writerjenn

The tension between art and commerce is often expressed as a clash between the spiritual and material. At its bluntest and most oversimplified, it's expressed as: Do I write from my heart and tell my True Stories, or do I sell out and make a lot of money?

And of course, it's not nearly that simple. First of all, neither of those things--writing from the heart or writing big-selling books--is easy. It's not a matter of snapping one's fingers and deciding to do it. Coming up with original ideas and polishing one's craft to a shine require tremendous commitment, and effort doesn't guarantee achievement; a writer can still miss the mark. Writing a bestseller does not mean stringing together a bunch of trendy cliches and watching the money roll in.

Obviously, what most writers want to do is write what they love and sell a bajillion copies, but that's the hardest trick of all. And so there's a more subtle version of this conflict that plays out in the lives of many writers: Do I write this story that's calling to me, but that my agent doesn't think he can sell? Do I try to write in the genre that's selling big right now?

There is no single right answer to those questions. A writer may pursue the story that sings to her, but find no readers for it. But there's no guarantee she'll find readers when she tries a popular genre, either. On the other hand, she may try a new genre because it's currently hot and find that she loves it and feels at home in it. That balance of risks and rewards is an individual decision.

Ultimately, it's natural for a writer to want to please herself and to please readers. It's an interesting task we take on: to express something meaningful or entertaining, and to have it relevant to someone outside our own rooms.

I know writers who say they never worry about the audience. And I know writers who say the reader is their foremost concern, that the reader is what it's all about. From reading their work, I know that either approach can produce good books.