Quote:
Originally Posted by Dumas
Are you claiming writers need 10K or 100K dedicated readers to make living wage and on what basis do you make this claim?
Why don't you think it will happen for you?
From the posts you have made in this thread so far, you seem to have the ability to express yourself effectively. Based on the position you take, it seems to me you have already overcome the primary obstacle to actually having a chance in your chosen endeavor.
I suggest that by participating in a forum such as this, you have chosen to interact with potential readers of your work. It might help if you included in your sig a link to your works. You might have a better chance at building a readership and developing a fan base.
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The 10k figure is something I picked up in an article on-line and I can't for the life of me find it now. It was one of those articles about self-publishing and the realities of the writer in the digital world. As far as I remember the 10k figure is based upon each one of those people offering up a minimum of $3 over the course of any one year, whether in donations or through sales of t-shirts and merchandising (not through the selling of work). This would give you $30,000 (or mid 20's after tax), a living wage.
As to why it won't happen for me, well, I'm not pursuing that goal, I can't achieve what I don't set out to achieve. I also believe that anything other than being satisifed with the writing itself only detracts away from the writing. If the goal becomes 'attaining x amount of a fan base' or selling 'x amount of products' then what have I become? I'm then a marketer, I'm a promoter, and none of these occupations are what I want from my life or my writing. Writing isn't an occupation to me, it's a drive, a need, as biologically necessary as breathing or eating food. Money, fame, riches, even an audience must be a by-product of the writing itself. If I wanted to make money I'd sell "The Secret to White Teeth" ebooks or "Gain Fabulous Abs in 20 Days" pamphlets.
As to the building of audiences and signatures, well, I usually change my sig from day to day to reflect my mood or what I'm thinking or doing. It's not there to advertise. I'm not an advertiser, and I suck at self promotion and taking compliments.
Sometimes I write a pleasant word or two and these pleasant words form not unbearable sentences. I put enough of those sentences together and I have a story. Sometimes I share those stories with other people. Sometimes. But my writing is not a career. It is not a business opportunity or a gimmick. This not a nine to five kind of thing, this is an every waking moment kind of thing.
