“You still have the responsibility to make your work as good as it possibly can be. Just make sure it’s your best work, not anybody else’s.” Yes! Thank you for this affirmation, Charlotte! I sometimes feel that by sticking to my vision, I’m not likely to make a “hit.” But, I do feel proud that my work is like my fingerprint — me through and through.
I'm so happy that you stick to your vision, Jeni, and share it so openly. Your work is your fingerprint and indeed something to be proud of. I think sometimes it takes the true originals longer to "hit," but once you do, bam.
It’s so funny that you posted this so recently because this exact situation happened to me. I am a huge people pleaser, so in my first paid article I asked what do you want to see from me. And my first paid subscriber said how about you write what you want to write about.
I think that it’s still odd to me that people want to read my writing for me, not read something written to please others.
I LOVE that your first paid subscriber told you to write what you wanted! I'm so glad you got that affirmation that people want to read you for you. And thank you for reading and commenting.
While I have no quarrel with people who write to market if that approach works for them, I've always felt intuitively that it was better to write what you love. Someone who is brilliantly adaptive can probably make anything work, but it's easier to be passionate about what you already love. Maybe readers won't flow to you as easily, but the ones who do get there will feel your passion. That's one of the things I look for as a reader. If the writer just seems to be churning stuff, even if it's technically well done, just doesn't draw me in as much.
You know, I think that's exactly it--sometimes I read something that is indeed technically well done but it's flat. There's no soul to it. And I'll take soul and passion any day! Thank you for reading and commenting.
“You still have the responsibility to make your work as good as it possibly can be. Just make sure it’s your best work, not anybody else’s.” Yes! Thank you for this affirmation, Charlotte! I sometimes feel that by sticking to my vision, I’m not likely to make a “hit.” But, I do feel proud that my work is like my fingerprint — me through and through.
I'm so happy that you stick to your vision, Jeni, and share it so openly. Your work is your fingerprint and indeed something to be proud of. I think sometimes it takes the true originals longer to "hit," but once you do, bam.
It’s so funny that you posted this so recently because this exact situation happened to me. I am a huge people pleaser, so in my first paid article I asked what do you want to see from me. And my first paid subscriber said how about you write what you want to write about.
I think that it’s still odd to me that people want to read my writing for me, not read something written to please others.
I LOVE that your first paid subscriber told you to write what you wanted! I'm so glad you got that affirmation that people want to read you for you. And thank you for reading and commenting.
Of course! And right?! Got so lucky.
While I have no quarrel with people who write to market if that approach works for them, I've always felt intuitively that it was better to write what you love. Someone who is brilliantly adaptive can probably make anything work, but it's easier to be passionate about what you already love. Maybe readers won't flow to you as easily, but the ones who do get there will feel your passion. That's one of the things I look for as a reader. If the writer just seems to be churning stuff, even if it's technically well done, just doesn't draw me in as much.
You know, I think that's exactly it--sometimes I read something that is indeed technically well done but it's flat. There's no soul to it. And I'll take soul and passion any day! Thank you for reading and commenting.