Good for You. Writing I Mean
Saturday, May 28, 2011 @ 4:46 PM
There is bashfulness about some writers; it’s as though they feel the need to apologise for their quirkiness. Writing is therapeutic just as being an artist is. By creating imagery the writer is doing with words what the artist does with canvas, paint and brush strokes.
The writer can do much more besides; he or she can educate, motivate and inspire. The author can create feelings and empathise with emotions. By expressing themselves the essayist can involve others so their art form is shared forever and without barriers. There is a sense of satisfaction in telling a story or recounting experiences; how you were affected by it. Think of the books that shaped your life.
It is not essential for you to be interested in being published. About half my clients just want the satisfaction of setting their story down for posterity. Think of it as you might a photographic collection. As a leisure pursuit writing is far more practical and cost effective than most other self indulgences. A 50,000 word novel or life story will set you back about €1,000 for it to be ghost-written to publishing standards. It can then be e-published free of charge so others can read it.
If you wish to publish it as a conventional book 1,000 copies will set you back about €1,500; less for a 20,000 word novelette or biography. Thanks to the internet there are many ways you can publish your book; e-books have overtaken conventional book publishing.
Compare these modest prices with the money people spend on alternative self indulgences. A photographer friend paid that much for his camera. Artists’ paraphernalia doesn’t come cheap; nor does travel to various locations. From motor sports to learning a language; para-gliding, travel to collecting; all these and many other pastimes cost far more than having one’s book published.
All they have to show for their extravagance are the photographs and their personal memories. The author has a book with their title, name and photograph on the cover. This is the time and occasion when they are no longer regarded as quirky but as a real life achiever: It is time to roll out that red carpet.