Writing for Glory, Gain, or Fun

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Many people write because they dream of publication. Some even hope to be famous or long to be immortal. Others say the only reason to write is because you love it, because the muse grabs you and won't let go, because you won't be fully alive unless you get the words inside you down on paper.

Writing advice contains so many either/or propositions. You must choose: Will you stay true to your art or prostitute yourself by doing hack writing? Will you go with a "legitimate" publisher or choose self-publishing? Each question is posed as if there's only one right answer. Everyone knows that a true writer only writes for the joy of it, never takes on hack jobs, and never, ever self publishes. To do otherwise means you aren't a "real" writer. Or does it?

Years ago a well-known YA editor once posed the question to a group of us at a conference: "Would you rather be known as a literary writer or be a commercial success?" He went around the table and people made their choices. Interestingly enough, those who chose money over craft felt the need to defend their preference. When he came to me, I said, "I'd rather be both at the same time." Everyone just stared at me, including the editor. Apparently, no one had considered the two did not have to be mutually exclusive. Since then, many YAs have been written that are both literary and bestsellers, so it isn't an impossibility.

As creatives we should be the last to embrace an either/or mentality, but should always look for ways to be inclusive. What is brainstorming? Coming up with off-the-wall, unusual ideas and then making them work. So why can't we do that with the traditional dos and don'ts of the craft? Expand our viewpoints to include all of the above?

This may be a rather long-winded way of  introducing myself and my rather checkered writing career. I've tried to do it all, which means that I've been traditionally published, done ghostwriting, worked for hire, and written for the sheer joy of it. I've written fiction and nonfiction, have both e-books and print books, published for both children and adults, and been on both sides of the editorial desk. I've written under multiple pseudonyms and under my own name. I've struggled doing other jobs (teacher, children's librarian, restaurant cashier, business owner) while collecting publishing credits that paid in free copies of the magazine or journal, and I've also spent the past 6+ years totally supporting my family through my writing. And if there's one thing I've learned--it's OK to do it all. The truth is that I want it all: glory, gain, and fun. Don't you?


About the Author

After careers as a teacher and children’s librarian, Laurie J. Edwards moved into editing and writing, where she freelances for a variety of publishing houses. She writes for both children and adults under several pseudonyms. In addition to having more than 1800 magazine and educational articles published, her most recent releases include Pirates through the Ages (Cengage, 2011), Rihanna (People in the News) (Lucent, 2009), Summer Lovin’ (Wild Rose Press, 2009), and the 5-vol. Encyclopedia of North American Tribes (Gale, 2012). She is also ghostwriting an MG action-adventure series and a YA historical fiction series. Other WIPs include a YA fantasy trilogy, a YA historical set in Ming China, and several adult novels.