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June 12th, 2013

12/6/2013

3 Comments

 
Picture
It’s been too long since my last blog, hasn’t it?
Yeah, I can hear the millions of you out there shouting:
          “Where’ve you been? We’ve been waiting…”


I must admit not having comments from readers of my blog has been a little disheartening, but as one who has to swallow and digest rejections and ‘criticisms’ of her work on a regular basis, I think I’m woman enough to take it on the chin. So, I’m plodding on regardless.

Since my last blog entry, I've been thinking, reading and contemplating and have returned to this question which I have raised on more than occasion on my blog: What is a writer?

This subject was one aptly addressed by Anne Goodwin in her blog,
‘4 definitions of a writer,’ posted on her site on 16.5.13.

A few weeks ago, when reading Anne’s blog entry, I was still of the opinion that a ‘real’ writer is one who is able to earn an income from their writing. Perhaps that was my fantasy, because as pointed out to me by a friend, this definition would surely suggest that writers such as myself are not ‘real’ writers, because I have not as yet earned anything from my writing.


To confuse me even further, someone suggested to me that my definition fitted into that of a ‘professional’ writer. That is, a writer who writes for a living. This would include professional bloggers, journalists and other creative writers who are fortunate enough to be able to live off the sales of their novels and other creative works. In this one might include writers such as the late Ian Banks, Stephen King or J.K. Rowlings.

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In addition to this, last week I read with interest, the results of a survey undertaken by Mslexia entitled,
‘The big question: Do you write for love or money?’

Out of the 2500 women writers taking part in their survey 63% had received some payment for their writing at some point in their career. This amount, however, hardly covered their expenses for paper and ink cartridges. Half of the women earned nothing from their writing last year and a quarter earned under £500.00. 

I’m not quite sure what the situation is for men, but those stats are not very encouraging for those of us (like myself) who hope at some point, to be able to acquire some monetary compensation in recognition of all the hard work, time and energy spent creating even a small piece of writing.

All things considered, I have come to the conclusion that there really are different types of writers, some just happen to be more ‘accomplished’ than others. Suffice to say that all writers write (and read, hopefully) and as Anne states in her blog, we edit our work, know the rules of writing, have readers etc.

Needless to say, I am in agreement with the 40% of the participants of the Mslexia survey, who felt that ‘writers should be paid for what they do…’

However, like a lot of the women in the survey I will, of course, continue writing even without monetary rewards because ultimately it’s not about the money. Writing a piece for me is like creating a new recipe, using old and new ingredients and each time aiming and hoping to create something tasty enough to stir or tickle the pallet of everyone who samples it.  That is satisfaction in itself.


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    Transatlantic Slave Trade
    Treasure Beach
    Vegetables
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    All
    A Cupboard Full Of Coats
    African Writer
    Americanah
    Andrea `Levy
    Arts
    Beauty
    Beverley East
    Black Women
    Blossoms
    Business
    Calabash Literary Festival
    Caribbean
    Cats
    Chimamanda Adichie
    Chris Abani
    Cocks Crowing
    Commonwealth Short Story Competition Winner 2016
    Creatures
    Crime
    Crowning Glory
    Cuts
    Darker Times Publishing
    Debbie Flint
    Debut Novel
    Dub Poet
    Editing
    Emma Darwin
    Exhibit B
    Features
    Flooded
    Freedom
    Gatekeepers
    Goldsmith's University
    Hair
    Heat Wave
    Hedgehog
    Historical Fiction
    Holding On
    I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
    Jacob Ross
    Jamaica
    Joy Francis
    Kadija (George) Sesay
    Kendal Train Crash
    Kindle
    Lifestyle
    Linton Kewesi `Johnson
    Literary Editor
    London
    Lovers
    MA Black British Writing
    Maya Angelou
    MIR Online
    Mother
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    Nella Larsen
    Parashar Kulkarni
    Passion
    Patsy Antoine
    Peepal Tree Press
    Poet
    Political
    Politics
    Prejudices
    Protoje
    Psychological
    Publishers
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    Quicksand & Passing
    QVC
    Rape
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    Reviews
    SABLE LitMag
    Saturday's Soup
    Short-story.me
    Sister
    Social Media
    Somalia Seaton
    Steve Pope
    Still I Rise
    Sunrise Pic
    The Bump
    The Long Song
    The Mathematics Of Love
    The New Black Magazine
    The Voice Newspaper
    Transatlantic Slave Trade
    Treasure Beach
    Vegetables
    Vladimir Lucien
    War
    Well-being
    Whistling Frogs
    Women
    Words Of Colour
    Writing
    Writing Projects
    Yvette Edwards

    Categories

    All
    A Cupboard Full Of Coats
    African Writer
    Americanah
    Andrea `Levy
    Arts
    Beauty
    Beverley East
    Black Women
    Blossoms
    Business
    Calabash Literary Festival
    Caribbean
    Cats
    Chimamanda Adichie
    Chris Abani
    Cocks Crowing
    Commonwealth Short Story Competition Winner 2016
    Creatures
    Crime
    Crowning Glory
    Cuts
    Darker Times Publishing
    Debbie Flint
    Debut Novel
    Dub Poet
    Editing
    Emma Darwin
    Exhibit B
    Features
    Flooded
    Freedom
    Gatekeepers
    Goldsmith's University
    Hair
    Heat Wave
    Hedgehog
    Historical Fiction
    Holding On
    I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
    Jacob Ross
    Jamaica
    Joy Francis
    Kadija (George) Sesay
    Kendal Train Crash
    Kindle
    Lifestyle
    Linton Kewesi `Johnson
    Literary Editor
    London
    Lovers
    MA Black British Writing
    Maya Angelou
    MIR Online
    Mother
    Motivation
    Nella Larsen
    Parashar Kulkarni
    Passion
    Patsy Antoine
    Peepal Tree Press
    Poet
    Political
    Politics
    Prejudices
    Protoje
    Psychological
    Publishers
    Publishing
    Quicksand & Passing
    QVC
    Rape
    Readers
    Reaper Of Souls
    Relationships
    Reviews
    SABLE LitMag
    Saturday's Soup
    Short-story.me
    Sister
    Social Media
    Somalia Seaton
    Steve Pope
    Still I Rise
    Sunrise Pic
    The Bump
    The Long Song
    The Mathematics Of Love
    The New Black Magazine
    The Voice Newspaper
    Transatlantic Slave Trade
    Treasure Beach
    Vegetables
    Vladimir Lucien
    War
    Well-being
    Whistling Frogs
    Women
    Words Of Colour
    Writing
    Writing Projects
    Yvette Edwards

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