Chasing the Dream
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Years ago, a writer friend of mine's husband ran the numbers on how much she earned per hour for her stories. He took the hours spent blogging, networking, writing, editing, and publishing and divided it by the royalty and sales numbers.
He proved she was earning pennies an hour. That depressed her. Heck, it depressed me! Looking at the reality of the numbers, I couldn't help but think I was insane to be writing. I needed an easier, cheaper hobby like collecting rare gold coins.
My husband, the wonderful man that he is, told me I was looking at it all wrong. I was looking at the current rate of rewards and not the future prospect of a story. Who knew—one day, Taylor Swift could get photographed carrying one of my books onto a plane and I'd instantly make millions of dollars. (Hit me up #Swifty if you want a free copy.)
Okay, so I am too realistic to be sold with that sort of reasoning and I was still imagining other, easier hobbies. As Stephen King said in "On Writing"...perhaps I should be a painter. They just splash a bunch of paint on canvases and then cash in for millions. Or starve.
So depressing!!!
So, my husband took another tact. He's a farmer and a hunter. He took the time to run his own numbers on how much he earned from farming using a similar equation. It was also pennies per hour. Then he ran the numbers on how much per pound venison costs once you add in the costs associated with hunting gear, supplies, and time spent sitting in the woods.
Let's just say we could be using Wagyu beef in our meat loaf.
Thanks to him, I have a different point of view now and I am still here, still writing. Still cashing checks that may be reflective of nickels per hour by now, but still getting rich.
But I am happy. And that truly is what matters the most.
For everyone chasing the dream...
If you have a manuscript ready for submission, the IWSG Twitter (or should I say X) Pitch is today. The rules for submission can be found on the IWSG website HERE. This is a good way to catch the eye of a publisher or agent!
Doing what you love is a large part of the reward - not financial, of course . . .
ReplyDeleteYou have to get another benefit besides the financial, that is for sure! And it's like playing the lottery. You never know; you could hit it eventually.
DeleteYou hit the jackpot with every book, at least for me you have!
ReplyDeleteAny creative endeavor requires so many hours invested simply to become adept it never seems "worth it" when we count it the same as a paid job. But since we think in terms of money/time resources, one can't help but mentally go there. It's a sure path to misery and also quitting something one loves, so I try not to go there.
ReplyDeleteI love writing regardless of not getting paid or for the hours I have put in. Instead, I get paid in full, wherein money cannot buy.
ReplyDeleteDoing it for the money means you're doing it wrong. Writing is one of those things where you have to equally treat it as a business and as a hobby you enjoy.
ReplyDeleteI would get pennies for my writing too. I think we all do it as a creative outlet we love, not to make money. Just like all the arts. Your husband is so sweet to help you see your writing in a new light.
ReplyDeleteIf I added up costs of growing my own garden versus buying it all in the supermarket, I wouldn't come out very far ahead, especially considering my time. But I enjoy doing it and we eat so much healthier, so it's worth it.
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ReplyDeleteI'm not earning much on any of my writing either, but I like doing it and that's why I'm focused on getting a day job. That can pay the bills.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how differently we look at things and it can change our perception? I'm dealing with burnout, so my focus has shifted, and I'm writing something fun and different from what I've done before--to get the joy in writing again.
ReplyDeleteHi, here's Pat Garcia. Writing to get rich is the wrong motivation. I'm glad you're happy. So am I.
ReplyDeleteAll the best and have a lovely day.
Shalom shalom
It really is all about perspective.
ReplyDelete---
My blog has moved, you can find it here: https://iamhrsinclair.com/blog
I love that quote. If you're doing it because it brings you joy, who cares how much you're earning?
ReplyDelete"I did it for the pure joy of the thing." That's me, Elizabeth! I'm glad that you're happy as you write. Sometimes Terry has to ask me when I'm writing, "Are you sure you've having fun?" or, "Wouldn't you rather do something else?" The money isn't why I'm writing. I write because I must. Happy creating!
ReplyDeleteIf it makes you happy, that is the only thing that matters.
ReplyDeleteI definitely wouldn't want to try to break down the pennies from my process, as I know it would kill the joy. But I do hope Taylor Swift does blast a recommendation for your book. That would be awesome. :)
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