Maggie McVay Lynch
Nov 6 · 3 min read

I don’t think it has to be a binary choice at all. I write both for love and money. I need the money to pay the bills, put food on the table, make sure there is a roof over my head. To do that I have to put on my business hat and grow my writing business. However, I pick and choose what I write, and I don’t always (okay rarely) pick the most lucrative writing. Because writing for me is meaningful.

I do believe that whether I’m writing fiction or nonfiction, I am telling meaningful stories that have the potential to help others see the struggles of the characters (whether the character is me or a fictional one) as relatable. And through that see other paths for problem solving in their own lives.

I could make other choices that are more lucrative, if I wanted. For example, I could take copywriting jobs. I’m decent at it and have written copy for friends, nonprofits, and myself to sell a product. But I don’t like doing it, and I would especially hate doing it for large companies that sell things I don’t care about and don’t think people need because they are luxuries or are very overpriced.

I could choose to write novels and novellas with all the right tropes that meet the most insatiable market of readers who read at least one book a day and sometimes three books a day. They want a specific type of book, in series, and not much straying from that formula. That requires one to write fast (6+books per year) and release fast to make a nice income ($50K+). I know how to do that. I’ve been to enough workshops about it. But it would kill my soul. Whenever I’ve tried to write those books, I rebel, procrastinate, and just can’t bring myself to do it. I’m not knocking people who love to read or write those books, because there is a huge market. But it’s not me and at this age I’m not going to do anything that doesn’t offer my soul something to cherish.

I think one can both write for love and for money successfully. However, if you become a writer for the sole purpose of being rich, (however you define that) that is a different choice. That is a purely business decision with a growth plan that uses a skill to accomplish. To do that you will have to take the jobs you dislike or even hate. You will have to write in a different way than is the way you are most creative.

Can good writers who stay true to themselves and find meaning in their work become rich? Absolutely, there are examples of that. But they are 1% of all writers. Not that one shouldn’t aspire to it. But, for me, I’m not going to count on it. Can writers become very comfortable — not only paying the bills but also having enough money left over for a few luxuries. Yes, but it takes the work of being a business person and a writer over a long period of time and understanding how to capitalize on your writing strengths and find your tribe who will read what you write.

To write only for love and meaning, and not sully yourself with the business of writing means you need to have another income to support your basic needs or get very, very lucky. That’s an okay choice, too. It’s just not one I’m going to bet my life on.

    Maggie McVay Lynch

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    A geek-creative with 21 books published, I write stories about people making heroic choices one messy moment at a time. Learn more at maggielynch.com