing your time with a day-job good for nothing more than paying the bills.
great post - and thanks for your honesty :)
There's a stigma about making money?
In a America? Come on! ;)
You can make a living being a writer. Tons of people do it.
A newspaper reporter. Columnist. A tech writer with an engineering company. Work for an advertising firm. Move to Hollywood and get on staff somewhere.
Heck, I know writers who do newspapers and fliers and write our training manuals. They make money, some decent. There's no stigma attached to those folks.
They even work from home. Nice, eh.
But can you make a living being a freelance novelist without a portfolio or an agent or formal training in writing?
Odds are slim to knucker.
That's what most aspiring writers are, you know. Untrained, unpublished, unagented freelancers.
It's no wonder we're underpaid, huh. I wouldn't hire me, either.
My point is this: Stigma or not, if you were SERIOUS about making money with writing, you could make money with writing.
My buddy from high school LOVED photography. He was a freak about it. Snap snap snap, constantly. He didn't talk about ~wanting~ to be a photographer.
Nope. He had a full studio by the time he was a junior.
He went to school and majored in photography. He took pics for the paper, for schools, anywhere they needed a camera.
He graduated and went to work in sports photography -- working for THE MAN.
An artist would never do that, right? There's your stigma.
He's 40 now, with over twenty years of experience, a commanding salary, and he has a picture from the dugout that he took of Mark McQuire's record-setting home run.
He was in the inzone when Vince Young won the Rose Bowl. Superbowls, final four, playoffs of just about any sort.
He's doing it -- not talking about trying to do it -- and making good money.
He's not an untrained, unagented photographer with no portfolio.
It's because he stayed focused on that one thing and ~did~ it.
Screw the stigma.
- Eric
Sure we write for the love of it. And the torture of it. But writing for my gratification doesn't pay the bills. And writing for myself isn't as satisfying is actually having readers.
It's like my blog. When I had 20 followers it wasn't as exciting as when I had 50 or 100, or so on. It's nice to be heard and to write something others want to read.
I would LOVE to make an actual income from writing, but I can't say I expect it. It's nice to dream about, though. :)
And income from writing would be a dream come true. Simple as that for me.
I didn't think there was a huge stigma going around about this, but maybe there is. These things circulate in the blogosphere, and when I start to get annoyed by things like that I know I should just close the internet and work on my novel whether I will make any money from it or not. I think I said something about money and writing on the Lit Lab last week, but as everyone here is saying in the comments, I don't think it's unrealistic to want to make money at writing - or even expect to - if that's what you're pouring yourself into. I happen to have a family to take care of, a church job that takes a ton of time, and I do photography as well, and I write novels... I simply cannot expect to make much money off of something at which I'm not working at 40+ hours a week. Nor do I have an agent or a publishing contract or any of that. When I start getting into that serious aspect of it, yes, I'll expect some money from my efforts. :)
I don't think it's unrealistic to earn a living writing. What I do find unrealistic when people think it's easy. Or that your first draft is the final draft. Or that finding an agent is a breeze.
I think everyone has the dream of earning a living at what they love. Writing is no different.
Heck no! Being passionate off what you do best is the reason to do it for a living.
While I'm not sure I have "the next best seller" in me, I certainly hope I've got enough talent to stow away a hefty nest egg to suppliment my retirement some day.
Paid publication is my ultimate goal for the story I believe the world wants to read, and I'm not one whit embarrassed about the monetary gratification. When it comes, that is.
But . . . I'm willing to publish in e-zines that don't pay, just to have the published credentials. I mean, people volunteer specialized services all the time, it doesn't make them less talented. It just looks good on a resume. And makes a person feel better about themselves for having contributed SOMETHING of value to the world.
..........dhole
You should get paid for your writing. It's a job like any other. Of course it depends on what kind of writing. Nonfiction/technical/web-based, that's a given that you'll get paid.
Fiction's another story [pun intended]. Naturally, you should get paid, but there are a lot of other factors such as trying to get an agent or publisher, if epublished [which is easier], trying to get sales.
It's nice that writing's a passion. But it's also a business.
Your post-apocalyptic Chicago novel sounds way cool!
Who wouldn't want to make a living off of their writing, especially if that's what they love to do?! There's no shame in that. And if you deny it, I don't see how you're being truthful. Writing is something that can be done anywhere: on the beach, on a boat, on your bed, on a plane, etc. You don't have to be stuck in a cubicle or something, and that would be one of the best perks to making a creative living!
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