Doing It for the Love

It's all right not to be making money for your writing.

My name is Matthew, and I'm a writer.

And I don't do it for the money.

I am a long-time reader of blogs and listener of podcasts, all by independent authors, pushing the ideal of making a buck from one's writing.

I know author colleagues as well who are striving for that same goal -- to make a comfortable living from their writing.

I'll admit, the notion is an attractive one.

When I was younger, and I first discovered I had a talent for writing, I had visions of penning a string of bestsellers and making a tidy living from my art.

And when that didn't happen, I was discouraged.

So much so, that I stopped writing. For a long time.

I'm not, and never have been, one of those authors who is driven to write, to get these characters out of my head and onto the page.

It's simply something I enjoy doing in my spare time.

It has taken me many years to learn to love my art for the art's sake -- nothing beats hauling characters I've grown fond over the coals.

And for now, that is more than enough.