What are our individual writing aspirations

[Jo Zebedee]

We're all different... I'm working a lot around Maslow and his hierarchy of needs at the moment. Link below for those not familiar with it:

http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm

Maslow can be applied across a range of disciplines, but I've been working at exploring what it takes to achieve self-actualisation, and I've known for some time that writing was probably what was missing in my drive for that: that no matter how well I performed professionally, I was missing something I was really passionate about, and writing has filled that gap for me.

But that fulfillment can be on a number of levels and the level at which fulfillment is achieved will vary from individual to individual.

For me, I have a drive to do well, to try to do things to the best of my ability, particularly if I feel I have the potential to do well. I would like, aspirationally, for writing to be my job. I'm well set up for this: I've worked as a sole-trader for years, am used to working all day and seeing a limited number of people (sometimes the lollipop lady is my entire face to face interaction in a day), and am good at ignoring the housework, animals and, to a lesser extent, kids (my own and half the street's) and work on through.

I don't really mind if it's self published, or published (although if stuck against the wall would admit I want to be published.)

For me, it's not about the money: I've always had a range of functions in my business and am happy to retain some of them (although, who'd say no to Stephen King's wage?), but the enjoyment of knowing someone has liked something I've created.

So, for me, aspirationally, I want to be a published writer, and be able to spend some of my working time doing so. And, for me, it's novels I want to write.

What about others? Is it a hobby that brings fulfillment, something you want to do more of, something you see as adding value to what else you do, something you tinker at when stressed?

 

[chrispenycate]

Actually I'm going to have to classify myself in the lowest level; interesting hobby. In the unlikely situation that I wrote something publishable, I know me well enough to be aware of the fact I'd never be able to follow up with promotion and sales.

But since I hadn't considered writing at all before getting involved with this forum (as against the more general situation of seeing in it an asylum against the slings and arrows of outrageous illiteracy) I can't complain about the situation as it has transpired.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Actually I'm going to have to classify myself in the lowest level; interesting hobby. In the unlikely situation that I wrote something publishable, I know me well enough to be aware of the fact I'd never be able to follow up with promotion and sales.

One thing I forgot to say, is that the lowest level isn't about what we achieve, but how much fulfillment we get from it. So, if an interesting hobby is what you want and is what you're getting, then that puts you closer to the top of the pyramid.

So, for instance, for someone with aspirations to be a CEO, they won't get fulfillment from being the cleaner: they want more money to fulfill their security needs, a lot of their esteem needs will come from the kudos of their job. But for the cleaner who wants to come in, do their job and get paid, provided that a. the pay is enough and b. they have the social interaction they need (and again, it is about individual levels, not an idealised standard amount), and the respect they deserve for doing their job, they may well be on the top level of the pyramid.

So, there is no low or high, based on what you carry out, but more based on what your needs are around writing, and whether these are being fulfilled.

Generally, in life, I'd put myself near the top. But for writing alone, I'm near the middle - because my financial security comes from elsewhere, and because I have a ton of great friends who are writers who give the interaction, I'm on the middle tier. I haven't yet got the esteem needs fulfilled. (They are starting to be, but I need some sort of professional recognition before they'd be fulfilled.)

Edit; muchos gracias, much better.

 

[Bowler1]

It would be nice to be published, it would be a dream of sorts some true. It would be really nice to have a best seller and a movie deal, that really would be cool. But the very unlikely best I’m hoping for is enough spare cash to give the little woman indoors a new kitchen. A fantastic investment, it would keep her happy, always a good thing and get her out of my face enabling me to do more writing, while no doubt getting more food – talk about win, win.

As for Maslow, I'm fairly happy with what I've already acheived. I'm not top of the goals acheived, but I always have a smile on my face , see - there it is.

 

[Glen]

I listened to a writing universtity podcast this week that might interest you. Having said that, I can no longer find it available - I downloaded it some time ago.

Anyway, it was making a distinction between the urge to write versus technical ability. Both coming from different parts of the brain. Also discussed the need to write v any chance of publishing, and the (alleged) phenomenon of the quality of writers' output getting worse as they become better known.

It has a very funny (fictional) dialogue between an unknown writer with immense confidence, and someone who knows the business. Making the point, I thought, that if you were writing to get published, the chances are so small you wouldn't bother.

PS - it was: BK Loren: "Process is Practice: Making Your Writing Matter"

 

[Anne Lyle]

Mine was always to get my books on the shelves of bookshops alongside the writers I admire, which is why I held out for a conventional book deal. It's a very achievable goal if you are prepared to a) work hard on your writing and b) learn about the publishing business so you know who to contact and how (and c) write in a subgenre and style that's reasonably popular).

I'd love to be able to make dayjob-quitting amounts of money from it as well, but that's really beyond my control - there are too many factors that go into becoming a bestseller for it to be a realistic goal, as opposed to a dream

 

[Brian G Turner]

I'm trying to fulfill a sense of destiny I've had since I was at least in primary school. Writing seems to be part of that destiny. Self-actualisation?

 

[Anne Lyle]

Making the point, I thought, that if you were writing to get published, the chances are so small you wouldn't bother.

The chances aren't small if you work hard and accept (quality) feedback until your writing improves to a publishable quality. The people who don't get book deals are generally the ones who either give up before they get that far or who are much less competent writers than they realise (see Dunning-Kruger Effect).

