Cutlass Trilogy

Friday, October 7, 2011

Writers: multimillionaires...but not really.

I've been looking this up...just cause I am planning on going to Graduate School for a degree in Library Science and Information Technology, but also, I want to be a writer. The safe plan is to have a backup plan just in case your novel isn't 'New York Times Bestseller Material'.

Well, let's just say, that's been on my list of goals for a while....right underneath getting published. Which hasn't happened.

I'm still hopeful though. And sadly enough, many will very nearly try and dissuade you from writing because it doesn't 'bring in the money'...although, that's not why we write, is it? If we were out to make money off writing, well...we'd definitely find something else.


First and foremost, you should know that contrary to popular belief, all authors are notmultimillionaires! In fact, the percentage of authors who earn their livings solely from their writing careers --- much less make huge amounts of money at it --- is exceedingly small. --Rebecca Brandewyne


We're self-employed. Isn't that insane? I think it's insane since I've never actually thought about the difficulties involved in being a writer, but I have thought of the difficulties involved in being self-employed. I've always thought that was crazy. We don't have benefits...or anything, we have...well, we have writing.

I have never thought of writers being multimillionaires, although I knew J.K. Rowling was...but the point is, they didn't set out to be millionaires, they just had a story in their head and when the public liked it, they were thrown into a surreal world where writers really are millionaires.

I've had to learn a lot about my writing along the way, the most important of those was why I was writing. I learned that it was a passion, something that when absent in my life, is heartbreaking...it's a void. I have to write to escape a world that gives me stress daily. Then I had to learn money was not everything. Having to work, work, work....and go to school...and be stress, and mentally and physically exhausted and then not be able to write, and attempt to balance everything...Yeah...learned it really wasn't the root of happiness. No happiness came from all the stress I had from working for money that merely....disappeared.

Writing gave me that happiness.

So, when people tell me I shouldn't be a writer because there is no money in it...Well, I'm not writing for  money.

12 comments:

  1. I'm not writing for money neither. I'm just writing for fun. That's good enough for me >:)

    Cold As Heaven

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  2. Hello there, how are you?? I hope you are well.
    I'm just taking time to drop in from Alex's blog hop. Great to "meet" you! *Waving* I'm a new follower.
    Hugs Eve.
    xoxo

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  3. Cold As Heaven - Me too! lol Thank you for stopping by!

    Eve - Yay! I'm great and so very happy you stopped by!

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  4. There are benefits - not necessarily financial - to being self employed, and we all know that wealth doesn't guarantee happiness. Writing makes us happy, but that doesn't make us crazy. And if we keep working at it, maybe it will eventually make us money, too. Thanks for the great post.

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  5. Ashley~ You hit the nail on the head. Writers write because their stories burn inside. IF they happen to make money, that's just icing. I hope one day you can do both! Great to see you again in blogland!

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  6. I had no delusions that I'd make a lot of money. Don't want to quit my day job either. The extra money is nice, but it's more that I proved to myself I could do it and all of the awesome friends I've made on the journey!

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  7. I don't write for money. I write because I love it. I'm happy when people read my stories and they love it. It's a good feeling to have been able to entertain someone. ;)

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  8. The comments are all good. Most people write because they love writing.

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  9. Wonderful attitude to have! Sure, some people set off writing with the goal of making money, and it's a nice thought to dream of, but writing for the sake of happiness will always bring you the most joy.

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  10. Great post! As with all art, it's the passion and not the paycheck that keeps us working. Keep on keeping on!

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  11. Hi, Ashley, your post hits it right on the nail. Most writers don't write for money but because they simply love writing. None of us would seriously MIND making money, but that's not why we write.

    BTW, thanks for following me.

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  12. I should use everyone's comments for a 'Why writers write page'! Thanks everyone!

    @Peaches Ledwidge - Thanks for following!

    @Elizabeth - Thank you!

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