You and I have chatted a little about writers’ motivation already. All these statistics, the hurdles to publishing, the widespread misconception that creative work demands little effort, the abysmal average earnings—they are ugly insofar as we write in order to be read. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say they become uglier the more we hope to live off the craft.
Surely we don’t measure artistic worth in dollars or pounds. Art predates such things. And the most revered artists often have met scant praise (or even rejection) during their lives, then posthumous honor. These artists didn’t stop creating; they didn’t languish in their obscurity—for many, it was a non-issue. Their focus was to generate their ideas as they had them, to bring the things from thought to reality.
Taken to the extreme, the point I’m trying to make is that creative work succeeds absent exchange: the creating is itself the reward. This sounds trite and maybe it’s too simplistic. I think I might take a stab at this in a post down the road. There’s something semi-theological to explore here.
Regardless, writing is difficult enough without the pressures of trying to earn a keep from it. Insecurity, indecision, and ennui constantly threaten. So I count each word, if it’s really the one I wanted to use, and if it works just like I wanted, a win. And if I’ve reached a point where even one well-placed word can give me joy, how much more wonderful might a sentence be? A paragraph, a post, a novel?
I wish for all of us that we’ll reach that kind of love for what we do. Enjoy yourself. Read your own work without hiding from how much you like it. Don’t fear telling yourself this piece or that is a good one. Who cares what anybody else says? If you’re writing from a place of passion, then the “skill” of craft will take a backseat to the message. In the meantime you’ll grow from reading others’ work, and that learning can be fun, too. There’s no competition because you’re the only one who can write as you.
And there’s another rub: the value of the art is in the Artist. Capital “A” on purpose.
While I do agree with the sentiments at the core of your comment, I also think it's important to recognise the difference between writers today and those of the past. Many revered writers were upper-class, or were at least privileged enough to have received an education. While they may not have been recognised for their work within their own lifetimes, they had the freedom to spend their lives writing.
It is hard to find enjoyment in the act of creating when we have so little time and inspiration for it. It can feel like every word is an effort, and one which sees little reward when we have to get up and work the same two jobs the next day. I wish it were always possible to find reward in this, but it isn't, and it's important to say that these feelings are ok. We aren't alone. We don't *need* to always enjoy it. It's hard.
You're absolutely right: we can't write what we can't verbalize; we can't verbalize without an education; and to the extent privilege means access, we can't learn without privilege.
Would you say writers these days are more or less privileged than in the past? Probably this is a poor question because the terms "writers," "privileged," and "past" all need defining. Surely more people than ever before have platforms on which to write, but that doesn't automatically increase their chances of succeeding in a writing career, or even of enjoying writing. Do you think our current widespread exposure to others' work will inspire or discourage? Does it come down to each person's perspective? I'm not trying to be rhetorical; I actually would like to know your thoughts.
For most (myself included), because so much time has to go into staying alive, little can remain for creative pursuits. My creative life held its breath while I started a family. I had no choice but the practical. At this point I'm realizing I must sneak writing or composing in when nobody's looking. I don't have designs or the chops to "make it" but I want to write and I can't ignore it anymore.
That being said, I also agree with you that it's unrealistic to always enjoy writing. Certainly angst is appropriate. Even things that give huge returns (monetary or else) can become drudgery. Of course I couldn't know this, but I imagine that the writers who have the freedom you mentioned actually suffer from that freedom: whatever I write falls short of what I really want to say, even if every phrase turns just right. There's something I can't get across from here to the page/screen. I'd expect that writers who are entirely free to create experience this sense of failure on a compounded scale. Unless this is my problem simply because I'm not any good at communicating. My wife could accept that theory.
I'm not sure about being more / less privileged, but there are certainly more writers today who exist across a wider variety of socio-economic backgrounds. (on average, I suppose this makes them less privileged than writers in the past from a class perspective). But while they may benefit from a greater number of publication options, they also suffer from the over-saturation of the field and a lack of financial investment into it.
As for whether the widespread exposure to other people's work will inspire or discourage.. I'd say inspire! Seeing more women authors, more working class authors, more stories about disabled people and people of colour, etc has been endlessly inspiring to me. If people *like me* have made it, then I can too.
I agree that even successful authors suffer from the issues you've mentioned. As with all art, there is no right or wrong, so it can be hard to know when to stop. And I imagine, as you say, that this is compounded for those who have more time to spend on writing.
P.S. I think you communicate very well! In writing at least lol
The money thing is huge, and I think there’s another aspect to abundance that matters a lot too—time and energy. I am lucky enough to write for a living as a journalist and content creator for a number of both public and for-profit organizations. And for me, the fact that I write for a living, and often write things that I’m not terribly interested in and that don’t feature my own voice, leaves me with little time and energy to do the life-giving kind of writing like that which happens on Substack. Add to that the caregiving activities of single motherhood, and the task feels all but impossible sometimes. I have thought many times about doing something else for a living so that I can reclaim writing for my soul, but for now, I’m relaxing into the idea that my work will take different forms during different seasons.
