When I share with people I’m a writer, there’s one phrase I keep hearing which is along the lines of ‘most writers don’t make much money’. So why bother to write if not for the money?

Part of the dream to become a published author was to earn enough in royalties to live off without having to take on any other kind of work, and it’s a dream I still hope to work towards, although I still have a long way to go. But that would require thousands of sales and as far as I know I haven’t even made it to 100 for Hybrid yet. It’s still only early days of course and the marketing campaign has only really just begun, and without any support from the media to reach the masses it will take time to reach out to enough fans for things to hopefully take off. Even so — even with the knowledge that Hybrid may never take off as I’m hoping and I might remain one of the writers who barely makes any money from their work — I still want to write and finish not just book 2 but the series in its entirety, and even beyond that the other stories I already have ideas for. So if all this hard work might never really pay off financially, why write at all?

I can’t speak for other writers of course, but for me the answer is pretty simple — for my love of stories. Storytelling remains one of the oldest forms of entertainment known to mankind, maybe even one as old as mankind itself. Though the nature of storytelling may have evolved over the years, it still remains a central part of our culture, and it seems we’re constantly looking for new technology to tell stories in new and exciting ways. Whether that be through games, films or books, great stories capture our imagination and can bring inspiration and new meaning to a life that can often be challenging and even harsh. When reality becomes too much who doesn’t love to lose themselves in a good story, to escape into someone else’s world, no matter how similar or different to the one we live in? I’ve always enjoyed reading, and once I turned to writing I found a new passion for stories, not just in the enjoyment of those of others but in the telling and sharing of my own.

When a piece begins to write itself in my head I can’t not type it up. If a story begins to take shape I have to craft it into whatever it needs to be, whether it’s a short story or a novel in the making. If I feel these stories are great enough to share with the world therein lies the desire to keep putting more work out there. Stories are meant to be read and shared, and hopefully enjoyed. And I believe there’s still a power in words that sometimes just can’t be conveyed through a more visual form of storytelling, and no matter how technologically advanced mankind becomes there will still be books in one form or another,  even if the future is ebooks over printed.

People tell me I have a way with words and a talent for storytelling. I can’t not be a writer, even if I never reach the point of making a living from my talent. That’s why I write and why I will continue to write and seek publication for my work for as long as I’m able, no matter how much or how little money it brings me. I hope the release of Hybrid marks the beginning of a long and successful career as a writer, but I will stick at it no matter what.