Money. It makes the world go 'round. It's the root of all evil to date. It talks. It doesn't grow on trees. There are dozens of sayings about money, but the most important saying about money is actually mine.
It has to do with writing for our purposes here, yes, but you can apply it to anything.
This saying should be considered a mantra, to be used in any creative endeavor. Are you ready?
Here it is: Write like you don't need the money.
We have a complicated relationship with money. It's one of the top reasons given in divorce court, is responsible for a scary portion of doctor and hospital visits, and is the number one reported stressor in three out of four people. It's one of the most powerful subconscious messages we receive from our parents and carry with us into adulthood, and we even develop deep-seated psychological issues centered around finances- or lack thereof.
I think it's safe to say we have a love/hate relationship with money.
I'm not a financial guru, so I'm not going to claim to be the one who will help you rid yourself of limiting beliefs. I do know a phenomenal lady, a life change artist who does just this, however, and am more than happy to send you her way- just message me in chat or leave a comment and I'll send you her info.
What I am going to do is share a valuable bit of advice.
You, my friend, are a creator. You are an artist. Much like the painter manipulates watercolors to make something recognizable on a canvas, you manipulate ideas and information into something recognizable on paper and on the screen.
You can wield words like weapons to hurt and harm. You can layer emotions to caress the reader and swell their heart with love. You carefully handled words can empower those lacking confidence. Strengthen the beaten. Bring light to the downtrodden.
You have the power to make someone laugh so hard their cheeks ache! Your carefully conceived creations can comfort the traumatized. You can manufacture an obsession, obliterate a belief, or destroy a family.
You can even start a war with your written words.
We give money a lot of power, much more than it deserves. And granted, most of us need do some of it to survive, but money is nowhere near as powerful as your words.
Don't write for money. Write to share your hopes, dreams, and knowledge. Write to help and heal and inform. Write to entertain and amuse. Write to make things happen or prevent from happening. Write to empower others and yourself. Write to show your love and write what you love.
Don't write for money.
Write to change the world.
Today's Challenge
Write. Not for money. Write because you are a writer and have something to share. The money will come so there's no need to hoard that thought in your creative center. There's no room for it and besides- it has no business being there!
Whatever it is you feel strongly about, that is what you must write.
Images via Pexels
Be a Better Writer in Just One Month! Join the 31 Day Writing Challenge to transform your writing and your life!
Day 1 The Truth About Making Time For Writing
Day 2 How to Incorporate Ideas From Life in Your Writing
Day 3 Master the Art of Captivating Your Readers
Day 4 Banishing Distractions
Day 5 Get Your Writing Noticed!
Day 6 The Importance of Morning Pages
Day 7 Why You Should Write Even if You're Not a Writer
Day 8 How to Personify an Object
Day 9 How to Use Writing Prompts to Improve Your Skills
Day 10 Why You Need an Email List
Day 11 There is a Best Time to Write!
Day 12 Your Future Path
Day 13 Do You Know How to Eat an Elephant?
Day 14 Soliloquy Speaking: Bring Depth to Your Characters
Day 15 The Red String- You and Your Readers are Connected
Day 16 Pardon Me, What Did You Say?
Day 17 Make Dialogue Work For You
Day 18 Actions Speak
Day 19 Connect the Dots
Day 20 Begin with the End
❤
I appreciate your support :)
If you find this article after day 7, please consider upvoting a recent article.
Now i want to say... Thank you. Thank you very much.
I loss hope, but you give me a way to survive. I will try my best to do like you say.
Sometime money is not important. Important is our talent. Our way of living.
@arbitrarykitten i want to know how you do it. I want to know the way which you prefer.
You are very welcome my friend.
Forgive me, I'm not sure I'm understanding... You want to know which way I prefer to do what exactly?
Yep. I want to know which strategy you do for success.
It's pretty much everything I write about here. Original and compelling content, engaging with the community, consistency, patience, etc. Have you read any of my earlier posts? Try a search of my username with the tags #steemit and #minnowsupport. Those are the main ones I use for helpful Steemit posts :)
Thanks
hey @arbitrarykitten how have you been??
My apologies that I have been super swamp with work
I would like to edit a little, in my point of view, that it is the love for money is the root of all evil.
It is because of the greed for it that makes people do the dumbest things in life. Wouldn't you agree?
And I totally support you on your mantra: Write as if you do not need the money. My little girl @chloephuan93 (well, she's not that little any more) does that in #steemit . She hardly earns anything but she just love to share her thoughts here to encourage others.
That to me is a really great example when there's a great piece she has that inspires, someone gives her a surprise upvote that would just make her day.
Take care and keep in touch! See you around when I see you in Steemit!
That's awesome that your daughter found a love for writing!
I'm healing. Slow, and with many doctors help, lol, but I'm seeing improvements. Thanks for asking!
