Rejection, The sounds of silence. Why I still write.

So like every other author out there I have been rejected. In this case the rejection came in form of no response by the appointed deadline and not a formal rejection, but it is still a rejection. I don't submit many of my stories, because I really just write for fun. I have a few pieces that I think are worthy of publication, but most of it is just as I said, just for the love of writing. Not that I don't think it is good, if I didn't think it was good I would not bother even posting it. Rather, that I don't or have not spent the time of it that it would require for what I would call a professional publication.

I think that unlike many people who write, I am not writing because I want to be a writer "when I grow up." I write just because I love doing it, and if a few people get some enjoyment out of it then that is great. Thus I created GreatHites.

There are many sites / publications out there that will publish your hard work, and those are great. Beyond traditional paper publications, there are (and before you say it, I know this is not news) web publications, such as the Escape Artist group of Podcast, started by Steve Eley, that will pay you for your hard work. Well, GreatHites is not like that. First of all I can't afford to pay people for their work. Not at a rate that would be worth it anyone to submit, and if I was going to pay people I would want to pay them a fair amount. Second, because that is really not what this is about.

I know there are other sites out there like mine that invite people to write and submit their work for free, just for the love of writing and the joy of having other people read it and get some enjoyment out of it. Like The 100 word story contest By Laurence Simon

Now, before you get that "ah, he has sour grapes syndrome" look on your face and start clicking off this entry, let me tell you that is not the case. I still plan to submit the stories that I have written and I think are worthy elsewhere. The point of this whole thing was to say that I have examined why I write and come up with the answer. I write because I enjoy writing, if I get paid for it or not is not the issue I get enjoyment from writing and have other people (even if that other only is the 30 or so people that are subscribed to my site) read my stories. I enjoy it so much that I want to share that feeling with others, which is why invite others to write with me every week.

In the end, I don't care why you write. It could be because you love to write, or because you want to be paid for it, or maybe a little of both. What is really important is that if you want to write do it, and don't let anyone stop you.

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