A writer who doesn't want to be published (anymore)

[analogbasilisk]

I started writing in 2009 and up until 2019, I wanted to be published. Really, I'd try to query and things like that. I have four or so books published via Kindle and everything. Then I realised I don't have the money to make it happen and I don't write fast enough to spit whatever is extremely popular at the moment to gain traction like that.

I still write and I love it. I like sharing it, I like when people read and tell me they like it. I know I am, at least, a decent writer.

I struggle connecting to other writers exactly because I don't want to be published and get annoyed with how that's the topic of discussion a lot of the time. (It's less about people taking about their dreams and more about not feeling like I belong in a community of writers.)

I often try to give up writing altogether, but it's a hobby I really love, a passion if you say.

Comments

[f0rrest]

I haven't attempted to get published, but I have thought about it, and my motivation is somewhat similar to yours, in that I like positive feedback, so I can definitely relate with what you're saying.

I wrote an entry on this similar topic just a few days ago, and have written about this before, but, ultimately, I think, if your only goal is to get published, you're sacrificing your art for money and/or adoration, which can result in something not entirely true to you, which, to me, is an important aspect of your work to peserve entirely, stay pure.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

It's totally fine to write for fun instead of for money. Lots of people do it.

I've done traditional publishing, and still do a bit of that. But mostly nowadays I do crowdfunding because the conventional system is just such a kludge. Also it's currently putting out crap. I'm an editor, so I can say that as a professional declaration.

Where I'm seeing the best content is:
* Kickstarter
* Fanfic
* Hobby writers on Dreamwidth or other host sites
* Author sites.