Mary Somerville’s writing career really didn’t take off until her kids were grown. I wonder how many other women that’s true for.
I'm so glad this post resonated with you! It sounds like you're doing a great job at juggling different aspects of your life, so well done you :) I get what you mean about struggling to find the time / motivation for life-giving writing though.. I struggled with something similar at uni when I was writing essays all day and just wanted to do anything BUT write at the end of it haha. But there's something so lovely about the idea of your writing taking different forms in different seasons :)
The gender difference of being recognised for one's art is definitely worth exploring too. Maybe I'll make it into a full post sometime!
Great insights! Thank you for the interesting interviews. I aspire to earn a living from my writing and it’s helpful to see perspectives from more seasoned writers.
"I also don’t think writers should have to pay for the chance to be a part of something." I whole-heartedly agree. I'm trying to get an anthology off the ground without fees for submissions, and shout from the rooftops when I see magazines offer something similar.
Of course! Your anthology sounds so cool too. I'm not sure if you're familiar with me / my newsletter but I post a list of submission opportunities at the start of each month, so I'll be sure to include the info of your 'The Forbidden' call in a future post. I love sharing these!
A wonderful article. I have often struggled with keeping up with writing due to a busy schedule, and it often ends up feeling like a task I have to complete for the day. But since it’s my passion, I fooled myself into thinking that it isn’t a task that can burn me out.
On days off, for example, I push myself to write because it’s what I love doing and therefore can’t be something that could burn me out. Then I realise, too late, that it really can. So it’s nice to read something that articulates this struggle well; it’s nice to know I'm not alone. (Not that I'm happy my fellow writers are suffering, of course!)
Haha no me neither, but it definitely helps to know that we aren't alone! AND that taking a break won't hold us back. After seeing my peers hitting massive word counts and goals online, I was a little worried that I wasn't doing enough. But it's important to know that those posts are only one side of the story
You and I have chatted a little about writers’ motivation already. All these statistics, the hurdles to publishing, the widespread misconception that creative work demands little effort, the abysmal average earnings—they are ugly insofar as we write in order to be read. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say they become uglier the more we hope to live off the craft.
Surely we don’t measure artistic worth in dollars or pounds. Art predates such things. And the most revered artists often have met scant praise (or even rejection) during their lives, then posthumous honor. These artists didn’t stop creating; they didn’t languish in their obscurity—for many, it was a non-issue. Their focus was to generate their ideas as they had them, to bring the things from thought to reality.
Taken to the extreme, the point I’m trying to make is that creative work succeeds absent exchange: the creating is itself the reward. This sounds trite and maybe it’s too simplistic. I think I might take a stab at this in a post down the road. There’s something semi-theological to explore here.
Regardless, writing is difficult enough without the pressures of trying to earn a keep from it. Insecurity, indecision, and ennui constantly threaten. So I count each word, if it’s really the one I wanted to use, and if it works just like I wanted, a win. And if I’ve reached a point where even one well-placed word can give me joy, how much more wonderful might a sentence be? A paragraph, a post, a novel?
I wish for all of us that we’ll reach that kind of love for what we do. Enjoy yourself. Read your own work without hiding from how much you like it. Don’t fear telling yourself this piece or that is a good one. Who cares what anybody else says? If you’re writing from a place of passion, then the “skill” of craft will take a backseat to the message. In the meantime you’ll grow from reading others’ work, and that learning can be fun, too. There’s no competition because you’re the only one who can write as you.
And there’s another rub: the value of the art is in the Artist. Capital “A” on purpose.
While I do agree with the sentiments at the core of your comment, I also think it's important to recognise the difference between writers today and those of the past. Many revered writers were upper-class, or were at least privileged enough to have received an education. While they may not have been recognised for their work within their own lifetimes, they had the freedom to spend their lives writing.
It is hard to find enjoyment in the act of creating when we have so little time and inspiration for it. It can feel like every word is an effort, and one which sees little reward when we have to get up and work the same two jobs the next day. I wish it were always possible to find reward in this, but it isn't, and it's important to say that these feelings are ok. We aren't alone. We don't *need* to always enjoy it. It's hard.
You're absolutely right: we can't write what we can't verbalize; we can't verbalize without an education; and to the extent privilege means access, we can't learn without privilege.
Would you say writers these days are more or less privileged than in the past? Probably this is a poor question because the terms "writers," "privileged," and "past" all need defining. Surely more people than ever before have platforms on which to write, but that doesn't automatically increase their chances of succeeding in a writing career, or even of enjoying writing. Do you think our current widespread exposure to others' work will inspire or discourage? Does it come down to each person's perspective? I'm not trying to be rhetorical; I actually would like to know your thoughts.
