John Scalzi admits he's a Hack. :)

kennyc · 01-26-2013, 07:42 AM

Quote:

A Moment of Financial Clarification
January 25, 2013 By John Scalzi 91 Comments

Every once in a while someone in the comments here says, usually as an aside to something else, that no one becomes a writer to get rich. So as a point of clarification, and to give everyone else who is slightly exasperated by this sort of comment something to point at:

Hey, I became a writer to get rich. I’ve always been in the writing business not just to write, and not just to make money, but also to make a lot of money — basically, to get rich at it. Why? Because speaking from experience, being poor sucks, and in the world we live in, things are a whole lot easier if you have a lot of money. The thing I do best in the world in a professional sense is writing, so if I were to become rich, getting rich through writing seemed like the most likely way for me to do it.
....

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2013/01/2...clarification/

HarryT · 01-26-2013, 08:03 AM

There's absolutely nothing wrong about writing with money as a motive, to my mind. Some of the greatest writers throughout history - eg Shakespeare and Dickens, to name but two - have done exactly that.

kennyc · 01-26-2013, 08:05 AM

I agree Harry, there's this whole mythology about the arts....

Some interesting comments to the posting on that page as well....

Penforhire · 01-26-2013, 11:29 AM

He also previously admitted to doing market research, figuring out what sells, and aiming his next book at that market. Sounded like the definition of professional to me.

kennyc · 01-26-2013, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penforhire

He also previously admitted to doing market research, figuring out what sells, and aiming his next book at that market. Sounded like the definition of professional to me.

Oh No! Not Really!

Billi · 01-26-2013, 12:24 PM

Who also investigated this very machine-like - not only what is selling but also the technique of writing, structure, drama, tension - was Nicholas Sparks. His description of this process didn't sound like he created a piece of art!

kennyc · 01-26-2013, 12:26 PM

Interesting Billi, didn't know that about Sparks. I've seen how popular his work is, but have not read any of it. Not my cup of peas.

George Applegate · 01-26-2013, 01:55 PM

Once you agree to accept money for your work: "we've established what you are, we're just haggling about the price."

No author sets out to avoid making money, other than writers of religious or political tracts.

Readers want to be entertained or challenged or informed or reassured or any combination of those. If you do any of those well, you can make money. If, in addition, you are in the right place at the right time and lucky, you can make a lot of money.

GlenBarrington · 01-26-2013, 09:14 PM

I know it happens, but, even so. . .

crich70 · 01-26-2013, 09:42 PM

Even Stephen King admits that money is a motive for writing, though he doesn't claim it as the only reason. I've yet to meet someone who didn't like making some money for their efforts in a job, and don't see why writing would be any different. There is mental work involved in coming up with characters, plot twists and so forth. You are in fact creating something out of nothing as unlike other occupations the work doesn't come with things already created for you to put together or whatever. I mean a janitor cleans a place of business for example, and doesn't have to make the mess before he cleans it, but the author has to create everything from scratch.

rhadin · 01-27-2013, 07:38 AM

For a money machine, look at James Patterson. He runs (literally) a writing factory, which was the topic of discussion in a New York Times Magazine article about a year or so ago.

Nancy Fulda · 01-28-2013, 06:07 AM

In my experience, most writers write because, well... they have to. There's sort of an inner drive that starts fizzling and popping inside your brain if you don't give it an outlet now and then.

Many writers, when faced with the reality that the creative process WILL happen whether they want it to or not, decide to make the most of the situation and turn their, ahem, addiction into a money-making tool. From Scalzi's post, it sounds like he falls into that camp.

No conflict between art and business, there. It's more like a harmonious and symbiotic relationship.

gmw · 01-28-2013, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy Fulda

[...]No conflict between art and business, there. It's more like a harmonious and symbiotic relationship.

I think I'm still singing out of tune.

kennyc · 01-28-2013, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmw

I think I'm still singing out of tune.

mee too.

QuantumIguana · 01-28-2013, 02:00 PM

I can't imagine many businesses running an ad that said "We only care about the money."

