Overworked and Underpaid: The life of a writer.
Endless days and sleepless nights are put into creating the very words in a book it takes you only a few mere hours to read.
Writers are seriously under appreciated. Most movies are made from books. Movies make millions. Authors.... don't. Even for the movies that aren't taken from the premise of a book still needs writers to create the story, the words the actors speak... and yet, who gets the credit? The actors.
When is the last time you picked up a movie based on who wrote it? Uh huh. And when was the last time you saw a movie because of who was acting in it? I see.
Okay, so I'm sure acting takes a lot of hard work... I'm not saying it doesn't. Still, there would be no story for them to act, no words for them to speak without writers. And from what I hear the movie industry treats their writers pretty darn bad.
SO! If we write not for the money... or the respect... or the fame... that will *surely* come with our next big sell (if we can just get past the 835 rejections beforehand!) then WHY do we write?
I've been thinking about this a lot lately as I've been struggling with "writer's doubt." I write because it centers me. I know who I am when I'm writing. It connects me to my inner-self, my soul. I feel at home with a pencil in my hand. Whether I'm writing a poem, a novel, a research paper, or in my journal... it doesn't matter. For some reason putting words down on paper (or into the computer) makes me happy.
If I could just forget the rest of the world, maybe I could stay that way!
Why do YOU write?
BTW, once you've determined WHY you write, it may be a good idea to post your reason somewhere you will see it to keep you going when you're down. That's what I'm going to do!
ReplyDeleteI haven't determined why I write. Sometimes it doesn't give me the satisfaction I would like. Mostly because I'm so critical of my writing that I get mad at myself for not being a better writer. Then I over think my motivations, am I not doing it for the right reasons? But when cames down to it, I do it because it's my dream. I know I can do it, and I like it. There should probably be a more eloquent reason, but I will have think about it some more.
ReplyDeletefor the fame...just kidding. I write because I like to grow ideas in my head into something more solid on paper.
ReplyDeleteBecause I have so many ideas, and once I start writing, I have to see it through.
ReplyDeleteI love to write because it is my escape. I am goddess to the realm I have created. I am filled when I submerse myself in my work!
ReplyDeleteI write because it's cheaper than making movies.
ReplyDeleteActually, book authors are in one of the best business for people who create. We get a bigger slice of the pie than music artists and composers. A bigger slice than most film directors and screenplay writers. No one is going to get filthy rich selling books, so most book publishers aren't in it for the money. They give their writers a decent shake.
Still thinking about this post...
ReplyDelete"Endless days and sleepless nights are put into creating the very words in a book it takes you only a few mere hours to read."
I think this is GREAT! If books were easier to write or took longer to read, there would be even less room in the world for any book that might someday be written by me.
LOL! Good point, Rebecca!
ReplyDelete