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32 sats \ 2 replies \ @ek 20h \ on: UnPhiltered Chaper 9 - Becoming Hemingway the_stacker_muse

People are reluctant to introduce themselves as a writer if they aren’t doing it full time for a plum wage.

Hey, this is similar to what @plebpoet mentioned in #824438:

However, I haven’t always felt comfortable calling myself an ’artist’, when I don’t produce much, or don’t have anything I’m known for. The same goes for calling myself a poet. I don’t want to sound self-aggrandizing, but sometimes it feels that way.

I’m also not doing it professionally, but that’s sort of what people expect of you if you use the title. For example, if I were to say I’m a beekeeper, you would ask me how many bees do I keep or how many jars of honey do I process, you know? But I have to do other things to sustain my life, and I don’t want writing to become that. I don’t want to squeeze life out of my writing. I use writing as expression, not as livelihood. If I did lean on it to keep me alive, as in bring in my money, my relationship to writing would flip to the opposite, and that would be a scary place for me.

Btw, I really like the play on your name and “unfiltered”

111 sats \ 1 reply \ @TotallyHumanWriter OP 19h

Thanks for the comment. It's strange that everyone expects writers to both have commercial goals and be hitting them.

When people ask 'how many books have you sold?' it's just so they can do the napkin math on how much money you have. The economics of writing (even self-pub book sales) are comically bad.

I always wonder why people dont ask hobbyist rock climbers if they are going to go on the pro tour, or ask those who sing in a choir when their next platinum disc will come out.

When you do write for money, it is usually to sell stuff for other people, and you crestive freedom is somewhat restricted.

Still, then important thing is to write. Reach whatever goals you set, and don't let anyone drag you down.

11 sats \ 0 replies \ @ek 19h

I always wonder why people dont ask hobbyist rock climbers if they are going to go on the pro tour, or ask those who sing in a choir when their next platinum disc will come out.

Mhh, I think the answer to your question is in your question: because climbing and being in a choir are interpreted as hobbies.

When someone says they are a writer, and not “writing is one of my hobbies,” it suggests that’s what they spend most of their time on, so the question how successful they are at surviving naturally arises, no?

So I think this:

It's strange that everyone expects writers to both have commercial goals and be hitting them.

is less about success as in “are you getting rich??” but “how are you not getting poor??”

I hope this makes sense.