An actual serious blog post. · 1:19am Jul 31st, 2012
I've been doing some thinking lately. About writing.
Who do we TRULY write for?
If we write for ourselves, is it actually writing for yourself when you publish it?
That's been on my mind. I am not a great author by any means. And this, I know. I do tend to think about things though, about writing and my own writing specifically. Do I really write for myself, or you guys? A lot of "famous" authors here say to write for yourself. To ask yourself one question;
"Would I write even if there was no one left on Earth?"
But I can't answer it rightfully. Maybe? I'm not sure. I do write for your pleasure, and mine as well, me publishing here is proof of that.
But do I write for you guys? Can we actually write for our self, yet publish our works for others?
Because we KNOW we will publish, does this affect our writing, and make it not for us but for others?
I know he pressure of publishing effects me, that's for sure. I have to keep the word counter off in Microsoft Word when writing, just to make sure I don't write for only 1,000 words.
I, myself, have a horrible time keeping series going. It's that "honeymoon" phase that applies to almost everything. When that runs out, usually after the first chapter, I don't have as much motivation or fun while writing. Is this because of the bar I've set for myself, that I have to make another chapter?
I think that's what happened to all my dead series. I just... don't want to write for them anymore. They aren't fun.
Anyway, that's what I've been thinking about as of late.
You? Posting a serious blog post???!!!?!!?!?!?!!1!!?!eleven!?
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In my psychology class we learned about an experiment. There were two groups of little kids (the experimental and control groups), each given supplies to draw pictures and such. Each group enjoyed drawing. The experimental group, after a period of time, was rewarded with gold stars for their drawing while the control group was not. After a while, it was found that the experimental group began to enjoy drawing less and less. They were drawing because they were getting gold stars, and not because they enjoyed drawing. The researchers then stopped giving the group gold stars and, over time, the group lost interest in drawing entirely. The control group that never received gold stars continued to enjoy drawing like before.
This is the reason the best writers say to write for yourself. Writing is a passion, and the best pieces are those written out of your passion for the story. If you write for others, it isn't fun anymore. It's more like a chore or job. Granted, I do know that I'm going to publish what I write. But I try not to just write it for others. If people like it, good, they can have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.
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That's rather interesting, actually. I can tell it does. I'm beginning to think I'm writing for the featured box...
I'm trying to stop it, but it's really hard...
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SCIENCE
I think the question can be answered philosophically (but then again, I am a philosophy student). If we take a look at something like a dress maker, she makes dresses all the time to sell them. She spends hours designing and stitching the perfect dress for her customers and she counts it as a success when she sees the smile on her customers face and the money in her cash register. She does that for others and yet she loves what she does.
Then take a basketball player. For a few years he played on a small team, coached at a school a few days a week and just played because he felt like it. Then one day someone from the Celtics comes up to him and offers him a job with them. Eagerly, the young man agrees and joins the team. But after a few months of the rigorous training and playing professionally for huge crowds, the basketball player begins to feel depressed. Life is no longer a thrill for him and the game he loved to play he no longer does.
The same can be said of authors. many of us write for pleasure (think of the first story you posted on here. I don't think any of us expected to get "famous" from story number one). But once we begin writing exclusively for the entertainment of others then we become hollow and our work has no meaning. We feel the need for admiration, but as long as that is not our soul driving force then we will continue to love writing.
mister fluttershy, you sir are really smart for your age and i love that. we need more people like you moderating the site. I have that same feeling when it comes to my writing too, as you can tell from my 5-6 stories that are only in their first few chapters. you are right about your interpretation, my stories are right along with yours, well most of them that is. i love writing for the site, but this is mostly just a hobby for me. i write to better my skills at it, and to base my skills i attempt to obtain the fine achievement of the feature bar, which i am stopping as of now. i have upwards of 200 people watching my stories and that is enough to satisfy me. good blog post, it was very true.
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It is true to say praise is a double edged sword, in a sense. I agree with what you're saying, really. If we work for praise, and not for the thrill itself, then (not really life, but) the activity becomes rather uninteresting.
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Hah! I couldn't moderate the site. I would quit due to all the idiotic people who don't follow the rules. But, thanks. And thanks for the insight as well.
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