So, how about you? What do the three P’s of writing…practice, pleasure, profit…mean in your writing life?Practice, pleasure, profit? What DO they mean?
I’m paid to write. But it is promotional and PR writing. Fun, fine, I get to work with words. I’m grateful for the job I have and that I get to write. Without that income, I’d be sad indeed! Profit matters.
But it’s also routine. The practice, I think, comes in doing some thing new. Yes, I “practice” being concise (I have to – I tend to write long and I’m a far better editor than writer!).
The blog is new. Only seven months. I practice a lot more than I used to, writing things other than work! Do I carefully craft most posts? Not really.
I write off the cuff. I go back and check for spelling and such, or if I’m being excessively redundant. But basically, I write. I glance. I add photos. I hit “publish.”
Definitely not agonizing, is it?
But I guess that’s where the pleasure comes in.
Becca’s post on Write on Wednesday hit home – I used to do a lot of freelancing and attempted-freelancing (and I wanted to do something where I sent a self-addressed stamped envelope for a rejection notice – WHY?) After writing at work all day, doing it on the off-hours just wore me down, even though it was more or less my own thing.
But my blog. That’s where the pleasure is these days. I see my work – now! I get to write about what moves me, share what matters, when I want (or have time). I make new friends writing in this way, friends I may never see face-to-face, but whose correspondents, comments and lives matter to me nonetheless.
My writing has become an enriching element in my life in far more ways than merely arranging words.
Some posts (like Write on Wednesday) I think about more than others, I admit. But mostly these days, I write for fun.
Speaking of which, it’s time to go have fun away from the computer! Later!
I understand about not wanting to do it on your own time. Days when I spend all day at work on the computer the last thing I want to do is get on it when I get home. I'm glad you like blogging, because I like reading your blog. :)
ReplyDeleteYears ago I wrote a novel. I sent it to a few agents in NYC, I was living in Albany at the time. I received a nice letter back from one saying that she liked it but wasn't sure about a couple of things, maybe they could change etc...
ReplyDeleteI took it as a nice rejection letter and put the novel away.
A year later, at a xmas party, I was talking to a published author and she was aghast at my story about the agent. She said I should have made the revisions and sent it back to that agent.
Long story long, sorry. I have tried recently to return to that story and others I have started but haven't been able to. Your 'write on Wednesdays' has me thinking.
It's been so interesting to read everyone's posts and see which "p" word is the most prevalent in their writing lives.
ReplyDeleteI too get such pleasure from the experience of blogging - the ability to write something and then share it with others is the perfect immediate gratification.
Thanks for sharing, Jeanie! Enjoy your break time!
I am yet to profit from my writings. I have not considered that as yet!
ReplyDeletePractice makes pleasure profitable
Hi Jeanie! There have been times when I wanted to write...Took classes and everything, but I seriously don't have what it take to be a good raconteur!! So how are you and Mr. Gypsy???
ReplyDeleteHave fun while you're away ... that's profit for sure ;)
ReplyDelete