Writing for the Fame of it?

Funny, huh? Seriously…How many writers would you recognize if they walked by you? If I wasn’t a writer, I think my answer would be somewhere around four, maybe five. And really, I think that’s higher than average. Correct me if I’m wrong.

I often read Rachelle Gardner’s blog. Her “Why Pursue Publishing” post really got me thinking. Why do I pursue publishing? It is definitely NOT for the fame.

As with many who commented on that post, I think affirmation is a major reason I seek publication. I work hard. This isn’t just a fun way to pass the extra minutes while I wait for kids to finish at practice, or an excuse to delegate the dishes.

Writing is tough. It keeps me up at night pondering how a character will react to what I have in store for them. It puts a dent in my shoulder where I sling my giant laptop case, often causing me to walk like I’m in the Crooked Man’s house. Do you have any idea how much stress comas add to my life?

But it’s more than affirmation.

For me, it’s the chance to allow a reader to be lost in a story for 300 plus pages, and emerge at the end with a renewed sense of hope.

And…I don’t think I could stop if I wanted to.

Questions:

If you’re a writer, why do you write?

If you’re a reader, what do you want from a book?