tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post5258597418517171619..comments2023-08-03T03:06:27.575+12:00Comments on Courtney Schafer: In defense of the hobbyist authorCourtney Schaferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-25424115707138849512013-12-20T12:41:03.334+13:002013-12-20T12:41:03.334+13:00Well said! I felt the same release of pressure wh...Well said! I felt the same release of pressure when I stopped trying to be a professional photographer. You still aim to do the best work you can, you still aim to get better and learn more, but you're not spending most of your time thinking about advertising, insurance, and pricing.<br /><br />And I agree with Chuck's point, too - I was at a wedding where I did candids as a gift and presented them mounted on heavy paper in a fitted box. The photographer got $100 an hour and delivered the prints in sandwich bags. I was like, dude, be professional!Steve MChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15026970188928733645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-89818899880659361412013-12-17T12:17:14.307+13:002013-12-17T12:17:14.307+13:00Chuck, thanks for stopping by! I think you're ...Chuck, thanks for stopping by! I think you're right about the disconnect on "hobby"...perhaps we need a better word to describe an activity that an enthusiast takes seriously in every aspect except the financial. (Speaking as someone who is both a figure skater and a climber, I'm used to "hobbies" which are utterly non-lucrative, require massive amounts of time and training, and are taken as deadly seriously by their devotees as the most fervent of religions.) Or maybe I should start calling myself a semi-pro writer: someone who makes money at it but has no intention of making a living. :) <br /><br />Anyway, I thoroughly agree with the main point of your original post, that anyone who wants to sell their writing should act in a professional manner, regardless of their goals. Courtney Schaferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00593975028655479293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7650130703584309038.post-1529364100851547962013-12-17T09:03:25.722+13:002013-12-17T09:03:25.722+13:00Hey, Courtney!
Great post and I'm in agreemen...Hey, Courtney!<br /><br />Great post and I'm in agreement with you -- I don't look down on those who don't make writing a career. Nor do I think there's anything wrong at all with choosing to make no money at all at writing -- one should write for whatever reason is most appealing.<br /><br />Mostly I think here I think if there's any disconnect it's in our definition of "hobby" -- <br /><br />Not that Wikipedia is a perfect source, but:<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby<br /><br />Wikipedia defines it as amateur, meaning, not professional ("unpaid"). And for me publishing (not writing) is a professional endeavor when you do so with the goal of asking for money. And there all I'm suggesting is that an author-publisher (meaning those who publish their own material) treat such a professional endeavor as, well, professional. For your own sake and the sake of the audience. That doesn't mean it needs to be a number one priority, nor must it be career-focused. I just mean, if you're gonna sell it, do so with a grade of professionalism and not as an amateur.<br /><br />Thanks for the thoughtful post!<br /><br />-- c.Chuck Wendighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08798919366354453539noreply@blogger.com