Why Do People Write?

I've published under my own name, and I've also been a ghostwriter.  I also know quite a few published writers.  But why do we all want to write books, short stories, or poetry?  Why do people want to hire a ghostwriter?

Many people are looking for "big money."  The reality is that publishing does not bring in millions.  Sometimes it brings in nothing at all.  In fact, most books break even or make little money--or even lose money.  Most aspiring writers and laymen, however, make the following false assumptions: 1) if a book is written, it will be published; 2) if a book is published, it makes a huge profit.  After all, authors are celebrities, right?

Most books that are written will never see the light of day, although many books can now be self-published thanks to Print-on-Demand, the eBook explosion, and direct publishing from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, and other companies that publish online books at no charge.  But when books are published, they usually don't make a great deal of money.  There are always exceptions, however.  If a book is written well--and most are not--and the work is then properly promoted, the author might well find a greater or lesser measure of success and satisfaction.

The best reason to be a writer is because one is compelled to take up the craft.  It's in the DNA.  Or there's a story that needs to be told, regardless of potential royalties.  A writer writes because he or she has to write.  It's that simple.

~ William Hammett

Index of Articles

Believe in Your Work
Children's Nonfiction: It's Now More Popular
The Craft of Writing
Daily Transit Public Ridership
The eBook Revolution
Fifty Shades of Boring
George Clayton Johnson: Fictioneer by Vivien Kooper
Ghostwriting: The Decline of Professionalism
How Long Does It Take to Write a Novel?
Is Journal Writing Worth the Effort?
Literary Agents
Kindle Direct Publishing (Select)
The Novella is Back and Thriving
Print-on-Demand
Promoting Your Book
The Quest for Literary Representation
The Rewards of Being a Writer
Short Fiction
Smashwords
What Is Developmental Editing
Why Do People Write?
Writing Celebrity Memoirs
Writing a Novel
Writing as a Full-time Job
Writing as a Mystical Process
You Own the Copyright to Your Literary Property
Zen in the Art of Writing