Writing for fun … professionally?

Are You a Hobby Snob?

Do you take your passion too far?

Photo © James Bellerjeau

We’ve all encountered someone who took their hobby too far. The person who gets so deep into their pastime that it consumes all their waking time. That would be fine, except for an unlovely side-effect: they become hobby snobs.

What’s a Hobby Snob?

A hobby snob is someone who disdains the efforts of others as mere dilettantes.

• If you don’t write an article a day, my dear, you simply aren’t a real writer.
• If you don’t run marathons, you shouldn’t bother lacing up your shoes, amateur!
• If you don’t ride your motorcycle rain or shine, hot or cold, then you’re just a cage jockey who doesn’t deserve to call themselves a motorcyclist.

Pick your category, I think you get the point.

From What Fire Are Hobby Snobs Forged?

At what point does passionate enthusiasm morph into putting down anyone who doesn’t embrace the madness with the same fervor?

I’m not sure, but I think it has to do with sunk costs and cognitive dissonance. When you’ve invested a serious amount of time in an activity (writing, running, biking…