Here's an interesting article about writers from writers
Who will buy your book
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Comments
How very true
I've been to a few readings in the past and they were very well attended but few bought the book. I'm sure the Dickens would not have survived if he were alive today.
The big difference between the writer having to make a living from writing and most of us here is that we do it for fun, for therapy or simply to satisfy an itch.
I produce a Calendar every year. It is a constant battle to get my family to buy copies even though the profits go to charity. Perhaps they just expect to have copies for free because they are family.
In summary,
That's Life.
We have to accept the situation and make the best of it we can.
Samantha
It’s enlightening
All the writers from the article all agreed about motivation. I agree with you. I write as a therapy and for pleasure. Since I write under a pseudonym, no one even knows about my passion.
Family and friends wouldn’t take my efforts seriously anyway.
I've had Family Berate me
I was just going to say 'Ditto'.
There are a handful of people on this site who knows the person behind the pseudonym, and four friends who I never expected to read our type of stories, much less enjoy them. Heck, if we went to book signings, who would we ask to stand in and sign for us!
I've always said...
I write for myself. If, after I've published it somewhere, some else likes what I've written, that's gravy.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin ein femininer Mann
Maybe if you packaged them
with a box of Girl Scout cookies?
Commentator
Visit my Caption Blog: Dawn's Girly Site
Visit my Amazon Page: D R Jehs
agree and disagree
I like it when people say they write for themselves. I salute them.
Unfortunately, I write because I have to. It's like there is so much pressure building up inside me that the writing is my safety valve and allows me to be an occasional part of society.
I toil over my writing efforts these days much more than I used to. I give it my best, let it rest, and then tear it down and start again. And when it works and I hear some kinds words, it is music to my ears.
The most amazing confirmation for me was when Doppler published it on Amazon and it garnered praise from readers there. Even if the majority of those kind folks came from here. It was a pretty heady moment and like a dog, has me working for more.
Interesting article
I typically write because I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, and writing and sharing here has just let me try and tell stories to a larger audience.
As far as selling books... I’m still amazed that people read my stuff when its free, let alone if they have to pay for it. Hahaha.
Becca C.
I know I’m weird. The fact that I’m trans is probably one of the more normal things about me.
Online authors vs. Bookstores...
I've had a book in my hands a majority of each day for the last 45+ yrs. They used to be from the bookstore, school and public library. I even finally understood, with a word in a dictionary, what i was going through growing up. Nowadays i read via tablets, docs and pdfs.
I used to be an avid fantasy genre fan. Eddings. Donaldson. Salvatore. Tolkien. Etc. Sci Fi too. EE Smith. Heinlein. Chalker. You get the idea. Then, even though we didnt have much, i eventually discovered the internet and had access to TG fiction, which fed into all genres with characters i could sometimes relate to. It was to my enjoyment then and since that some of the amatuer (unpaid) author's quality in storytelling met and at times exceeded mainstream published authors.
I haven't looked back since. While there are a plethora of unfinished stories online, there is something to be said for the difference between a labor of love and simple enjoyment with maybe a small bit of applause or kudos in recognition and a writing deadline from a publisher.
While I have spread out and away from TG fiction as a major reading interest to pursue other genres, I still buy and store a majority of the books by authors from BCTS. In comparison i haven't bought, either online or in store a mainstream published book in a decade, maybe two.
Beverly Colleen
**********
I am a leaf on the wind, but someone turned the fan off.
Bravo, Beverly
As a teacher and photographer living life on a permanent tiny budget, I eschewed buying books when the priorities dictated. As much as I had a need to amass goods, I fought those urges and started to rely on the public library hoping that the reader before me wasn't a heavy smoker.
Now, the joys of a tablet and a never-ending online world library are mine for the asking. With the price of books costing less than five dollars, I can read as much as I want forever.