Crass and Money-Fixated
May 14, 2010
Two of my writer/blog buddies, Natasha Fondren and Travis Erwin, have recently bemoaned the fact that they're doing some nonfiction work instead of fiction, basically apologizing or, well, complaining, I suppose, that they've decided to make some money off their writing temporarily (?) instead of following their fictional dreams, pursuing art, creativity, etc. Another writer friend of mine, Tom Schreck, has more or less said the same thing.
Natasha and Travis and Tom, I love you guys, but...
Bullshit.
You can do both and it's good for you.
Paying bills: good.
Making money: good.
Stop apologizing.
posted by Mark Terry at 5:31 AM
5 Comments:
LOL! I didn't complain or bemoan! Did I? I though I said I loved it! I'm quite surprised. I was convinced I sucked at non-fiction. Plus I love that I have money to fall back on. And I'm enjoying getting to write on so many different topics. It's a blast.
Back when I first started writing nonfiction I struggled with it and thought it wasn't for me. But enough paychecks associated with it and more practice and I got over it in a hurry. And it appeals to my curiosity.
I didn't take a stab at fiction until I had been writing magazine stuff for 7 years.
Nonfiction, you write, submit and get paid.
Fiction is less reinforcing.
I make no apologies.
Tom,
The reverse of me (I do understand I'm a little strange this way). I started out with fiction and only reluctantly started writing nonfiction, but got more and more successful at it (and I suppose more and more successful at fiction, for that matter, but you're right, nonfiction is more reinforcing.)
After I wrote my erotica novella (easiest sale of my life) a friend called it my "sell-out" novel.
I was mad, and then I remembered "Oh yeah, making money of my art is 'selling out.' Cuz you know, art isn't REAL work and artists don't deserve to be paid, much less for dreck like erotica."
And then I remembered she hadn't read it either, this book that got decent reviews and has decent sales.
I've thought about doing some non-fic but I have seriously no idea how to get into it. I guess I need to pick some smart brains around here... :)
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