Fiction is art… but as publishing it is a business. As art, it is whatever the writer wants to write. As business it is the making of a product that can be sold.
I am an artist. I write fiction. I illustrate the covers and create the title fonts. I sell books but so few my self-publishing cannot be claimed as a business.
If I, by some miracle, became a published author, it is extremely unlikely that my covers or fonts would be used. As an employee, I would have no say in the matter. If my books sold, I would be glad for the money. The income would make my life easier.
I work in fast food and retail. The income pays my bills and gives me spending money. The hours are long and the labor exhausting, but so is the writing of books and the illustrating of covers.
I would rather write books entirely my own way, using the covers I illustrate myself. It is what I am doing already.
I would love to be rich writing books and illustrating the covers… so long as my art is the priority. That can only happen if I am the only one who has a say… and that is not how business works in this world. Then again, the world is uninterested in my work as of yet. Time shall tell what we can only guess.
I shall be busy as an artist in the meantime.
I take a very devil may care outlook to life. Although I strive for things personally, I do my best to let unexpected things happen because they were probably meant to happen. That said, I do sometimes get buzzed by unexpected things. I am trying to get over it so I can just deal with life as it comes and not worry about fairness anymore.
ReplyDeleteMy concern about money is because I'm getting too old to make it the way I used to. For now I can pay my bills, however, and I can afford the things I truly want. As of today, I can be an artist instead of a merchant. Today is the only day I ever have.
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ReplyDeleteSomething is truly lost when writing becomes a job. Others will inevitably have a say, and compromises will need to be made. I prefer self publishing, because I can fully express myself thereby.
You are an ARTIST rather than a MERCHANT. I commend you, sir.
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