Money and Writing: An Answer To A Writers Question About Publishing and Making Money with Books

When you are writing for a living and you plan to publish a book, then money becomes an issue for many.. When that money doesn't happen, or when your published book or articles aren't big sellers, you might become bitter. This is hard for most writers. Many do feel the need to prove to others that they can be successful- after all if Mr. King can make millions why can't I? But really, how do you define success? At least when you are dealing with writing and money.

For those who have been reading the hub money and writing, and will be reading it, I have a rather interesting and long answer from the emailer who wrote the original email. Please sit down and relax. Take a deep breath and here we go:

"After reading the simple little, amateurish hub you wrote, and the rather feeble response it got, I remain firm in my convictions that all writers who do not make a sustainable income are not writers. I am still unimpressed by such arguments as Martin Luther King 'was a dreamer.' He was not a writer, he was a minister and a public speaker, from my own vast research he did not even write an original speech. Never the less, it seems that all the would be writers, who do not make any money, are angered by my honest and true assessment of the situation. I also denoted that many of the more irate comments came from women, who I imagine do not work outside the home. If they did, they would not think that they could write. Of course, I have not written, nor will I ever condescend to consider myself a writer. I have my own job and help this economy, unlike the dreamers who call themselves writers. My dear child, you stand corrected, writers who do not make money, are not writers."

Fine, each to their own thoughts and feelings, however given that I am writing this hub and consider my little amateurish hub something to be proud of, I say my feelings. Again like the last time I'll give some good and not so good points to this email. I also have a different voice since I have published a book, which makes money, but I digress.

Good Points:

They did read my newly published hub, and my blog. They are entitled to their thoughts, but they did read the hub, as they pointed out that people did comment on it. Okay, that's important I know that they can keep their word.

I also know that they have a point of view about writers and they are not likely to change it. I don't think it is about publishing a book, but rather about how much money you can make when you publish that book.

They care about the economy. They are working and making money, and can say they do not think that they are a writer. This to me means that they do care about something, in this case money.

Not So Good Points:

I debated long and hard to post this response to this email in this hub for one reason: they make a comment about women. Now many woman work outside the home, and still write for both fun and enjoyment. They do not need money. They simply enjoy writing. I also feel it important to point out some of the most passionate comments to the hub was from men. I doubt very much this emailer saw this. I suspect that they do not like women writers, yet I again can not see why.

Still Very much of the same type of thinking, and I still don't understand why they feel this way. This email simply does not enlighten me enough to the reason behind this anger and bitterness. I do in a sense feel sorrow for this emailer, who could be a potentially great writer, but their focus is on breaking down and not building up.

My View:

I do understand that I myself have a long way to go before my talent makes me millions, and I'd love millions but I believe that the only way I can do this is by working with others. Writers are lonely people, and they need community, and believers. They also need to be dreamers and creators of works. My editing might not be the best, but with time and passion it will improve and the dreamers and believers around me will help to make it better.

Books-- your own published book at least is a means to make money with it-- passive income but a means to make money.

I know it's not easy, but the key here is writing to prove this emailer wrong. they are bitter about something, but this happens. You need to have success. You need to have your goals and your dreams come alive. I know this as I recently published my book-- In Search of The Lost Ones... my dream came true, but the hard part has now begun.

Yes they are correct ion that a part of writing is not hitting the brick wall of "I simply am a passionate writer and really that is all that it is about." but they focus on of this is making money, but a larger part of this needs to be improving your writing. You are a writer, you are a creator of sorts and you need to have your writing published.

To have your work published, and be paid for it well in terms of finance: a compensation, you will need to think about what you are giving to your readers. If your published work is poor, you will get little money, and very poor reviews of your work.

This can also happen if your work is is traditionally published you will lose some control of your content. However you are still the author of this work, this dream of yours. You will need to focus on writing more. It is all about writing and improving your writing to be able to live your life of writing.

It doesn't matter if you self-publish your work, your have published your work. In fact, if you publish your work online then you are self-published which is equally as important as making money with your novel, or becoming the next big thing.

Fame is a whole other ball game as opposed to writing and publishing your work. So, prove them wrong, write, be passionate about your writing and publish.

Should you focus on making money?

Yes in a sense that you will need to make money with your published work to justify continuing your writing. This is a fact that every writer must understand. They need to make money offline and online. They need to consider their work as a business.

But they also need to be passionate about what they write about. If it is only for money, than what is the point of continually writing? You need to love what you do to want to continue and you need to publish to see success. The dollar signs should never be the answer to money and writing. it should be the question: Is writing more important than money or is money more important than writing?