As an independent author, I have to do a lot of self reflection to keep myself going. There is a lot of work involved in writing, editing, formatting, and promoting a book all on your own. And the reality is, all of that work is likely to result in very little money. Instead of gaining wealth, publishing your own work keeps you working long hours in the night, costs money you earned at your day job, and, scariest of all, leaves you open to critisism, cancelation, and ridicule.
So someone who calls themselves an author, whether self-published or traditional or a fan-fiction writer, has to ask themselves: Why?
Why am I doing this? What will it get me?
Most of us are dreaming of a knock-out payout somewhere down the road, sure. I'll write the next Twilight or Harry Potter!
Honestly, i'd be happy to write the next Animporphs.
But the truth is, i'm okay if I never make it big.
I write because it feels good to get the words on paper and the story out of my head.
But I publish because I remember a time when I was young, and sometimes even now, when life was terrible. There was a time when the books I read were the only happy part of my day, and the characters in them were the only reason I wasn't lonely. Reading a good story gave me Joy.
Now I get to give joy to other people. In these difficult times, and - holy-fucking-shit are these difficlult times - I know that my work can be a refuge for someone.
And since books live forever, I get to keep giving joy to readers until people stop reading.
That's enough motivation for me.
*Disclaimer, not endorsing piracy over here, I do want to get some money for my work. Writers gotta pay rent too y'all.
Kommentit