All of my pennies will add up, someday

When I first came to writing I was about 8-9 years old because I wasn't allowed to really spend a lot of time outside just because my dad didn't believe in seeing me in trouble. At that age, I spent a lot of time in the house reading, I can remember starting off with taking notes on what I read. I wasn't taught to really hang around a lot of kids young so socially, I didn't really get too close with kids in my neighborhood.

Around 10-11, I started to check books out from the library and then I joined a creative writing club where I learned how to write my first novel. I remember the plot being about a young girl who was traveling to China in order to save her father, and in the story I was writing in first person - I just don't know what the name of the story happened to be.

Anyways, I started to write because I was reading so many books about fictional characters that I wanted to create my own characters. I was intrigue with the way stories were put together, plus I felt I could thoroughly relate to some of the characters I was reading about. I also began to write because I was reading Gilda Joyce: Psychic Investigator, Gilda had a typewriter where she wrote up novels and she bragged on the prestige of being able to write books - that stuck with me.

I'm typing all of this to say that my relationship with reading and writing started when I was really young and it hasn't stopped, at all. Actually, at 25 I've grown deeper in love with my world of stories and it's helped me tremendously in terms of professional life.

I'm seeing a lot of new writers coming onto the internet talking about fast ways to make a lot of cash by writing blog posts, writing listicles, and even selling 'secrets' (that are really just reinvented pieces of information) and it's driving me insane. What happened to writing because it allows you to feel validated and it gives you a sense of escapism without ever having to spend money or leave your bedroom? What happened to reading because it was free and it could enlighten you on different human behaviors?

Today, it seems as if everything is money oriented. While I do write because it is thoroughly soothing, the inherent nature of being human within him would like to be paid which is why I'm taking my time to gather a Vocal audience, as well as Medium's. The truth, I want to be paid as well which is why I recently started to submit a short story on Kindle Vella - but I'm also okay with writing for little to nothing because I do believe my pennies will add up someday.

The reality is that writing is more than you're typical 'get-rich-quick-scheme' and you really can feel a sense of connection so long as you continue to focus on what's soothing about it. The money will always come and go, it's inevitable but you can read this article about the therapeutic reasons as to why you should journal. Don't feel as if you have to write only for the pay, it's important to write because you can express yourself.

These are some of the conclusions I've come to, and after spending some time tonight reading and writing I've decided to share some reflection with you. I had a peaceful day today checking out Donald Goines, Black Girl Lost from the library, and after writing some of my own urban fiction I realized -- it's too many people publishing for all of the wrong reasons, what ever happened to enjoying the craft?