why do i write
My go-to answer for this has always been 'fun', because if it wasn't fun, I don't think I'd have stuck with it for so long. Writing (and, to an extent, reading, because the two kind of go hand-in-hand) is what I have been doing for as long as I can remember. I don't remember a time when I couldn't read, and my mom has little 'stories' that I don't remember writing, because I wrote them when I was too young.
But writing just for fun, while completely valid, isn't quite it, right? Because if it was, then I would be perfectly fine with just letting everything rot on my hard drive. And let's be clear here--I have a lot rotting on my hard drive right now. I have about a million first drafts I've never touched a second time, though I've been looking through them, because once I finish my current rewrite I've got to figure out what's next--but also I'm going to need to start re-writing the second Tinon book, if I want to self-pub the first one next year, I oughta get the second one rewritten--but I also want to always have a standalone being rewritten, and the other night I re-read one that is actually very dark and interesting and I'd like to rewrite. One of the seven million first drafts I wrote last year.
But I think the second part of why I write is because I want people to fucking read it. I mean, I've made about 17$ from Iscariot so far, and while that's wild to me, that I've written something that's made me money (I mean, that wasn't... writing website content, because to date that 250$ is the most cash I've made writing), what I want more is for people to read it. I think every single lit mag I've gotten accepted into pays solely in contributor copies, and that's honestly fine with me. While I'd love to be able to support myself solely on my writing, I also know that's not exactly a super realistic goal for most people.
When I was still in college, I had a short story in the college's lit mag. I think it was senior year--the story was "Disenchanted Youth". A girl that I recognized but didn't know came up to me and told me that it was fantastic and creepy--and that was fucking killer, man, right? I've got one critique partner/writing buddy I've had since my Lord of the Flies fanfiction days, and she gets to read everything. I love her feedback. But it is so fucking wild to get feedback from someone else, too. And that's really the main thing, I think.
Would I like to make money? Of course. That'd be great. I work at a pizza place. Every thirty-five cents I get from selling an eBook is great, every 2.49 I get from a paperback is better. But mostly I want your fucking Goodreads reviews, man.
But writing just for fun, while completely valid, isn't quite it, right? Because if it was, then I would be perfectly fine with just letting everything rot on my hard drive. And let's be clear here--I have a lot rotting on my hard drive right now. I have about a million first drafts I've never touched a second time, though I've been looking through them, because once I finish my current rewrite I've got to figure out what's next--but also I'm going to need to start re-writing the second Tinon book, if I want to self-pub the first one next year, I oughta get the second one rewritten--but I also want to always have a standalone being rewritten, and the other night I re-read one that is actually very dark and interesting and I'd like to rewrite. One of the seven million first drafts I wrote last year.
But I think the second part of why I write is because I want people to fucking read it. I mean, I've made about 17$ from Iscariot so far, and while that's wild to me, that I've written something that's made me money (I mean, that wasn't... writing website content, because to date that 250$ is the most cash I've made writing), what I want more is for people to read it. I think every single lit mag I've gotten accepted into pays solely in contributor copies, and that's honestly fine with me. While I'd love to be able to support myself solely on my writing, I also know that's not exactly a super realistic goal for most people.
When I was still in college, I had a short story in the college's lit mag. I think it was senior year--the story was "Disenchanted Youth". A girl that I recognized but didn't know came up to me and told me that it was fantastic and creepy--and that was fucking killer, man, right? I've got one critique partner/writing buddy I've had since my Lord of the Flies fanfiction days, and she gets to read everything. I love her feedback. But it is so fucking wild to get feedback from someone else, too. And that's really the main thing, I think.
Would I like to make money? Of course. That'd be great. I work at a pizza place. Every thirty-five cents I get from selling an eBook is great, every 2.49 I get from a paperback is better. But mostly I want your fucking Goodreads reviews, man.
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