Is Money the Most Important Thing in Writing

I’ll begin by writing this:  I have considered this email and will share it, of course names and information is removed but this email once again touches upon a subject that may writers want to focus on, money, and the idea you can make money simply by publishing a book.

“Hi.

Love blog.  What is most important?  To publish or to make money?  I want to know.  I write.  I publish.  No money.  Why?”

Okay, thanks for saying you love my blog- it’s always nice to hear my writing is valued in some way, and thank you for asking what is the most important thing- money or publishing.  I am of course happy that people do like my blog.  I’m also pleased I am getting comments from my readers.  Writers are a funny bunch we want praise but we don’t want to take the time or effort to go back and reflect on what makes a relationship grow between a writer and their readers.

But I’ve said this before and I will say this again:  what money were you expecting, I’m assuming you having really earned what you are hoping to earn.  From this email there is a hint of disappointment, but also there is no reflection on what might be the problem with their writing.  I’ve had the same experience as many, and many other writers have said this, you always want to be more than average, but you don’t want to put the time in to be more than average.  I can say the same goes for writing blogs, and writing a novel or non-fiction book- the average number of books sold is low for anyone who self-publishes, and the same holds true with other traditionally published authors.

If you are a writer, and want to write, you have to know a lot more about the art and craft of publishing than you do anything else. The idea that a cover can make or break a book is one thing, but it is a fact of writing. the same holds true with what you write and how the inside of the book reads to other readers. It’s somewhat like working with your online writing, a writer says that they write for sheer joy, some will even make an ebook out of the online writing that they have done. Deep down they are looking for ways to increase their income.  Copyrights are harder to get if they are looking at e-books based on blogs, but it has been done by some bloggers.

All this, I would say, is called work, and if you lose sight of the fact that publishing is work, I think you’ll have a lot of problems on your hands.

So, in response to what is most important?  The publishing and then the money.  Publishing a book must come first, just like publishing a good blog post needs to happen if people are going to see value in you as a writer.