Your edit is on pointe :)
Thank you for this great motivation, @arbitrarykitchen. Somehow for Steemit, I came for the money six months ago when I join, but I am choosing to stay because I simply have grown to love writing all over again. Sometimes, I wish I would earn a bit, but when I do, it becomes like a surprise bonus. I still intend to write daily and this is the place!! :)
That's awesome that you've rediscovered your love for writing!
Steemit is definitely the place :)
It's true. You've got to keep writing even when the money isn't coming in. I really love writing. I write fiction. It's probably easier to keep writing for someone that is used to writing then it is for someone that just writes for upvotes.
As you can see lately the comments and upvotes have not been very forthcoming here on Steemit. I hope the Hard Fork fixes that pretty soon.
Nice to you meet you @jeezzle!
The upvote and comment ratio is in direct line with the value of coins dropping. Happens every time. Me? I do not care :) I write for me and I write for my Steemit community :) It makes me happy so I'm going to continue 💝
But rest assured when Steem and SBD start inching upward the flocks return like spring to the valley :)
Well I think we've met a few times. We were both on the steemeditors team, and I've probably commented about 5 or 6 times on your posts. It has been a while though. Yeah once the price explodes again we are bound to see a whole string of comments again, although there's almost certainly going to be tons of spam in there too. The good with the bad.
Oh my. I think I know you by your real name. Oops, I'm so sorry! I used to be really bad with names so now I focus a lot of attention on the first name and associate it with something random- which I'm quickly realizing is not the way to do it in Steemit!!! Eegads
You just knew I was waiting for this post @arbitrarykitten...................
Keep your paws of my stash!
It's nice to see a different and positive prospective @arbitrarykitten, thanks for restoring faith in the system!
I'm so happy to bring inspiration :)
STOPHi kitty! You bring up a great point about writing what you want to share. I also tend to write about what I want to remember. Much love!!!
Hey sweets!
I find myself writing about whatever it is I'm learning at the moment a lot :)
Loves right back at ya hun!
Another meaningful and lovely writeup by the talented @arbitrarykitten. I agree with what you said about words- they are damn powerful!
Thanks hun 💝
Money. ........It's the root of all evil to date
A more accurate quote is "The LOVE of money is the root of all evil."
True story!
Is it "Your loving gives me a thrill,
But your lovin won't pay my bills.
Just give me money (that's what I want)..."
Or
"I'll get you anything my friend,
If it makes you feel alright.
I don't care too much for money,
Money can't buy me love."
"Freedom's just another word
For nothing left to lose."
"I like the rest but the part I like best goes..."
Doodley-doodley-do".
Lol yes!
Lol. I'm laughing that I wrote that and hit Post.
Oh, it's perfection!
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by ArbitraryKitten from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows. Please find us at the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you would like to delegate to the Minnow Support Project you can do so by clicking on the following links: 50SP, 100SP, 250SP, 500SP, 1000SP, 5000SP.
Be sure to leave at least 50SP undelegated on your account.
You inspired me to start writing my fiction again (i.e. not be lazy) - and my money has gone right down on steemit!
😂😂
One problem is time - have you noticed my lack of engagement? - its right across the board with everyone.... Writing is sooo time consuming..
...I'll stop whining now...
Thank you ms. kitten - for the inspiration to continue.
You are very welcome <3
Ahh, but it turns out I really do "need the money" - and have been working long hours in my new job as a high school teacher - which pays too little - and then there is the time consuming tasks of being a responsible father and husband... I'm finding it difficult to find 'time' to write.
I've got a couple of novels to write... gotta go... just popped back on steemit - to see if there is any comments - and there was yours... two months old...
Hope you are doing well... write write write!
Ah, yes, I too need the money. Wish I didn't but such is the world in which we live ;) And teachers pay... don't get me started on that. Of all people teachers are the ones who deserve the paycheck we hand to NFL players... The struggle is real.
But I digress...
When I first started making my writing career a priority I was working two jobs with only one day off- if a single mother of three athletic and ever-hungry boys ever actually gets a day off ;) I was leaving at 5:30am & not returning until 10pm. But I still made it a priority because I wanted to be able to stay home with my boys. Took a lot of hard work but I got there :)
But keep going. It will pay off!
Write on my friend. I expect to pick one of your novels off the shelf soon. And I am holding you to that. FYI.
Wow... Arbitrarykitten... Thank you for the words of kinship, encouragement and challenge!
But, I'm back.
I even got back to writing my sci-fi novel last week. I am starting from scratch as so many new ideas and tech and new agendas are developing in the world at the moment that have an impact on the not-too-distant future setting of my novel...
Your note here is the first one I've seen since logging back in and it is a wonderful welcome.
Thank you so much. I owe you - as you are expecting to pick one of my novels off the shelf soon.