Recently, I was talking with a friend about internal vs. external rewards. The conversation came up when we were talking about why I pay my daughter for good grades and also why I think there is a “right” amount–not too much so that her grades become about the money and getting less than an A would be devastating, but enough so that there is a worthwhile, tangible appreciation of her work.
In psychology, (I was a psych major) we learned that internal reward was inversely related to external reward. For example, if payment is too high, people will work for the money but often feel less intrinsic value. If payment is too low, people may feel good about their work but often feel under appreciated. People were usually happiest when there was a balance between internal and external rewards.
This seems relevant in the discussion of writing (internal reward) and getting published (external reward). It is hard to make money as writer and often writers need to take writing jobs. Liken it to a painter being hired to paint a portrait. Jackie Woodson wrote a book for the PBS series Ghost-Writer. At times, Lousie Hawes seemed almost apologetic for writing Sweet Valley High books, but they paid for her kid’s college and the kids who read them loved them. Other writers have worked for newspapers or in advertising, etc.
I agree with Trent’s comment that the writing can suffer if a writer writes solely with getting published in mind–if he or she tries to write what he or she thinks someone else may like or to a trend that is not what’s in his or her heart. However, if you are trying to make ends meet as writer, what kind of writing gigs would you consider or have you taken? Do you think it is better to have a job unrelated to writing so that your writing is keyed to what you want to write and you don’t come home thinking I’ve written things all day now I just want to watch TV? Or is it better to be in a writing career and take writing related jobs because all writing is practice?
Let me know your experiences with different types of writing gigs? How have outside writing projects helped your writing or writing career? How have they hindered it? What kind of writing gigs are out there for people interested in more externally rewarding pursuits?
And as an aside, which external reward is more important to you from getting published: recognition or income?
Best,
Mara
As usual, Mara asks several interesting questions. And, as usual, I am left wondering what her own response would be. Perhaps for a later post?
Most significantly, I am intrigued when Mara asks, “Do you think it is better to have a job unrelated to writing so that your writing is keyed to what you want to write and you don’t come home thinking I’ve written things all day now I just want to watch TV? Or is it better to be in a writing career and take writing related jobs because all writing is practice?”
I do not know the answer to these questions as I have never been paid for one word of my writing. Instead, I should buy a t-shirt with the slogan, “Those who can’t…” I teach high school English. With all of my papers to grade, the school plays, and the meetings, I’m often quite exhausted during the little writing time I have left.
Thus, whereas I have always dreamed of making enough money from writing to justify writing full time, I now have another reason for dreaming of selling books. I dream that one day I might make enough money writing so that my books can free me from teaching.
It is a tale told by an idiot, I know, but you talk about motivation to keep writing… When I hold on to the hope, however improbable, that my own books might finally save me from the teacher meetings, the lame homework excuses, and the parents blaming me for their chronically absent child’s failure in my class, I can write just a little longer. I can revise over that same old passage again. I can force myself to hold on to The Dream.
Thanks, as always, for your good thoughts, Mara.
Comment by Trent Reedy — August 7, 2008 @ 1:50 pm |
I have many more questions than I have answers, which is why I love getting comments!
Ironically, I keep wondering whether I should go back and get a teaching certificate so that I can teach high school students to read and write, I mean, to read critically and write well.
Comment by marami820 — August 7, 2008 @ 5:06 pm |
I cannot imagine working in a field that does not involve words and books. I can see myself as being one of those people who changes careers mid-life, but only because I cannot tolerate boredom in my job, or not being challenged, which–I imagine–becomes more difficult to find the longer you’ve been in particular career, not because I see myself ever disliking working in publishing.
I currently work as an editor for medical books. I haven’t focused on my writing since I graduated from college a few years ago, but not because of my job. Rather, I’ve been involved with other pursuits and am just now getting back to my writing. I don’t think my job discourages me from writing at all. That may be due in part to the fact that I work on books that are so vastly different from anything I will ever write. What I do find is that it is sometime difficult to get the energy READ after work. That’s when I get the, “But I’ve done this all day!” feeling, and that is a hindrance to my writing since my inspiration to write often comes from reading. With that in mind, I do think I would find it difficult to write my own stuff if I were employed primarily as a writer.
In answer to your last question, recognition is definitely the more important aspect of being published, in my mind.
Comment by berryjo — August 8, 2008 @ 4:39 pm |