If you were an author and you were granted a wish

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by SteveEisenberg

Yea, but enduring wealth also leads to fame.

And grifters.
Lots and lots of grifters.
Just ask the Mega Millions winners.
It's a worthy challenge trying to hang onto big money but its more manageable that trying to *get* big money.

[Ekaros]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

So you'd rather win a lottery than be a writer.
Fair enough.
Writing is hard work. Even harder to do it well. If the job isn't reward enough...
I assume you have a warm beach in mind?

Whole island with billion sales ;D

[Fluribus]

For me, fame doesn't even make the bottom of the list.

If I were an author and I could wish for anything...I'd wish for a hammer.

If I had a hammer...I'd get hammered every morning and nail chicks all night long.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

So you'd rather win a lottery than be a writer.
Fair enough.
Writing is hard work. Even harder to do it well. If the job isn't reward enough...
I assume you have a warm beach in mind?

No, I think a Manhattan penthouse is more my thing.

[Giggleton]

This is a good poll, despite the egregious error in the title.

I don't believe that either choice invalidates the other though.

If a method of compensation is built into the sharing mechanism.

[fjtorres]

I see the question as a priorities/perspective thing.
One way to analyze a question is to drive the parameters to the extreme. Pretty much everybody who thinks of writing thinks in terms of acclaim and finances but not everybody weighs them the same.
In these stressful financial times it would be surprising if the majority *didn't* pick finances over acclaim as a first order reward. Of course, even a billion hollow sales are bound to generate some visibility--just as a billion satisfied readers is bound to generate riches eventually--but those are undetermined derivatives, not certainties. Too real world.
The fantasy lies is the instant gratification.

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Format C:

By now it looks like money is a better motivator for writers than having a place in History...

So, Steven (i reckon you choose Option 2), if writing the "D" section of the yellow pages was more profitable than writing "Verdant Skies" had you gone that way?

Sure; a commission is a commission. I'm not proud... but I like to eat.

[HistoryWes]

That's a tough one. If it hadn't been BILLIONS, I might have gone the other way. Of course, if I had the billions, I could pay people to read my second book....

[sun surfer]

I would definitely choose to have them read my book if even only one bought it. Because then I should be famous with a billion people reading my book, and hopefully able to make money off other books or other avenues.

Even if not, I think I'd still rather choose a billion people reading it, as having that influence and power with my words would be (barely) preferential to even the strong allure of being a billionaire. It's tough, but I'm not being disingenuous. Few things would outweigh that kind of money, but having a billion readers I think would do it.

[SteveEisenberg]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Just ask the Mega Millions winners.

I was thinking of this when I posted. But given the way the implausible OP choice is defined, it comes to more money than any one person has ever won in a lottery. How easy it is to piss away that much unearned money may be an open question.

If I can be forgiven a Captain Obvious remark, the best works are generally motivated by an artistic vision married to a desire for money.

[BearMountainBooks]

Strangely, neither of these works for me. Maybe I'm too philosophical but if I could only have one wish, I'd wish for good health for me and my loved ones. That gives me time to work on just about anything else. :>) I LOVE being an author, I really do, but it is not the be-all or end-all. It's just one thing in my life. Granted, it was and is, a HUGE, HUGE goal. But in all honestly, there really are other things ... well, people, in my life that are more important.

[BearMountainBooks]

And yeah, I know I was supposed to wish for my book only. But neither works. I don't want to be paid once and read, nor do I want to sell a whole bunch and never be read...

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

And yeah, I know I was supposed to wish for my book only. But neither works. I don't want to be paid once and read, nor do I want to sell a whole bunch and never be read...

That's the problem with the extreme either-or type questions that get asked around here. Thankfully the real world isn't in black and white, so authors can choose a balance between income and readership. (Well, sort of. I understand that grabbing the attention of readers is hard, but that's even true for authors who give away their writing.)

[fjtorres]

Well, without the challenge of the extreme the thread loses its point.
Obviously everybody wants to be both rich *and* famous!
After that it is just a matter of personal situation and not really well-suited to an open forum.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Well, without the challenge of the extreme the thread loses its point.
Obviously everybody wants to be both rich *and* famous!
After that it is just a matter of personal situation and not really well-suited to an open forum.

Well, not really. I don't care if I'm famous for what I write; that isn't the point. I only want to know that what I write is enjoyed by at least some of those who read it. Now as for the rich part, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't mind that at all. I'd like to at least try it out...