I actually initially posted about the topic below this post on Goodreads yesterday, and the “writer” who’s comment I copied and pasted, came along to take umbrage with me.

Arch wrote:

“Karen, I’m the one that wrote the above statement and I stand on what I have said. I’m not an author – I’m only a writer. I don’t desire to be published and if I did desire to be published, I would still write for myself and no one else. A lot of people feel they should tell a writer what they should write and not write and they are in the wrong. I don’t and will never let people move me. I write the stories that I want to tell and I’m fine with people hating my work, but yet, I haven’t written the story for them”.

Do you guys really believe that she’d be fine with people hating her work? I think not.

Anyway, this was part of my rather diplomatic response:

“I guess that’s the difference then Arch. I think as somebody who doesn’t particularly want to be published, it’s easy to say that you would only ever write the stories of your heart. I think if you relied on writing as a career, you’d end up treating it as a business rather than as a hobby.” (more…)