Did I Enjoy Writing More Before I Was Paid For It?

photo via pixabay

I'm sure there are many of you out there answering this question with a loud, resounding "NO," but late last night I read an article by someone who admitted they enjoyed writing more before they were getting paid for it. Of course, this made me think.

This line of thinking reminded me of the time in high school when I was working on a fantasy novel. I enjoyed writing that novel so much. I loved talking about it, sharing it with others and developing my characters and my own fantasy world. In fact, somewhere in boxes of handwritten stories, I have drawings of what the characters wore, language notes, and even a map or two. I wrote with fervor and passion. I wasn't worried about getting published or getting paid for it (to be honest, though, I wasn't writing thinking I WOULDN'T eventually try to publish this story).

More than 15 years later, I can't say I write with the same unquenched thirst as I did in my teens. Life has happened, energy has shifted as well as priorities. My interests in what I write about have also changed. These days I couldn't go back to that fantasy novel any more than I could wear the same exact pair of jeans I wore as a teenager.

Another example I can think of is my own personal blog The World of My Imagination. I started that after graduating from college when I needed an outlet for my creative side while job hunting. I enjoyed that with as much fervor as my fantasy novel. I didn't care about advertising or sponsored blog posts. I was writing for the fun of it. That joy showed. Yet, like my fantasy novel, that changed too.

I think back to those two seasons of writing and wonder what was so special and different. Realistically speaking, during those two moments in my life I wasn't worrying so much about making ends meet and developing the career side of writing. Now, writing has changed into not only being an art form, but also something I would like to do as my career full time, whether it's freelance or otherwise. It's no longer something I want to sneak in when I have time. I want to make a living out of this whole writing thing.

Does that mean I am not enjoying writing as much? No, that doesn't mean that at all. In fact, I have a confession. That fantasy novel? I didn't finish it in high school. I finished it about six years ago. See?

Photograph Proof of That Finished Novel Circa 2012

As for my blog? Well, while it isn't as active as it once was, but through that blog, I found out about WOW! Women on Writing, which eventually led to me working with WOW. I am so grateful to be part of this incredible network and resource for writers everywhere.

So, to answer that question I pondered last night, I may have had a different sort of joy and energy for writing in the past, it doesn't mean I enjoy writing less now. In fact, in the past, despite that passion for writing, I also had terrible discipline. I've come across many stories and partially finished novels I wish I had finished in the past. Overall, I think it's important to let perspective, life circumstances and maturity change writing. That's how we stay with it.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to dig up a few old notebooks and reminisce.

6 comments Nicole Pyles, writing dreams