why write?
I like this article from Joanna Penn answering the question “Why write? There are too many books in the world!”
Of course, when people ask me that question, the answer often rhymes with “duck off”, but sometimes it’s best to be polite. 🙂
-JM
Since you’re what amounts to a best-selling author in the Indie world, nobody would possibly question your reason(s) for writing or if they do, they’re foolish.
On the one hand, if somebody likes writing, then that by itself is enough of a reason to write. The frivolous comparison is lots of people like ice cream but I still want to eat ice cream too. The more personal comparison is that I write and record songs and I do it just because I like doing it. I never had any intention of trying to sell my music (it’s all freely available) and if others listen, great, if not, no big deal.
On the other hand, only a tiny fraction of authors are going to get any significant income from writing. Amazon added 260,073 kindle books in the last 90 days. More than one-million kindle books per year! I’d bet only a small fraction (maybe 10%) of those get read by more than a few dozen people. And it probably is true that some folks near the edge of that fraction could’ve made a living at it if the other 90% didn’t write. But to ask the 90% not to write would be unfair because it’s fun to be creative!
Thanks!
I’ve gotten emails from people who have burned through all 17 GHOSTS books in a week, so I doubt that the sheer number of writers is a problem. Realistically, I suspect there are more writers making money now than there were 10 years ago pre-Kindle. Even if someone selfpubs his book and only gets $50 for it, that’s still more than it would have done sitting in a slush pile somewhere.
I would also say that it’s less frustrating to be a writer now. I haven’t written a query letter in six years. In fact, earlier this year I got a rejection letter for THE THIRD SOUL back from when I’d submitted it to a publisher in 2009 (I’d forgotten about it since), and in 2014 THE THIRD SOUL OMNIBUS ONE sold 708 copies, in 2015 464 copies, and so far in 2016 250 copies.
Infinitely better than waiting for that rejection letter from the publisher I had forgotten!
Dear Jonathan,
“Why write?” I think it’s like a big bubble inside and if you don’t let it out you’ll explode or implode. I’m an artist and I know the same feelings.
Aloha,
Barb
Excellent point. With the Internet, it’s a lot easier to let the bubble out than it was previously.