Most of you will say both, but that is not true. You may not even realize it’s not true. Truth is, we all start writing with a purpose in mind. . . to either make money writing, or to have our work loved. And whether you admit it or not, you favor one mindset over the other.

This is going to be a very opinionated piece, so buckle in for the ride.

The biggest frustration to most writers, any type of writer, is not being read. Whether that means being read to earn royalties or commissions, or being read to be loved for the art of the story, the bottom line is you write for words to be appreciated. You love the thought of words being powerful.

But when you think you’ll make a million dollars with cozy mysteries, or your beautiful talent will be appreciated in a blog post about buying the best earbuds, you have your priorities become mixed up. You become your own worst enemy.

First, if your main desire is to earn a living as a writer (whether you have to or want to, doesn’t matter), then accept that and look for writing niches that earn a dollar quicker, easier, more efficiently. A book takes a year or more, and if the book is your first or second, you won’t earn minimum wage without some incredible luck. There are a lot of copywriters and commercial freelancers out there earning a darn good living.

While the pros and cons of Upwork are debatable, take a look at the professional writers listed there and see their cost per hour. Or Scripted. Any job site like Indeed or FlexJobs will list openings, and LinkedIn is crammed with opportunity. In any of these cases, join at the highest level for the best opportunity. And networking is key. Many freelancers stand on their own two feet after creating their own platform, but even these will sub out work when they get too much on their plate. Is any of this work creative writing? Most isn’t, but there is the upside that there is always creativity in filling a client’s needs. They are not professional novelists. If they write novels, it’s on the side.

But what if you prefer fiction, or even creative nonfiction. You thrive on the creativity of make-believe, and storytelling is your dream. You need months or years to write the first, maybe longer to find your voice. This is a journey of perfecting your style and mastering the craft. Making money is not in the plan. You aren’t creating products. You are creating art. If you make money one day at it, fine. But thoughts put into the money aspect is energy stolen from the art-making.

Now . . . there are struggling, starving freelancers . . . and there are financially successful novelists. However, allow reality to filter in when deciding your own journey. You can make money at anything you do, but acceptance of the odds can assist you in making much wiser choices.