 

[Jo Zebedee]

The chances aren't small if you work hard and accept (quality) feedback until your writing improves to a publishable quality. The people who don't get book deals are generally the ones who either give up before they get that far or who are much less competent writers than they realise (see Dunning-Kruger Effect).

Lord, I hope this is true, Anne. That mantra has been about all that's kept me going for the last 8 weeks. The mountains just seem very, very high. (Hence why I'm stuck on the middle tier.)

 

[Dozmonic]

I'd like to earn enough from writing to build a Mesoamerican structure somewhere in deep Cornwall and fill it with ooparts to confuse future conspiracy theorists

 

[Bowler1]

The chances aren't small if you work hard and accept (quality) feedback until your writing improves to a publishable quality. The people who don't get book deals are generally the ones who either give up before they get that far or who are much less competent writers than they realise (see Dunning-Kruger Effect).

I liked the Dunning-Kruger effect, I'd not come across the studies before.

On this forum any member can be as anonymous as they like. That means critical support can be to the point, far more than any writers group in my view. The illusory superiority is hard to maintain with a long term membership of Chrons! They should study us, that’s what I say.

 

[allmywires]

I'm not going to pretend I understand that triangle thingy but this is me...

For me, it's not about the money: I've always had a range of functions in my business and am happy to retain some of them (although, who'd say no to Stephen King's wage?), but the enjoyment of knowing someone has liked something I've created.

I want someone to pick my book up, not knowing who I am or a jot about me personally, read it and go, 'That was really good. I really enjoyed that.' Ideally, I want to create a book that lingers in the mind, whether it's for a day or longer. I don't want to be too famous - opens you up for too much criticism I'll probably have to go self-published because I don't think the current book is commercially viable to a lot of agencies, and have been told it several times. I'm doing this degree at university because I do want to have a career (that's not writing books) but I'll always write on the side, with the aim to be published, eventually. And you know, the extra pocket money would come in super handy for a poor beans-counting student like me...

 

[Anne Lyle]

Lord, I hope this is true, Anne. That mantra has been about all that's kept me going for the last 8 weeks. The mountains just seem very, very high. (Hence why I'm stuck on the middle tier.)

It takes a long time, there's no denying it. Most published writers I know toiled away for years before getting a book deal - a decade is pretty typical.

The thing is, the better you get, the more you realise how good you have to be to catch a publisher's attention. One of the things that held me back from finishing and submitting a novel was a determination not to get rejected. The strategy worked (sold my first novel to the first editor to lay eyes on it), but it does mean I'm on the old side for a debut novelist!

Bottom line is, you either have to be very talented or you really have to want it, almost more than anything else in the world. A lot of people don't have that drive.

 

[Hex]

I want to make enough money writing to keep writing.

Hugely ambitious, I appreciate, but you asked.

 

[Glitch]

I write, plot or outline for the enjoyment of the story itself. It doesn't bother me if anyone else reads or likes them.

Being published and having people enjoy what I write would be a nice bonus.

 

[Boneman]

I have a dream... of being a published author, with books on the shelf at Waterstones. It's a waking dream, because I have some control over it, in that I'll write all hours, listen to criticism, and improve my stories and my writing until it is good enough to be published. I feel I'm getting closer to achieving it, from the feedback I've had from industry professionals and I'm not going to stop until I do.


Best day-dream: I'm on a train and someone sitting opposite is reading my book. At a certain point I ask if they're enjoying it, and they gush about how great it is. I ask if they'd like me to autograph it for them... Of course if they say it's rubbish, I smile inwardly and think 'at least I got the royalty from you'...

 

[Venusian Broon]

At the very basic level, in my eyes, to create is to be human; a way to shout out to the rest of the universe 'I am an individual, listen to me!'

So writing is more than a solitary hobby to me. Yes it's enjoyable crafting a work, but it all would seem sterile to me if no one else was going to pick it up and read it. I've read perhaps a couple thousand books in my life and I've being entertained, shocked, amazed, provoked and drawn into wonderful fantastic worlds in a willing 'mindmeld' with the writer. That to me is the experience I want to recreate (but me in charge! We like being little gods, I think.)

The biggest problem being an aspiring author is knowing how good I really am. I need the feedback, both positive and negative to improve. So attempting to be published (a long hard slog for all of us I'm sure) is absolutely necessary and feels very right for me to attempt. If I can get professionally published it would be a step up - a graduation - and a vindication and a sign that I was actually improving.

Money is a complex issue. I am fully aware that it is extremely difficult to sustain oneself solely with a writing career. Only a few are lucky to be able do so. So I tell myself I don't write for the money, because if I was I would be carefully researching the market and trying to write something that would sell well (but this stamps on my individuality). On the other hand it does matter, because if money meant nothing then I should just self-publish and give it away for nothing.

Then after that (in territory I have yet to expierence) I imagine status and respect may come into play, within the readership and the industry. We are after all social creatures too - and all like to have nice things said about us.

 

[kromanjon]

Of course I'd like to be published, but I won't be. It's just not the kind of person I am; a success. So instead I mostly write to entertain me, my friends, anyone that can find the time to read my latest musings.

 

[glutton]

My aspiration is to make a living off writing about ultra badass female warriors.

 

[ratsy]

Since I was a kid I wanted to be an author. It left me as an adult and just recently I thought "hey I can do this" So really, I just want to write a book to write one and see what happens. You never know.