“I do enjoy writing, but that doesn’t mean I would do it for free.” -Random person in a Facebook group The quote above almost killed me. Dripping in irony. Hilarious, yet deeply problematic. That guy sounds like many bloggers today. “I like writing, but when is the money coming?!”
That's an excellent way of looking at it! I never even knew I was a writer.. until I started Journaling through my divorce. It was a way to cope with the emotional situation but then things got wild and I was advised to turn it into a book. Now I'm writing for free on Substack but I'm writing about God and don't feel I should charge. This has really given me something to think about...Oh but I am charging for my book... on Amazon, but not alot. I figure if I make a dollar a book but sell a million books, I'm satisfied. 😊
I remember a time years ago when I was going through a relationship upheaval and erosion. I didn't write for months. I was perpetually angry...about a lot of things. A friend that knew me well suggested I write a letter to myself to just get everything off my chest. I did. There's been very few days since then that I've not written. I am a much happier person when I write. Even if what I write is never seen by anyone else.
Now I cannot imagine never writing again. Journal entries, short fiction, essays, letters, research notes. Doesn't matter I HAVE to write!
“Go back to watching Netflix” haha! Or better yet, just be honest with yourself and find what makes your heart sing! I love this sobering reminder, and it’s also a little sad to me that so many of us humans put money on this ridiculous pedestal like it is the most important thing. The satisfaction aNd catharsis that comes from creating authentic art cannot be price-tagged. Money is more of a side effect. I think this comment is especially for me btw. Great post, thanks Tim
Funny thing is, ALL writing IS free...until we get paid for it. You can't even find out if you're pay-worthy until you write.
This is what I love about Substack. Nobody is getting paid here unless we're writing things worth opening your wallet for. Humans are the judge of our content so you know that when you earn a few bucks...THEY MEANT IT!
At it for over thirteen years, blogging. Journaled all my life, but steadily for ten years before that. Journaling is my consistency. I so far make very little money. As I asked my daughter when she was in eighth grade, many years ago, “Can you go a day without writing?” She looked at me like I was crazy. For her, it was the “getting it out there” that was scary.
Oh, YES, I would write for free! And draw/paint! And sing! And play piano! And dance! These are all the creative things that make me feel alive and free. And after many years of not pursuing them, they mean even more to me. I’ve given myself permission to do them now until the day I die, and I don’t give a damn anymore what anyone else says about it. lol
You see, I became an attorney because I love my parents. I do these creative activities because I love me.
So it’s deeper…it’s more than “doing it for free” for me. It’s literally proof that I am loving myself!
I made more off one week on substack then by submitting my literary stories to literary journals charging writers $2 or $3 a submittable inquiry for perhaps maybe a slight 35-50 bucks. Biggest swindle in the world. I published a short story collection and made a couple thou off that one year. My writing for non fiction articles and copy clients is a steady business but not my passion. I finally just came here to say what I want to say and spread it to everyone I know and made enough to keep going for now. My boyfriend calls my monthly Poets and Writers magazine, Poor and Underpaid Magazine. I'm gonna keep writing here because I want to. There are a few who appreciate. I do it because I can't not and I have a lot to say to become a hollow bone.
Wow, this is a great reminder of why I started writing and why I enjoy it so much. Today I was down on myself for not getting a post done and solved it by realizing my deadline was self imposed. Just write until I think it’s ready, because it’s the process I enjoy, not just the outcome.
I appreciate this perspective. I started my substack because I wanted to write more, not for external rewards whether it be money, likes, or comments. While I allow people to come along for the journey and read my work, my motivation for writing is for my own personal benefit. It allows me to think and write about things I care about, and hopefully others enjoy it and find value from it as well!
I get a kick out of yanking tiny little seeds out of my hazy memory and watching them bloom across the page. If my substack ends up being nothing more than a diary where I can look back and go "yeah! I did those things I'd nearly forgotten!" That'll be good enough for me.
Also recently rediscovered visual art after getting told I wasn't good at it as a kid (who cares?!). As a working performance artist, having one part of my creativity that I don't have to package and sell is a gift.
Love it! Totally agree. I’ve journaled and blogged and first drafted all my life:) pretty sure I’ve written well over a million words that really no one but a few have read. In recent days I’ve setup my Substacks and am making my new words available to the masses and if they don’t read, so be it, I love writing!
Writing is one of those things that, not only am I willing to do it for free, but I willingly would rather miss out on outings to stay at home and write. I get a sense of euphoria writing that few may understand but the few that do are the lucky ones for finding such a passion :)
Writing is so heart-centered that it is hard to fake if you're not into it. Great points, Tom.