01-26-2013, 08:03 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 54,665 Karma: 26165759 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Touch, PW, Fire HD, iPad 3, iPhone 4, Samsung Tab 2 7 + More	There's absolutely nothing wrong about writing with money as a motive, to my mind. Some of the greatest writers throughout history - eg Shakespeare and Dickens, to name but two - have done exactly that. __________________ Harry Currently proofreading The Poison Belt, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

01-26-2013, 08:05 AM	#3
kennyc Priorities! Priorties! Posts: 29,933 Karma: 37216234 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Galaxy SIII; Xoom; Kindle Fire	I agree Harry, there's this whole mythology about the arts.... Some interesting comments to the posting on that page as well.... __________________ Kenny A. Chaffin Art Gallery - Print Gallery - Writing&Poetry "Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama

01-26-2013, 12:24 PM	#6
Billi Wizard Posts: 2,518 Karma: 9654537 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Berlin Device: Cybook, iRex, PB, Onyx	Who also investigated this very machine-like - not only what is selling but also the technique of writing, structure, drama, tension - was Nicholas Sparks. His description of this process didn't sound like he created a piece of art! __________________ Keep on reading in the free world!

01-26-2013, 12:26 PM	#7
kennyc Priorities! Priorties! Posts: 29,933 Karma: 37216234 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Galaxy SIII; Xoom; Kindle Fire	Interesting Billi, didn't know that about Sparks. I've seen how popular his work is, but have not read any of it. Not my cup of peas. __________________ Kenny A. Chaffin Art Gallery - Print Gallery - Writing&Poetry "Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama Last edited by kennyc; 01-26-2013 at 12:37 PM.

01-26-2013, 09:14 PM	#9
GlenBarrington Cheese Whiz Posts: 908 Karma: 2720097 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Springfield, Illinois Device: Droid Bionic, 1st Gen Kindle Fire. All Sony's Retired	Well, it seems an unreliable way to get rich. I know it happens, but, even so. . . __________________ I like soup. . .

01-26-2013, 11:29 AM	#4
Penforhire Wizard Posts: 1,846 Karma: 5514220 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern California Device: Kindle PW, PRS-650, iPhone 4, iPad 4	He also previously admitted to doing market research, figuring out what sells, and aiming his next book at that market. Sounded like the definition of professional to me.

01-26-2013, 01:55 PM	#8
George Applegate Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: none	Once you agree to accept money for your work: "we've established what you are, we're just haggling about the price." No author sets out to avoid making money, other than writers of religious or political tracts. Readers want to be entertained or challenged or informed or reassured or any combination of those. If you do any of those well, you can make money. If, in addition, you are in the right place at the right time and lucky, you can make a lot of money.

01-26-2013, 09:42 PM	#10
crich70 Wizard Posts: 4,150 Karma: 13864505 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	Even Stephen King admits that money is a motive for writing, though he doesn't claim it as the only reason. I've yet to meet someone who didn't like making some money for their efforts in a job, and don't see why writing would be any different. There is mental work involved in coming up with characters, plot twists and so forth. You are in fact creating something out of nothing as unlike other occupations the work doesn't come with things already created for you to put together or whatever. I mean a janitor cleans a place of business for example, and doesn't have to make the mess before he cleans it, but the author has to create everything from scratch.

01-27-2013, 07:38 AM	#11
rhadin Literacy = Understanding Posts: 2,969 Karma: 11090339 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: The World of Books Device: Sony PRS-950, Nook Tablet	For a money machine, look at James Patterson. He runs (literally) a writing factory, which was the topic of discussion in a New York Times Magazine article about a year or so ago. __________________ Richard H. Adin www.freelance-editorial-services.com when only the best will do www.americaneditor.wordpress.com musings about books and editing

01-28-2013, 06:07 AM	#12
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 534 Karma: 9401448 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	In my experience, most writers write because, well... they have to. There's sort of an inner drive that starts fizzling and popping inside your brain if you don't give it an outlet now and then. Many writers, when faced with the reality that the creative process WILL happen whether they want it to or not, decide to make the most of the situation and turn their, ahem, addiction into a money-making tool. From Scalzi's post, it sounds like he falls into that camp. No conflict between art and business, there. It's more like a harmonious and symbiotic relationship. __________________ Nancy Fulda is a Phobos Award winner, a Jim Baen Memorial Award winner, and a past Hugo and Nebula nominee.

01-28-2013, 02:00 PM	#15
QuantumIguana Wizard Posts: 1,458 Karma: 14424170 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle	I can't imagine many businesses running an ad that said "We only care about the money."

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