Art or Business?
This question came up in a group recently. Is your writing an art or a business?
General consensus so far seems to be that art is satisfying to the soul, but doesn't make money. If your writing is a business, you make money but there is no soul in your words.
A lot of people seem to think that you can't be both. I disagree. I write from my heart, but I expect to make money with my words.
What do you think? Art or business?
posted by Anonymous @ 12:09 AM
9 comments
9 Comments:
No question in my mind--I love to write and I love to make money!! lol I can't say I make lots of money, but it is satisfying to be paid for something you love to do whether it is writing, nursing, teaching, flying, painting. Well you get the idea. Good question.
The question seems almost silly. I think what people are responding to, and a better way to prase the quesiton would be, "what is your goal as a writer: to make money or to make art?" I hope the answer to that question is to make art.
However, if people happen to like your art enough to want to pay to see it, does that lessen the quality of it? I don't think so. You have to choose one goal or the other, but that doesn't mean that you can't make money with your art also. Certainly many great writers have been paid for their writing.
Art or both. If it's just business, you need to stop writing.
Karina Fabian
www.fabianspace.com
http://isigsf.tripod.com
I believe some people can have both. For me, writing is not a business, just something I love to do. Someday, if I actually make enough money writing to consider it a business, that would be great, but if not, I will continue to write because I love to.
I treat it as a businees, with schedules, responsibility and expectations, but I write becasue I love to.
I'd have to love it or it WOULD be just another job.
Audrey,
There are those who write simply to express themselves. There are those who write simply to earn that paycheck.
First let me say this, I know this may not be the popular view, but I think both may be artists.
Think about it. The kid who spray-paints beautiful artwork on buildings...is an artist. The guy who draws the cartoons in your Sunday paper...is an artist. The woman who lovingly paints ads on storefront windows...is an artist.
You don't have to be a classical painter or sculptor to be an artist.
The same can be translated to writing. You don't have to create beautifully visual, deeply moving, inspirational works to be an artist.
To me, what makes it art is the amount of heart you add to it. The heart is what takes graffiti and turns it into art. Without the heart, it's just a vandalized wall.
I equate business with success. A successful business is a good business. A successful writer is a successful businessperson.
Becoming a successful writer takes work --hard work. You can have all the artistic ability in the world, but unless you are willing to put in the time and effort to turn it into a salable product and then actually sell and market it, you are not going to be a very successful artist.
Renee'
If you truly question "Art or Business", attend a big gallery event. Those beautiful pieces on the walls are for sale.
I write, paint with oils and water colors, create with fabric, and build custom furniture. The painting and fabric and furniture are hobbies for me. Writing is my business. That doesn't make it less "Art".
Linda J Hutchinson
www.lindajhutchinson.com
(I can't get my password to work.)
Depends on your ultimate goal. Writing doesn't have to be a business at all...unless you ultimately want to make it into a career. Then there's no choice but to learn the business end of things. When in Rome, writers learn to sell themselves!
Hmmm, not sure that sounded right. :)
I recently saw a commercial where a couple are in the car and we're listening to their thoughts about their artistic son. He's thinking about money and the son "making something of himself". She's thinking how nice it is that he's creative. I can't help but nod my head at her, knowing she'll be the supportive one to her son.
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