[Moejoe]

Originally Posted by Elfwreck

So you believe fledgling writers should devote a few hours a week to their craft, their art, and devote the majority of their waking hours to a career that doesn't capture their heart?

This is what they arleady do until they're paid for a publishing contract. I realy don't see what point your making here? The same situation occurs whether the writing pays off in the end or not. The writer is still writing without payment, especially in the case of fledling writers. Even in the case of previously published writers who are working on-spec on new material, there's no guarantee they'll sell that material at all. It's as much a wish as anything else. Do they 'not' write because of this? Of course they do. Writing is a passionate vocation, not a bloody business proposition.

I like the idea of writing as a vocation rather than a job--but saying "the money doesn't matter" ignores the fact that money does indeed matter to their ability to continue writing. Money for rent and food and whatnot has to come from somewhere, and by saying "they shouldn't expect it to come from writing" you are also saying "writers should do something they like a lot less than writing to support themselves."

Which for the most part they already do when they're under a publishing contract. Remember that most writers who are published don't make a living from their writing in the traditional industry, they have to get jobs 'they like a lot less' to make ends meet. At least if they're doing it digitally they have more control. And this is where we come to money as a driving force in art. It is preposterous to think that art would cease without monetary recompense. That we as a creative animal would cease our creative endeavourst if there was no wage packet.

I'm not seeing the good in that approach. I understand it's the situation for most writers, but I don't agree that it's the ideal, that it's what they should strive for.

The ideal is a world in which creativity is reward in and of itself. Which we have right now. You can write, publish and have readers in the digital world if you don't care about money.

I don't write for a living. I barely write as a hobby. I have no idea if I could be A Great Novelist or A Great Nonfic Author, and I'm not likely to find out for another decade or two, maybe longer. I treat my writing as a vocation... and as a result, pretty much nobody gets to read it.

Who's fault is that though? It's not mine, or the digital world, or even the old fashioned publishers. If you're not actually willing to put your work out there, which you can do complteley freely now, how will you ever have anybody to read your work? If you're waiting for some arbritary point in the future where you're 'good enough' then you'll be holding back your creativity forever.

Are you better off thereby? Am I? Is my family? My friends on LJ think some of my writing is screamingly funny and should have a wider audience... it's not going to happen, because there's that 9-5 job thing in the way of developing both my craft and my publicity. (I suppose you could say, "if it were really your vocation, you would find time for it." I suppose that's true. If you agree that the majority of potential writers shouldn't bother to develop their skills, that's a reasonable answer.)

Okay, your friends think your writing is funny, but nobody else is going to have that decision to make if you're never going to take the leap and show your writing. In the digital world you can make that leap. Also, a 9-5 job is the lamest excuse in the world to avoid writing. Kafka had a 9-5 job and was never published in his life, but you know what, he still wrote. If its a passion, you'll find the time whether you have no money at all, or you're dying (George Orwell).

You're assuming a lot with what you say also. Yes, if you want to be a writer you have to dedicate a hell of a lot of time. You will as a writer, be unpaid for most of this craft-building time with or without publication at the end of it all. Some say you have to dedicate at least 10 years, others say 1million words, that is of course if you want to write better than Dan Brown. If not, you can spend a weekend with the Dummies Guide to Plotting and steal any old conspiracy cobblers off the internet and it'll be good enough. Again, most writers have a 9-5 job, or at least a part-time job teaching useless creative writing courses at colleges and universities. That's how its always been, probably will stay the same in the upcoming years.

I suppose that's true. If you agree that the majority of potential writers shouldn't bother to develop their skills, that's a reasonable answer.

This is so ridiculous and full of cobblers that I could open up my own shoe-repair shop with it.