It's Not Cheap To Be A Writer

It happens all too often that life gets in the way of everything else, and that has happened here. I apologize for taking so long to write another post. I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off the last week, or so. 

Picking up where we left off with the last post, today, we are going to talk about money and how expensive it really is to be a writer. A lot of people believe it to be a free career, because "all it takes is a computer and your brain". That's so wrong that it's hard not to cringe when I hear people speak like that. Being a writer is about so much more than the actual writing. While that's a huge part of it, there's also promoting and attending events and expenses needed to accomplish writing a book. You may need a notebook for your ideas, index cards for your edits, pens and paper if you write by hand, printer supplies, a computer, a Microsoft Office subscription, and then you need editors, cover designers, formatters, and many more services to complete the process. This all costs money, and while some of it sounds like somewhat cheap supplies, it adds up very quickly. 

Now, take into consideration that most writers barely hit $20-$50 in royalties per month (best sellers make more, of course, but it still counts for them, too), and most writers are working 'in the red'. And a lot of people ask, "Well, if you're not making any money from it, then why are you doing it?" NEVER, EVER ask this of a writer. We are not in it for the money, and to insinuate that we are is a slap in the face to us, even if you don't intend it to be. It's like asking a mother why she has children if they don't bring in any money... 

It's an insulting question.

We write because we love telling a story; we write because we have the talent for it; we write because it's who we are on the inside. It is the very essence of our soul. We don't just write; we are writers. 

However, we are grateful for any and all sales we get and are just as excited for pay-day as any other worker. Readers validate our hard work and keep us writing. So if you are a true reader/fan of authors, keep buying books from reputable retailers, posting reviews or sending messages to authors in appreciation of their work, and spreading the word among your friends and family about their books. Keep reading, we'll keep writing, editors will keep editing, and publishers will keep publishing. The book industry is dependent on you, the reader.

We wouldn't survive, or even have a purpose, without Y O U.

Because of this, I say thank you ... on my behalf, and on the behalf of all the other amazing writers in the world, both self-published and traditional. 

And that brings up the next upcoming topic on this blog: 

Self-published or Traditional, We're All in This Together!