That's an excellent way of looking at it! I never even knew I was a writer.. until I started Journaling through my divorce. It was a way to cope with the emotional situation but then things got wild and I was advised to turn it into a book. Now I'm writing for free on Substack but I'm writing about God and don't feel I should charge. This has really given me something to think about...Oh but I am charging for my book... on Amazon, but not alot. I figure if I make a dollar a book but sell a million books, I'm satisfied. 😊
I remember a time years ago when I was going through a relationship upheaval and erosion. I didn't write for months. I was perpetually angry...about a lot of things. A friend that knew me well suggested I write a letter to myself to just get everything off my chest. I did. There's been very few days since then that I've not written. I am a much happier person when I write. Even if what I write is never seen by anyone else.
Now I cannot imagine never writing again. Journal entries, short fiction, essays, letters, research notes. Doesn't matter I HAVE to write!
“Go back to watching Netflix” haha! Or better yet, just be honest with yourself and find what makes your heart sing! I love this sobering reminder, and it’s also a little sad to me that so many of us humans put money on this ridiculous pedestal like it is the most important thing. The satisfaction aNd catharsis that comes from creating authentic art cannot be price-tagged. Money is more of a side effect. I think this comment is especially for me btw. Great post, thanks Tim
Funny thing is, ALL writing IS free...until we get paid for it. You can't even find out if you're pay-worthy until you write.
This is what I love about Substack. Nobody is getting paid here unless we're writing things worth opening your wallet for. Humans are the judge of our content so you know that when you earn a few bucks...THEY MEANT IT!
At it for over thirteen years, blogging. Journaled all my life, but steadily for ten years before that. Journaling is my consistency. I so far make very little money. As I asked my daughter when she was in eighth grade, many years ago, “Can you go a day without writing?” She looked at me like I was crazy. For her, it was the “getting it out there” that was scary.
❤️ this story!
Oh, YES, I would write for free! And draw/paint! And sing! And play piano! And dance! These are all the creative things that make me feel alive and free. And after many years of not pursuing them, they mean even more to me. I’ve given myself permission to do them now until the day I die, and I don’t give a damn anymore what anyone else says about it. lol
You see, I became an attorney because I love my parents. I do these creative activities because I love me.
So it’s deeper…it’s more than “doing it for free” for me. It’s literally proof that I am loving myself!
I made more off one week on substack then by submitting my literary stories to literary journals charging writers $2 or $3 a submittable inquiry for perhaps maybe a slight 35-50 bucks. Biggest swindle in the world. I published a short story collection and made a couple thou off that one year. My writing for non fiction articles and copy clients is a steady business but not my passion. I finally just came here to say what I want to say and spread it to everyone I know and made enough to keep going for now. My boyfriend calls my monthly Poets and Writers magazine, Poor and Underpaid Magazine. I'm gonna keep writing here because I want to. There are a few who appreciate. I do it because I can't not and I have a lot to say to become a hollow bone.
Wow, this is a great reminder of why I started writing and why I enjoy it so much. Today I was down on myself for not getting a post done and solved it by realizing my deadline was self imposed. Just write until I think it’s ready, because it’s the process I enjoy, not just the outcome.
Tom, this is spot on.
Well said. Thanks Tom
I appreciate this perspective. I started my substack because I wanted to write more, not for external rewards whether it be money, likes, or comments. While I allow people to come along for the journey and read my work, my motivation for writing is for my own personal benefit. It allows me to think and write about things I care about, and hopefully others enjoy it and find value from it as well!
I get a kick out of yanking tiny little seeds out of my hazy memory and watching them bloom across the page. If my substack ends up being nothing more than a diary where I can look back and go "yeah! I did those things I'd nearly forgotten!" That'll be good enough for me.
Also recently rediscovered visual art after getting told I wasn't good at it as a kid (who cares?!). As a working performance artist, having one part of my creativity that I don't have to package and sell is a gift.
Love it! Totally agree. I’ve journaled and blogged and first drafted all my life:) pretty sure I’ve written well over a million words that really no one but a few have read. In recent days I’ve setup my Substacks and am making my new words available to the masses and if they don’t read, so be it, I love writing!
Writing is one of those things that, not only am I willing to do it for free, but I willingly would rather miss out on outings to stay at home and write. I get a sense of euphoria writing that few may understand but the few that do are the lucky ones for finding such a passion :)
Writing is the process
There is no end
One has to improve consistently