HOW WRITING IS A PASSION AND NOT A HOBBY

            I keep seeing questions on the Facebook forums about “motivation”, “how do you do it”, “how can you keep up the momentum”, bla bla bla.

            I have a feeling these new writers are not approaching writing the right way.

WHY DO WE WRITE?

            The question you have to ask yourself is why you’re writing in the first place.

            Is it a hobby like stamp collecting or a particular sport?

            Is it a hobby like astronomy or woodworking?

            Is it a hobby like knitting or sewing?

            Is it just something you wanted to try and now find yourself bogged down?

            Or, like me, is it a passion, something you just have to do, regardless?

WHY WRITING DOESN’T WORK AS A HOBBY

            A hobby is supposed to be fun. That means you put as much effort into it as needed for some kind of reward.

            Writing, especially if you’re new to it, is a lot of work with (sometimes) little reward, depending on what you’re expecting.

            Time versus reward can be fleeting at best, unless lightning strikes.

            Now ask yourself, how often have you been struck by lightning?

            If you’re looking for a casual interest, something that keeps you going but expecting results right away, writing is not for you.

WRITING AS A PASSION

            When writing is a passion, it’s long term. The reward is the creating, the writing itself.

            Expect to come across countless obstacles and challenges. It’s part of the process.

            Love writing but not the rest, like receiving critiques, editing, lack of sales?

            Better look at it as a hobby and not a passion.

            If writing is a passion, the entire process is fun. You don’t care if you get published, though that would be nice. You don’t mind critiques, good or bad. You learn from your mistakes. You relish creating something at least you can enjoy.

            I started writing because I needed an artistic outlet besides music and woodworking. I didn’t write to get published, I wrote to create something and enjoy the process. Then, while doing that, I didn’t neglect trying to get published, it just wasn’t my main goal.

            Today, I’m published but I’d still be creating stories, regardless. It’s just what I do. I write almost every day. It might be a chapter in my latest WIP, it might be a review (I review everything), it might be a weekly article like this one. It might be a random short story based on an immediate inspiration.

            I write because I love it. I don’t need motivation, I don’t get stuck, I don’t lose interest because I don’t have enough (or any) sales. Hell, it took me 20 years and 689 rejections to get published the first time. I’m pretty sure I’ll still want to write, regardless.

YOUR GOAL

            If you got into writing just to get published, expect a very hard road and waning interest.

            If you got into writing to create the greatest story ever told, why? What makes your story greater than anyone else’s?

            If you’re taking the mercenary route, just doing it to make money, prepare to be frustrated right away unless you learn to love technical writing.

MY GOAL

            My goal is to write. I love the entire process except the marketing. Okay, even I have my limits, and marketing sucks.

            My goal is to create through writing.

            Getting published is important in a sense, but secondary to why I’m doing this in the first place. I’m going to keep writing no matter what. If it all sits on the hard drive languishing, oh well. If I’m able to get some of it in print, all that much more rewarding, but if not, I’m not discouraged, I just keep on.

SUMMARY

            If you’re constantly doubting yourself, wondering why you’re doing it, looking for motivation, then as I’ve said before, take up knitting or tennis. If you’re doing this because you love the process, keep writing!