Just for the pleasure?

[kittenshaped]

Does else just write for the enjoyment of it, without the aim of being published? I've seen a few comments on here about altering stories to fit in with certain genres, or what will sell the most. Just seems a shame.

Isn't it possible to do both?

All of the books I've loved have had to fit those guidelines too; it doesn't make them bad books!

Surely everyone writes for someone? Novels are not diaries. Publishers and agents have a good idea of what the reader wants - isn't that worth listening to?

I completely get the idea of writing just for pleasure. I've just written three chapters of a book for my DD (10), as well as a very short book for my DS (6). It gives me great comfort to know that even if no one ever wants to publish these, my children have really enjoyed readng the stories. Certainly, I'd imagine you have to start from a point of writing for pleasure - if it's no fun to write, it'll be no fun to read!

I understand this too - I wrote my first few books just for me and they've never seen the light of day. I just desperately needed to write and didn't care about an audience or people reading it. It was just for me.

I still do it in fact, even though I am now in the position of having a book (and hopefully more to come) published. I am working on a follow up, but also have a book that I have almost finished and that I will probably just keep 'for me'.

I used to be quite bemused by people asking me why I bother writing if I am not planning to get an agent or be published. The implication being that writing for myself is somehow a waste of time. I also paint but no one has ever suggested that it isn't worthwhile unless I exhibit my work in a gallery so I wonder why there is a difference in expectations. :)

People do think there's something pretentious about writing which isn't there for painting or music. Just because you're learning the violin (I'm not) it's not assumed you're going to produce a CD or join the LSO.