If you read Chuck Wendig’s blog, Terrible Minds, you’ll recognise the quote in the heading. It comes from a recent post of his on why you should write what you love.
Chuck’s big on lists, and he gives five reasons for writing what you love, rather than writing what you think the market wants. Read the whole list here—Chuck words it better than I can.
He makes valid points:
- Don’t write for the market because what the market wants is the stuff you can’t predict, and the stories that start market trends are generally those written by people who wrote what they wanted to
- You write better when you’re allowed to write what you want and what you enjoy
- Because you were passionate about writing it, the reader is more likely to enjoy reading it
- There’s no guarantee you’ll succeed as a writer. Why do something you may not succeed at if you’re not passionate about what you’re doing?
But it’s his last reason that struck a particular chord with me.
- Everyone dies in the end. What do you want on your gravestone?
Made mediocre art she didn’t much like because she thought that’s what someone else wanted her to do
or
Arted the hardest …
I know which one I’d prefer.