So when I was younger I wrote a lot. Stories. Short novels. Flash fiction. And I was told I was pretty good at it. BUT then was told you’ll never make money at it and it is a useless thing to pursue.
And that is the thing about people, they don’t get why we are writers when there is no guarantee of any income.
I’ll tell you, as a kid that comment hurt me. I have Imposter Syndrome, then and now, and I had a low self-esteem. And I felt then that my work was worthless. I don’t think I even wrote again until High School. It hurts when someone says something you are passionate about isn’t even worth the effort.
- We want to make money at it for sure. It is our passion and it would be the ultimate job for us. Who doesn’t want a job that is their passion? Making money at what you love to do? Everyone wants a job like that. We are aware with writing it is rare to make enough to live off of, but we wish we could.
- We actually love to write. There are writers who never intend anyone to read what they wrote except family. Or just for themselves. I have written novels just for me and no one else. We actually love the act and process of writing. Money isn’t a factor in this aspect. It is pure passion. And I have to say you should never discourage anyone from their passion. Even if it only ever remains a hobby… well hobbies are very value to brain health.
- Writing has saved me from my darkest times with chronic pain. It was an outlet. It was a pain distraction. It was escapism. It made me feel good. And hobbies with chronic illness have a lot of value. They keep us busy. They make us feel productive. It is something just for us when we feel pressured all the time to perform like healthy people… and we can’t. This is just for us.
- And there is this innate need when you have all these plots and characters in your head, to get them down on paper. We are writers because we need to write.
So that was definitely the worst advice I ever received about writing. And a lesson that you should never listen to someone that mocks your hobby, your passions, or your work.
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The Wyrd 
This really hit home for me. I couldn’t agree more. It’s really hard to feel “productive” with a chronic illness, and being mocked for one’s passion is the worst. People engage in all kinds of hobbies, very few of which even have the possibility of “making money.” So to tell someone not to write because they “won’t make any money off it” is just senseless and hurtful. But your writing is really good so you should keep doing it AND publishing for us to read. 🙂
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You know it bothered me when I still remember that keenly. But I did start writing again and will continue to. We do need our hobbies to survive
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