Writing as a hobby
Sorry, sorry, sorry. I know I offended some people with my quitcherbellyachin’ piece.
My point was really, if you want to earn a living as a writer, there are lots of ways to do it.
I didn’t mean to imply that writing that you don’t get paid for isn’t real writing. Ohmygod, I would never think that.
I encourage everyone to write. It’s not only a great creative outlet, it’s cathartic; it helps you understand yourself, organize your thoughts, and rid yourself of pent up stress. It’s good for the mind, and it’s good for the soul. It’s as creatively satisfying as painting, sculpting or any other kind of art. The only difference is you can’t sell it at a craft show or hang it on your wall. So you put it in a box and shove it in a closet.
Most writers probably start out as hobbyists, myself included. I guess the thing that bothers me is how everyone equates “real” writing with getting published. When people ask me what I do for a living and I tell them, the first thing they say is, “Oh, really! Have you been published?” And I want to say, “Yeah, about a million times – have you seen that billboard on U.S. 131 about banking at UNC bank? That’s mine!”
Of course, blogging and MySpace type sites have created a whole new wave of writers, but that’s worth its own discussion some other time. My only mission today was to explain my last posting a little more.
And now I’m off to California for another writing job – one that won’t get published but will pay well. Adios.
My point was really, if you want to earn a living as a writer, there are lots of ways to do it.
I didn’t mean to imply that writing that you don’t get paid for isn’t real writing. Ohmygod, I would never think that.
I encourage everyone to write. It’s not only a great creative outlet, it’s cathartic; it helps you understand yourself, organize your thoughts, and rid yourself of pent up stress. It’s good for the mind, and it’s good for the soul. It’s as creatively satisfying as painting, sculpting or any other kind of art. The only difference is you can’t sell it at a craft show or hang it on your wall. So you put it in a box and shove it in a closet.
Most writers probably start out as hobbyists, myself included. I guess the thing that bothers me is how everyone equates “real” writing with getting published. When people ask me what I do for a living and I tell them, the first thing they say is, “Oh, really! Have you been published?” And I want to say, “Yeah, about a million times – have you seen that billboard on U.S. 131 about banking at UNC bank? That’s mine!”
Of course, blogging and MySpace type sites have created a whole new wave of writers, but that’s worth its own discussion some other time. My only mission today was to explain my last posting a little more.
And now I’m off to California for another writing job – one that won’t get published but will pay well. Adios.
posted by Keash at 5:05 AM
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