AJ Alanson, Author

I just read a thread on Reddit which quickly devolved into the classic, nasty little tennis match, serve-return-lob-approach-lob-return, well, you get the point, between the vulgarity of “writing to market” and the self-indulgence of art for arts sake. The question posed was regarding success as defined by readership and *gasp* the audacity of expecting to make a living as an author.

I’m reminded of the line from business school, “Sell to the classes and live with the masses but sell to the masses and live with the classes.” Personally, I come down in the middle of this debate only because I sometimes create art for art’s sake and at other times, I’m all about the moolah. It’s a balance, a choice, with my eyes wide-open about the possible outcomes because the equation is immutable, the potential is finite, the physics is law. Choose your audience and live with the consequence.

Hoping, wishing, and praying are between you and your heart, your pacing feet, or your wringing hands, but nowhere in the equation is it between you and your audience…with money…to trade for your work. If it were, you would have considered their needs, wants, and desires at every step – even before you wrote your first word. Writing to be widely read is about communicating your ideas, synthesized and made digestible, carefully crafted within the laws of common language and common experience, and offered up to others. The key word is “others.” More than one. More than just you.

By no means am I suggesting you shouldn’t write pure art. Do it. Pour out your soul. Revel in the poetry, imagery, alliteration. Print it off, throw it in your bathtub and roll around in it. I have, but I’ve also done it with cash. Once. When I was much younger. The point is, knowing yourself better makes you a purer, more concise, more sincere writer which in turn improves all of your writing. Or artwork. Or music. Expression is an exercise. You fret. You sweat. You suffer. You fail. You succeed. And the workout builds up skills so don’t apologize for creating only for yourself, but also, recognize it for what it is and how it will be received.

As a commercial author, I come down squarely on the side of monetization because it adds a layer of difficulty which spurs me to greater heights and focuses my message. True, my audience can leave a comment, or drop a note on social media, some even have my email, but the simplest vote for or against my ability to connect with them is their hard-earned dollars. I respect that decision. I know the struggle myself and accept their choice no matter why they made it. Testing, trying, reaching, studying what your audience wants; all these are the actions of a friend, a partner, and the dedication of a great lover. And for all time, the cultural arts have exalted and rewarded great lovers. Great masturbators? Not so much.