I Write for the Money

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

With a stipend from his mother that was short of supporting a life style other officers were accustomed to, Winston Churchill turned to writing to supplement his income. Churchill began a career as a war correspondent partly due to a lack of income. He found himself as a second lieutenant with a less than desired income and unable to live the lifestyle of other officers earning more. Using his mother’s and familie’s influence, he made connections with several London newspapers and began earning what was considered a significant income.

Writing for the money usually does not work out if there is no love for the writing. Churchill did love expressing himself and informing the people back home of the current situations in such far off places like Cuba, India, Sudan and South Africa. What started as a necessity soon became a way of becoming a public figure. Once he was established as influential war correspondent he began writing his own books about the various campaigns he was in.

One way to look at doing something for the money is something I see on a regular basis. Young men and women starting out in business will tend to join civic organizations with the sole purpose of promoting themselves and their career. They choose the organization which they believe has the most influence in their realm of work and will hitch their wagon to it. Their lack of interest in the organization or its purpose is of very little consequence to them. They would never let their indifference to the organizations goals and efforts to achieve those goals get in the way of their selfish goals and the real reason why they are now a part of the group. Without the interest of the organization their membership will be of little value to them or their personal goals. You must love what you do.

The same can be said for writing. If you decided to get into writing for the love of expressing yourself you can easily find satisfaction here. If you are looking for wealth, notoriety or what the heck let’s just say it, “Fame and Fortune”, it may or may not come. One never knows. I suggest you enjoy the ride, love what you do and if all the other happens as it did to Churchill, enjoy that as well.

Here is hoping you find satisfaction and contentment in all you do, especially in your writing.