Writing for Pleasure

Years ago when I worked full time, I couldn’t wait to get home, curl myself up with my laptop and write.  Yes, write. It was a hobby. I wrote for pleasure. And with it came the starry eyed dream of being a published author. I daydreamed about listening to people talk about the wonderful book that they’d just read, not realizing that they were talking to the author of that book. It was an exciting time.

And then I published.

Lots of things came with publishing. Things that authors dread like promotion and marketing and all the anxiety associated with publishing. I began to work part-time and write more. It became a small business. I was juggling all the aspects of writing, publishing, marketing and promoting. That left less time for writing. Then I had to make the conscious effort to write. So, per the suggestion of many seasoned writers, I became disciplined and dedicated blocks of time to write as if I was going to work.

Then the most horrible thing happened: writing became a job. It became a chore and I no longer enjoyed it like I did when I first started. How did it come to this?

Fast forward to the present. I am working full time again. I’m juggling all my kids’ extracurricular activities. It’s demanding. I haven’t had time to breathe much less write. But guess what? I am now missing writing. Now I can’t wait to curl up with my laptop and write, no matter how little time I have for it.

There is a difference between writing for business and writing for pleasure. It’s just so much better writing for pleasure.