Are
you writing because you love it? You'd better be.
Writing is a tough way to make a living - just like the other arts. Many famous painters, musicians, and dancers never became wealthy. You may work at writing a long time and never strike it rich. That's the truth: however that is not the only truth.
Many, many writers earn a decent living from writing. They may not be rich or famous but they are surviving. The important thing to keep in mind is that writers write because they can't imagine doing anything else.
I recently facilitated my workshop based on Dollars and Sense for Writers. Near the end, we do an exercise called Do the Math. In it, I illustrate how discounts, royalties, and per word payments impact what a writer earns. I saw a lot of sad faces. Some in the class had come expecting to earn thousands from their memoir effort. That's like assuming one will win the lottery. There's nothing wrong with the positive attitude but, while waiting for the windfall, it's best to continue a writing life grounded in reality.
Happily there remain many opportunities for writers. What has changed is the manner in which our words are delivered to our readers. Printed books are no longer the norm. Digital media have replaced them. But there is nothing as flexible as writing.
If you have a love of something, such as fishing, ballet, or apple pie, you can write about it and get paid for doing it. Think about it - how many sports writers are there? How many movie critics? In addition to the many possible topics, there are more outlets than books. Think Web sites, think theater, think local newspaper If you have something to say and say it well, your words will find an audience.
So plan on hard work and expect hardly any pay but if you love to write, write. The money and reward will come.
Writing is a tough way to make a living - just like the other arts. Many famous painters, musicians, and dancers never became wealthy. You may work at writing a long time and never strike it rich. That's the truth: however that is not the only truth.
Many, many writers earn a decent living from writing. They may not be rich or famous but they are surviving. The important thing to keep in mind is that writers write because they can't imagine doing anything else.
I recently facilitated my workshop based on Dollars and Sense for Writers. Near the end, we do an exercise called Do the Math. In it, I illustrate how discounts, royalties, and per word payments impact what a writer earns. I saw a lot of sad faces. Some in the class had come expecting to earn thousands from their memoir effort. That's like assuming one will win the lottery. There's nothing wrong with the positive attitude but, while waiting for the windfall, it's best to continue a writing life grounded in reality.
Happily there remain many opportunities for writers. What has changed is the manner in which our words are delivered to our readers. Printed books are no longer the norm. Digital media have replaced them. But there is nothing as flexible as writing.
If you have a love of something, such as fishing, ballet, or apple pie, you can write about it and get paid for doing it. Think about it - how many sports writers are there? How many movie critics? In addition to the many possible topics, there are more outlets than books. Think Web sites, think theater, think local newspaper If you have something to say and say it well, your words will find an audience.
So plan on hard work and expect hardly any pay but if you love to write, write. The money and reward will come.
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