To Biz or Not To Biz?
That is the question. How do you see yourself as a writer? Are you merely a laborer for someone else? Are you just a hobbyist? Or do you see your writing as a business?
I ask because it seems that every writer will have a viewpoint on industry and events, much like the writer strike in Hollywood. It appears that outlook depends on how you view your own role as a writer.
Do you see yourself as crafting intellectual property for someone else to profit from? Do you create it just for fun, for yourself? Or do you see your writing ability as a business opportunity?
To biz or not to biz?
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November 16th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
None of the above. I write for myself. I’m not published, so I can do nothing else. I don’t write for anyone but myself because of that fact. When I do get published, I will still be writing for myself because I refuse to write to the market. I write what I like, and nothing else. It’s my passion. If I can do it for a living, great, if I can never do it for a living I will still continue writing.
November 16th, 2007 at 4:20 pm
SMD: “That’s right, I’ve achieved 10,000 hits!” …”So, 10,000! It’s a milestone, or at least it feels like it. It might seem like chump change to everyone else, but it means a lot of me.”
Yeah. Sounds like you only write for yourself.
Whatever.
November 16th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Yes, I do write for myself. I don’t see what celebrating achieving something has to do with refuting that idea. Am I not allowed to be happy that doing something I like has given me something in return? I mean, if I write a story and it gets published, am I not allowed to be happy about it simply because I write for myself? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being happy that you’ve achieved something.
November 16th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Well, now I agree with you, SMD. Because now you’re making sense. You should be happy to have accomplished a traffic milestone for your blog. And you should also be happy when you write…
My cynicism was a response to: “I don’t write for anyone but myself…”
The second I read that, I called ‘bullshit.’ If you only write for yourself, then why have a blog? Why submit stories for publication at all?
Now, I’m not trying to tear you down. On the contrary, I want you (and all other artists and writers) to *embrace* the meaning and purpose and (dare I say?) BLISS that comes from creating for *both* ourselves AND for others.
Don’t trivialize or denigrate shared human connection by labeling it “market” and then inferring that you despise it.
Now, if you meant to say something like: ‘First and foremost, I write to please myself, because in so doing, I know that others will enjoy my work, too–because we are after all, all human beings,’ then I would agree with you.
Is that what you really meant? Please say it is.
And don’t equivocate “making a living” from your writing and “being read my many.” You can indeed have the latter without the former. But what you *cannot* have is MEANINGFUL writing if you’re the only one who reads it. So share it, and be proud of sharing it.
November 16th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
There’s nothing wrong with writing for yourself. There’s nothing wrong with writing for other reasons either. There’s nothing wrong with writing for both yourself and other reasons.
There is not a right answer here. But I think what answer you choose says a lot about your outlook.
November 16th, 2007 at 6:03 pm
Oh, now I see what you mean. I meant that mainly to say that the first person I’m thinking of when I write is myself. If I don’t like what I’m writing, I stop. I have to like what I write first. But I can see what you’re saying. That’s basically what I was saying. I write to please myself.
I think we’re thinking of different concepts of ‘the market’ though. Writing for the market, to me, means setting out intentionally to write a story that fits into a single idea. So if a publisher asks for only stories about ninjas with laser guns, I won’t set out to intentionally write a story about ninjas with laser guns. If I happen to write a story about ninjas and laser guns and discover the publisher, great. That’s just what I mean. I realize that technically if you are trying to get published you’re writing the market, meaning the market is the audience, but I meant it a little differently.
But I see where my words were a little misconstrued. For that I apologize. I should have chosen them more carefully. I do write to please myself. Hence why I get a lot of enjoyment when people visit my blog, or comment on my writing (wherever it may be), etc. Hopefully that’s a little more clear now :S
November 17th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Thanks for the clarification, SMD.