Quote:
Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan
I am often surprised by the extent to which writers like to suggest that writing is only valid when it is done for its own sake... the unspoken assumption being that writing with the expectation of financial compensation at any level is only the goal of evil, greedy capitalist swine.[...]
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I certainly didn't intend to give that impression. I have nothing but good wishes for those that do succeed.
My post was one intended to be one about being realistic: when you look at the statistics the odds are that writers are not going to make much money out of their work.
There are obvious some exceptions, but even for those that do make some reasonable income, it is questionable whether their hourly rate comes close to what they'd get at other jobs, even unskilled jobs. It's not just artistic endeavours either, any time you work for yourself you tend to put in a great many more hours than you ever get paid for.
This is your starting point: the chances are you won't get a good financial return on your time spent. Hence, my own personal conclusion, that financial gain should not be a primary motivator for writing. (Just as it wasn't the primary motivator for working for myself.)
But, I am certainly not going to tell anyone not to try and sell their work - I intend to try and sell mine. I don't think it is evil or in any way bad to ask people to pay for a book you have written, quite the reverse. And like you I would like to think that people will be honest enough to actually buy the books rather than pirating them - but realistically I know that won't always be true: such is life.