Many writers, like most artists, may find that their 'skill' (though I view as a gift) might not be taken as seriously if they decide to give it away for free. For many writers, the thought of putting in the time, effort, love, sacrifice and - depending on the type of writing you do - research and due diligence into a project just doesn't warrant a mere smile and pat on the back as 'payment'. I asked myself this question when a friend of mine who knew of a book I'd written many years ago and tried to get an agent to represent asked me why I didn't just self publish it. That was a good question she posed. But the reality is that I no longer had the same sentimentality and emotions toward the book that I had at the time I wrote it, and I also reminded her that self-publishing can be quite costly if you seek a credible publisher and manage your own marketing. To that she replied, "Well.... put it online or something! It's a good book and I think everyone should know about it."
I seriously had to self-debate that. Should I just put up my craft to be viewed for free? I'd spent over a year writing the fiction novel, completed it, and spent LOTS of time and money getting an editor and an agent to represent it. Was it now worth nothing? I thought about this for months when one day (seriously, just out of the blue one day) I just realized that I didn't always write for money. In fact, most of my writing isn't for a fee. I write because I enjoy it. I find it therapeutic and enjoyable. I can't dance, sing, or paint. I can act 'a little bit'... well, maybe not at all. But we all have talents and gifts and we turn many of our talents into skills that may actually pay the bills! But does every single letter I type warrant a paycheck? Not really. Not if I did it for love. Which is why I write to begin with. So, with that being said, I've turned the book into an online soap opera! It's really just a serial, you know the kind that used to exist back in the day when people read newspapers? Yeah, like that! So feel free to view at: https://castleviewhills.wordpress.com/. And also feel free to share your thoughts in the comments about writing for free.
