In the giant metaphorical landfill where most published books go to die, there is a strong common denominator: hubris.
In college, one of my writing professors told us: "If you are writing for reasons other than to elevate the life experience of your readers, find another line of work."
Over the years, many spent as an editor, I've noticed a chief reason too many people choose to write is to further their own goals. Most of the time, those goals are wrapped up in: A) Fame and B) Fortune.
Actually, not always in that order.
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Writers want to make that dough. And there's nothing inherently wrong with that, unless it's your main motivation. Not surprisingly, the genius Mark Twain spoke to the motivation of profit: "Write without pay until somebody offers pay. If nobody offers within three years, the candidate may look upon this circumstance with the most implicit confidence as the sign that sawing wood is what he was intended for."
Nothing wrong with sawing wood, by the way. As the timeless character Virgil Caine said: "Now I don't mind choppin' wood, and I don't care if the money's no good."
Too, as I've said many times (and this is an obvious statement, not much deep wisdom here), few writers really make great money. If you can make a living, you're doing really, really well. A few make the big bucks.
But if that's your primary motivation, you'll more than likely be disappointed.
All this came to me as I read and reviewed David Limbaugh's new book, "The Emmaus Code: Finding Jesus in the Old Testament." I especially like this one, and as I reflected on him as a writer, it struck me that as a lawyer, he probably doesn't struggle to make ends meet. He's also a Fox News contributor, etc. He's got some good gigs.
"The Emmaus Code" required a tremendous amount of research, I imagine. Then the writing process itself was a challenge, especially for a busy person. Yet the final "product," and perhaps that's not a great word to use for such a great book, was so good, it meets my personal criteria for a writer writing for the right reasons.
(Get that?)
David Limbaugh, as a New York Times bestselling author (a real one, Mark Driscoll), is making a handsome living as a writer. But the point is, he doesn't need it. He must have other motivations. In the case of "The Emmaus Code," his motivation was to teach people exactly who History's Greatest Man really is (I started to type "was").
That's a terrific motivation. Limbaugh put some sweat and labor into this book, and in the end, isn't it deliciously ironic and super cool that he also benefitted from that age-old wisdom: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)
Too many writers don't do this. Too often, the desire to be noticed is as large a lure as potential fortune.
Sometimes, of course, a writer will write solely to make money, and he/she will accomplish that. Did he/she succeed in accomplishing something? In a narrow sense, yes. Money was made. But was anyone elevated for it?
You have no idea – you have no idea – how often in Christian publishing a follow-up book, a sequel, is born solely because it's felt the project will make money. You know the writers I'm talking about. Some vapid release that appeals to people's base instincts will hit big and the next thing you know, we are burdened with the sequel a year later, or sooner. Because above all else, the motivation of the publisher (first) is to make a lot of money.
Look, there's nothing wrong with capitalism; I love it. But in publishing, churning out product only for profit is morally wrong, in my view. Honestly? It makes me sick to see these paper-wasting sequels.
And usually, the author is caught up in the virtual demands of the publisher: "You can't possibly not write another book!" The author is then being used by the publisher as nothing more than a cash cow.
If you don't mind playing that role, so be it. But if you do, good for you.
And to those of you who don't turn much of a profit with your writing, don't sweat it. At least you weren't a sell-out.
Remember the old saw about that.