WHAT
DRIVES WRITERS TO KEEP ON WRITING?
by
Marilyn Meredith
If you’re a
best-selling author, the answer is evident. But what about all of those writers
out there whose royalty checks might only be enough to buy a nice dinner?
And there are those
like me who wrote for years for a publisher who went out of business, and
despite all the promotion done for the latest books, the last years’ royalties
were never paid? Unfortunately, there are many sad stories like that out there.
With the Rocky Bluff
P.D. series, my publisher passed away—and no royalties had been paid for nearly
two years. Fortunately, I have a new publisher, Aakenbaaken and Kent, who has
taken on all the books in the series, including the latest, Bones
in the Attic.
But the question is,
after all this adversity, and there’s been more, why do I keep writing? I have
several answers:
1. I am a writer.
2. I love to
write—always have and I suspect, always will.
3. In the case of my
Rocky Bluff P.D. mysteries, I’ve had these characters living in my head for
years. I want to know what’s going to happen to them next, and there’s only one
way to find out, write another book.
Writing gives a certain
satisfaction that I don’t get with any other activity. There are other factors
that keep me going and here are some of them:
1. When someone tells
you or emails you to let you know he or she loved one of your books.
2. Finding a new
positive review on Amazon about one of your books.
3. Being able to give
talks to interested people about writing and why I wrote a particular book.
(Writing conferences, libraries, writing and service clubs.)
4. Meeting other writers
and readers and sharing the love of books in person and on the Internet.
5. Being a member of two
chapters of Sisters in Crime and the Public Safety Writers Association.
I’m sure there are
many more that I can’t think of at the moment. I hope other writers will add
their reasons in the comments.
Blurb: The
discovery of a skeleton, a welfare check on a senior citizen, and a wildfire
challenge the Rocky Bluff P.D.
Buy link: https://tinyurl.com/yxpd8mxy
Bio: Marilyn
Meredith, who writes the RBPD mystery series as F.M. Meredith, is the author of
over 40 published books. She once lived in a small beach town much like Rocky
Bluff, and has many relatives and friends in law enforcement.
Webpage: http://fictionforyou.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/marilynmeredith/
And she’s a regular
on these blogs:
2nd and
4th Tuesday: https://makeminemystery.blogspot.com/
4th
Monday of the month: https://ladiesofmystery.com/
Welcome, Marilyn! It's nice to have you back again. I'm looking forward to reading "Bones in the Attic."
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting me today, Pat. And I enjoyed writing this post.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn,
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your new novel! I also have had a number of publishers who went out of business and it is very discouraging. However, like you, I keep on writing. It's something I need to do. Keep writing!
I've had publishers close the doors and two that died. But I keep on going! You've done well, Jacqueline, despite the bumps in the road.
DeleteI agree with all the reasons you gave, Marilyn. There are so many ideas out there that I can't NOT write. If I want to explore those ideas, there's no better way to do it than to write a book about it. I've found the writing community to be generous and supportive and it's wonderful to be part of such a giving group!
ReplyDeleteI love being around other writers--most of them anyway. There are a few who are a big prickly.
DeleteI agree with every reason you gave to write, Marilyn. I can't think of any reason not to write. : ) I left the publisher you spoke of a long time ago, and I never received my final royalties, so I can commiserate with you on that one. I love your books and I'm so glad you just keep them coming. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments, Marja. This is not an easy business we're in--but we have to keep on writing, don't we?
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Marilyn. I couldn't have put it better. Loved your latest.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Evelyn! I loved your latest too!
Delete