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Writer at Work: Reflections on the Art And Business of Writing by David L. Bouchier
Why Do You Want to Write?
Often, when I ask people why they want to become a writer, they say they want to become rich or famous,
Becoming rich and famous is a poor reason to become a writer. Unless you’re J. K. Rawlings, chances are you won’t become rich, and your chances of becoming famous are fairly slim as well. That’s not to say it can’t happen, but there are easier ways to make money. Most writers have a full-time job to pay the bills or a spouse who earns the majority of the income. You do hear of writers whose first book earns them millions, but it’s rare, and usually they have a stack of smaller publications behind them, to say nothing of years of rejection slips. If you want to be rich, you’re better off buying real estate.
Writer’s Lot offers eye-opening statistics.
Writing is, however, an excellent way to supplement your income if you’re not in a hurry. You’ll have to first develop your skills and learn your trade. You’ll collect stacks of rejection letters—the conventional wisdom is that you need enough rejection letters to wall-paper your office and at least one million well-edited words to your credit before you’ll get published. If you can spare a few years, you can use freelancing to supplement your income. It’s certainly more fun than working at McDonalds.
The best reasons for writing are that you love to write, can’t live without writing, and immediately begin assigning plot value to everything that happens to you. While washing dishes, you find yourself deciding how to describe the dishwashing process on paper to someone from Mars (or a mansion.) While waiting for your teen at the mall, you hear a woman telling her child, “It won’t matter after today anyway,” and your brain promptly begins to decide why it won’t matter. In fifteen minutes, you’ve outlined her life story and the child’s as well, and created the skeleton of a plot. In other words, writing and words are so central to your life you do it even when there isn’t a keyboard or pencil handy.
Another great reason to write is because you have important goals that can best be accomplished through writing. For instance, suppose you have a child with special needs. You want to help other parents in the same situation by sharing what you’ve learned. Giving speeches or working one on one is wonderful, but it might reach a limited audience. By publishing your words, you can reach people all over the world. Perhaps you love to make people laugh, but you’re too shy to stand up in front of an audience. If your words withstand print, you can send the laughter across the country.
Take a moment and answer the following questions in your journal:
Why do I want to be a writer?
How can I use my skills to help others?
How do I want writing to affect my life?
Embellished Literary Manuscripts - Shakespeare
Writers need journals--what better company than Shakespeare? I have this journal.