Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Writing Question of the Week

It's only Tuesday, and already I feel exhausted. I can't imagine what the rest of the week will be like!

However, I digress.

This weeks writing question: Do you consider your writing a profession or a hobby? What differentiates a career-minded writer from a hobbyist? I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I hope the rest of your week proves productive and enjoyable.

Denise

Labels:

12 Comments:

At 11:01 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I consider my writings to fall under both categories. I definitely lean heavily on writing for work including: press releases, web content, articles, and the like, but I almost always look at my blogging as being more of a hobby. With blogging, I write much more informally and I usually find blogging to be tremendously enjoyable.

 
At 11:19 AM, Blogger Sharon Hurley Hall said...

My writing is mostly a profession, but I also play too, with the creative side. Blogging is both a hobby and a profession as I ghost blog for a couple of companies.

 
At 12:49 PM, Blogger Denise said...

Matt and Bloggingwriter,

Thank you both for the comments. I anticipated that whoever answered this question would have a mix between professional writing and hobby work.

I'm pretty much the same way in that I tend to view blogging as more of a creative, fun pursuit rather than something I make the majority of my income from.

That's not to say that professional bloggers aren't out there (they obviously are) but for me personally, I have yet to see any healthy payoffs with my blogging.

 
At 7:27 AM, Blogger domestika said...

I fall into the same category as the others: writing is my profession, and blogging is both.

I think the difference between career-minded writer and hobbyist lies in the degree of discipline you bring to it, much more than the goal or intention. A hobbyist is one who writes only when "the muse" visits, and a professional writes on a schedule, as one would if going out to work in someone else's cubicle. My 2 cents, anyway...

 
At 8:26 AM, Blogger Denise said...

Thank you for your comment domestika.

I agree that professionals tend to structure their time when it comes to writing. I know that I have a schedule as far as client work goes, and I try not to deviate too much from that schedule (just as I would do if I were working in an office somewhere.)

 
At 4:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm right smack in the middle. Or transitioning. Or in both categories at once. I guess it depends which angle I take.

I write because I love to. Especially on my blogs and for my non-profit gigs. But I'm also getting paid for some of my writing. And I certainly feel as if my experience is taking me closer and closer to being a "professional".

Others have commented on structuring time vs. not. And I have to agree. I no longer have the luxury to write when the muse hits, because I have deadlines, and many projects going on at once. Without some kind of time organization, I end up doing everything last minute. And, if I don't schedule time to allow myself to do the "fun" writing, it never gets done.

If I get to the point where I *only* see myself as a professional, and not doing it for "fun" anymore, then I know I'm done, and it's time to move on to another thing.

Thanks for the question!

P.S. Got your link from Anne Wayman's Golden Pencil blog.

 
At 6:59 PM, Blogger Denise said...

Thank you Tammy!

I'm glad to see a new "face" happen upon my blog. It's always nice when that happens :)

Like you, I write because I love to. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a writer. To me, being anything else would be unthinkable.

Luckily, I have yet to run into the problem of no longer enjoying what I do. That's not to say I don't have bad days (who doesn't?!) but at the end of the day, I am happy that I'm able to do what I love and get paid for it.

 
At 7:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

this is a totally off topic comment:-)

I just saw your amazing article on my shop (shana logic) and wanted to thank you for the support--it was a great surprise and I totally appreciate it!!
xoxo!
Shanalyn

 
At 7:29 PM, Blogger Denise said...

Shanalyn,

How funny! I just noticed that you posted about the article on your blog.

I've loved your website even before the name change. I'm subscribed to your store updates, so when I noticed that you'd recently changed your name I thought it would be the perfect time to blog about you.

Keep up the great work :)

 
At 7:47 PM, Blogger Kathy@TheFlawlessWord said...

Add me to the club. I make a good living writing but I also dabble in a lot of writing that doesn't earn me money for the sheer pleasure of it.

 
At 8:12 PM, Blogger latoya said...

I'm somewhere in between. I don't depend on writing as a primary source of income, so I can't quite call it a career. On the other hand, I'm a lot more serious about writing than any of my other hobbies.

 
At 6:30 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

I think it can be both, depending on the desires and intentions of the writer. I myself want to make it a profession, and admire those who have. But I know other good writers who intentionally avoid making writing a profession for fear that doing so will take the joy out of a hobby that they love.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home