A great post thanks, Matthew. I agree with the concept of creation for yourself. I get the most pleasure out of the writing of a new song, and once I have learned to perform it, I'm looking for the next one. Sometimes I write for an audience, to entertain, but I enjoy playing with nobody in the room, and if I stop, I will stop playing. I can't imagine what it must be like for a star with a small number of huge hits that they have to play all the time. I could not do that with the level of energy that people pay to see and hear. I enjoy public speaking and creating presentations, but I never give the same presentation twice. I couldn't be the person sharing their life story over again, week after week with the precision and timing of a Ted Talk.
My Substack is my autobiography and I do like it when people message me, leave a comment, or catch me in person and tell me they enjoyed the read, but ultimately I don't write for a reader, at least not on Substack. But if the reader wants to come on the journey and enjoys it, I am grateful.
I do write for a fee, but that's a job. I get a brief, I write for a specified audience, with a specified objective. If I can add some personality, that's great, but sometimes it might just be taking the acronyms out of a technical article on the benefits of Microsoft Intune, to make it readable for the financial controller.
Whoops, I'm off on a tangent, but the point was per your header. Write for yourself, others MAY follow. If they do, great! If they don't, great! :)
I understand the "new song" issue. It creates a bit of a dilemma. I fail to adequately record numbers of older songs because the new one is shiny and exciting. I'm working on remedying that.
I too write for pay - and enjoy it. But, similar to you, the unfettered piece is often the most enjoyable. I get to say whatever I find interesting at the time.
Take care and thanks for taking the time to comment.
A great post thanks, Matthew. I agree with the concept of creation for yourself. I get the most pleasure out of the writing of a new song, and once I have learned to perform it, I'm looking for the next one. Sometimes I write for an audience, to entertain, but I enjoy playing with nobody in the room, and if I stop, I will stop playing. I can't imagine what it must be like for a star with a small number of huge hits that they have to play all the time. I could not do that with the level of energy that people pay to see and hear. I enjoy public speaking and creating presentations, but I never give the same presentation twice. I couldn't be the person sharing their life story over again, week after week with the precision and timing of a Ted Talk.
My Substack is my autobiography and I do like it when people message me, leave a comment, or catch me in person and tell me they enjoyed the read, but ultimately I don't write for a reader, at least not on Substack. But if the reader wants to come on the journey and enjoys it, I am grateful.
I do write for a fee, but that's a job. I get a brief, I write for a specified audience, with a specified objective. If I can add some personality, that's great, but sometimes it might just be taking the acronyms out of a technical article on the benefits of Microsoft Intune, to make it readable for the financial controller.
Whoops, I'm off on a tangent, but the point was per your header. Write for yourself, others MAY follow. If they do, great! If they don't, great! :)
I understand the "new song" issue. It creates a bit of a dilemma. I fail to adequately record numbers of older songs because the new one is shiny and exciting. I'm working on remedying that.
I too write for pay - and enjoy it. But, similar to you, the unfettered piece is often the most enjoyable. I get to say whatever I find interesting at the time.
Take care and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Well done my friend! Great words and I am glad you are heading in the direction you wish to go!
Well.. we are headed in a direction. Trying to find/make space to create interesting things.
As usual, another well written and thought provoking piece. Glad things are moving in the right direction for you.
Thanks.
Maybe it is me moving things in the right direction or, at least, looking at things from a better perspective.
True to form, I've edited 3 typos or usage errors since publishing this. I should be embarrased... but I'm not. ;-)