For most (myself included), because so much time has to go into staying alive, little can remain for creative pursuits. My creative life held its breath while I started a family. I had no choice but the practical. At this point I'm realizing I must sneak writing or composing in when nobody's looking. I don't have designs or the chops to "make it" but I want to write and I can't ignore it anymore.
That being said, I also agree with you that it's unrealistic to always enjoy writing. Certainly angst is appropriate. Even things that give huge returns (monetary or else) can become drudgery. Of course I couldn't know this, but I imagine that the writers who have the freedom you mentioned actually suffer from that freedom: whatever I write falls short of what I really want to say, even if every phrase turns just right. There's something I can't get across from here to the page/screen. I'd expect that writers who are entirely free to create experience this sense of failure on a compounded scale. Unless this is my problem simply because I'm not any good at communicating. My wife could accept that theory.
I'm not sure about being more / less privileged, but there are certainly more writers today who exist across a wider variety of socio-economic backgrounds. (on average, I suppose this makes them less privileged than writers in the past from a class perspective). But while they may benefit from a greater number of publication options, they also suffer from the over-saturation of the field and a lack of financial investment into it.
As for whether the widespread exposure to other people's work will inspire or discourage.. I'd say inspire! Seeing more women authors, more working class authors, more stories about disabled people and people of colour, etc has been endlessly inspiring to me. If people *like me* have made it, then I can too.
I agree that even successful authors suffer from the issues you've mentioned. As with all art, there is no right or wrong, so it can be hard to know when to stop. And I imagine, as you say, that this is compounded for those who have more time to spend on writing.
P.S. I think you communicate very well! In writing at least lol
Thanks for sharing these transparent insights!
I feel seen! Thanks for this honest take.
The money thing is huge, and I think there’s another aspect to abundance that matters a lot too—time and energy. I am lucky enough to write for a living as a journalist and content creator for a number of both public and for-profit organizations. And for me, the fact that I write for a living, and often write things that I’m not terribly interested in and that don’t feature my own voice, leaves me with little time and energy to do the life-giving kind of writing like that which happens on Substack. Add to that the caregiving activities of single motherhood, and the task feels all but impossible sometimes. I have thought many times about doing something else for a living so that I can reclaim writing for my soul, but for now, I’m relaxing into the idea that my work will take different forms during different seasons.
Mary Somerville’s writing career really didn’t take off until her kids were grown. I wonder how many other women that’s true for.
I'm so glad this post resonated with you! It sounds like you're doing a great job at juggling different aspects of your life, so well done you :) I get what you mean about struggling to find the time / motivation for life-giving writing though.. I struggled with something similar at uni when I was writing essays all day and just wanted to do anything BUT write at the end of it haha. But there's something so lovely about the idea of your writing taking different forms in different seasons :)
The gender difference of being recognised for one's art is definitely worth exploring too. Maybe I'll make it into a full post sometime!
I would definitely welcome that post!
Great insights! Thank you for the interesting interviews. I aspire to earn a living from my writing and it’s helpful to see perspectives from more seasoned writers.
Isn't it?! Talking to these writers has been so inspriational for me. And it's so cool to see success take different forms
"I also don’t think writers should have to pay for the chance to be a part of something." I whole-heartedly agree. I'm trying to get an anthology off the ground without fees for submissions, and shout from the rooftops when I see magazines offer something similar.
Thank you for sharing.
Of course! Your anthology sounds so cool too. I'm not sure if you're familiar with me / my newsletter but I post a list of submission opportunities at the start of each month, so I'll be sure to include the info of your 'The Forbidden' call in a future post. I love sharing these!
Amazing! Yes I am just recently familiar -- I really likes last week's and shared it/have been following along since.
Ty for being willing to share this as well, even though it's not a mag, and is very new! 💖
Oh great! And of course - I mainly share mags so I'm always on the look out for anthologies, competitions, and anything else really
Ah, good to know! 🖤
It's so important that we talk about the things that trip us up, as well as the positives. Thank you for collating this article, Lucy! ❤️
A wonderful article. I have often struggled with keeping up with writing due to a busy schedule, and it often ends up feeling like a task I have to complete for the day. But since it’s my passion, I fooled myself into thinking that it isn’t a task that can burn me out.
On days off, for example, I push myself to write because it’s what I love doing and therefore can’t be something that could burn me out. Then I realise, too late, that it really can. So it’s nice to read something that articulates this struggle well; it’s nice to know I'm not alone. (Not that I'm happy my fellow writers are suffering, of course!)
Haha no me neither, but it definitely helps to know that we aren't alone! AND that taking a break won't hold us back. After seeing my peers hitting massive word counts and goals online, I was a little worried that I wasn't doing enough. But it's important to know that those posts are only one side of the story