I never pay attention to the market because I write for my own personal enjoyment. I really don’t care if it’s read by nobody or doesn’t make one sale.
I do see a lot of people online who seem obsessed with sale numbers, and if that’s what they are concerned with then I feel a little sorry for them.
My original intention with my current novel “The Hunt for the Arctic Fox” was as a stocking stuffer for friends and family.
Firmly agree with writing for one’s self. Currently writing my third novel and have been doing it exclusively through the vein of “this is something I’ve wanted to read that I can’t find anywhere”
"If I had written to convince others, I would have asked myself not, ‘Is that exactly what I think and feel?’ But ‘How would that strike so-and-so? How will they think and feel when they read it? And all would be oratorical and insincere. If we understand our own minds, we move others, not because we have understood or thought about those others, but because all life has the same root.”
Resounding YES to list-making first thing in the morning! It functions like a safety net of sorts, where I can "dip back into" the writing because I know I won't lose track of the things I'm supposed to remember to take care of for the fam (Kids! Dogs! They're always expecting to eat!)
Creating what we love without the pressure of “success” is probably one of the key reasons why we all keep writing! I also like his point about “Stories are more effective when they are stripped down to the bare bones of what matters,” which is definitely a huge skill in itself. Great article
I agree.
I never pay attention to the market because I write for my own personal enjoyment. I really don’t care if it’s read by nobody or doesn’t make one sale.
I do see a lot of people online who seem obsessed with sale numbers, and if that’s what they are concerned with then I feel a little sorry for them.
My original intention with my current novel “The Hunt for the Arctic Fox” was as a stocking stuffer for friends and family.
Love that you’re writing for yourself. And what a a wonderful idea to use your novel as a stocking stuffer!
Firmly agree with writing for one’s self. Currently writing my third novel and have been doing it exclusively through the vein of “this is something I’ve wanted to read that I can’t find anywhere”
That’s great — it makes a huge difference!
Love this
Reminds me of this Yeats quote:
"If I had written to convince others, I would have asked myself not, ‘Is that exactly what I think and feel?’ But ‘How would that strike so-and-so? How will they think and feel when they read it? And all would be oratorical and insincere. If we understand our own minds, we move others, not because we have understood or thought about those others, but because all life has the same root.”
Love it — thanks for sharing it!
I've scanned many posts from agents and writers you've shared with us, Alyssa. This one's going in the Saved file. 👏
So glad this one is resonating! Thanks for the continued support.
Glad it resonated Cathy !
Resounding YES to list-making first thing in the morning! It functions like a safety net of sorts, where I can "dip back into" the writing because I know I won't lose track of the things I'm supposed to remember to take care of for the fam (Kids! Dogs! They're always expecting to eat!)
When you spend so much time on a book project it should be something you want to say. Something you think is important for the world to hear.
I’d rather write the book that people find after my death than get accolades for a bestseller that no one remembers after a week.
Creating what we love without the pressure of “success” is probably one of the key reasons why we all keep writing! I also like his point about “Stories are more effective when they are stripped down to the bare bones of what matters,” which is definitely a huge skill in itself. Great article
JK Rowling is right and you're an exploitative hypocrite.