“A person is a fool to become a writer. His only compensation is absolute freedom.” ~Roald Dahl
Which brings about the question:
Why do you write?
Many people have great ideas for books yet never finish. Becoming an author is a great undertaking, but it can be very worthwhile. Discovering the answer to the “why do you write” question can motivate you to stay behind the keyboard until the last word is typed.
Before most writers can answer the “why do you write?” question, they first must ask themselves some of the following questions:
- Why should I take on another project? My plate is already full!
- Why should I spend hours slaving away at the keyboard? My time is valuable!
- Why should I invest the time, money and effort it will take to learn writing skills as well as how to get a book from premise to product? It sounds like a LOT of work!
If you’re balking at your answers to those questions, writing may not be for you. But, if you are bouncing in your seat with your arm raised saying “Pick me!”, you may be about to embark on one of the most exciting careers ever! Because you probably already know the answer to the question, “Why do you write?”
Here are some of the most common reasons people write books:
- Fame—With the right marketing knowledge, be prepared to become a celebrity. And at the very least, a local celebrity.
- “Author”-ity—If you’ve done much writing or research about writing, you’ve heard the phrase, “Write what you know!” You are undoubtedly an expert at something—quite possibly many things. And if you’ve done something successfully at least once, you know more about it than someone who has never tried. You can include your “authority” skills in both fiction and nonfiction.
- Prestige—Becoming an author has a lot of prestige attached. People know you’ve put in the hours of research, organization, and stick-to-it-tiveness that’s required to produce a book. People respect authors.
- Money—This is a big one for some folks. Some crave a better lifestyle. Others long to bestow gifts to the less fortunate. Whichever your reason for increasing your income, becoming a successful author will help. Books can either make a lot of money or lose a lot. The key is writing an excellent book and knowing how to promote your book correctly.
- Personal Mission or Agenda—Some books aren’t written for any of the above reasons, but rather to promote one’s ideas on a particular subject. Are you an animal rights activist? Do you squirm whenever you see garbage littering the roadside? If you have an opinion–write it down! Let it be known. Spread the word about your thoughts on whatever subject you are passionate about. Books are a great launchpad for your message. Think of a topic you believe needs more public awareness and include that in your “Why do you write?” reasons.
- Help Others—Many books are written with the idea of helping others along the way. Tuesdays with Morrie is a good example. Not realizing he had a runaway bestseller, the author’s original hope was to raise a few thousand dollars to help Morrie’s family cover his medical expenses. Other books have been written to raise funds for foundations of all kinds.
- Entertain—Some novelists simply want to entertain readers, and that is a perfectly good reason to write.
Did you find your answer to the question, “Why do you write?”
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