Write what’s on your heart – that’s what the folks said in our first mwsasse extremely mini-poll.  It makes sense.  Writing is a very personal endeavor and the muse will take you where it will.  For example, I’m currently writing my second novel, and I really don’t know where it is going; I also really don’t know if others will like it or not, but I’m having a blast putting it together and discovering the writing road as I go.  It is certainly destination unknown.

But I must say, there is something to be said for writing for an audience.  Let me use a  Media Literacy example to hopefully make a point.  Let’s say you a movie producer and a soft drink company contacts you and says, ‘Hey, if you put our logo in your movie easily seen three times, we’ll give you $200,000.’  Do you sell out?  Do you stay faithful to the script, to the piece of art, or do you look at in a practical matter and realize that you need to make some money or you will never produce again.  A quick look at movies today will show you how many producers have ‘sold out’ for the corporate dollar.  Does that diminish the work of art?  Possibly.  We could argue the pros and cons if you like. But let me bring it back around to writing.

Let’s say you are a writer and you would like to burn the midnight oil weaving your stories as a profession.  Would you be willing to accept major re-writes and edits on your first novel to get it published?  Would you do it even if you feel that it compromised the message that you wanted to convey?   Or would you self-publish (more on that later) and stay true to your story in hopes that you can travel the difficult road of self-promotion?

It’s a tough call. But I believe it is safe to assume that once you are published by a ‘traditional’ publisher that it can only get easier.  Wouldn’t it be smart to crack the door open any way possible?

Hmmm.  So am I arguing for ‘Write what’s on your heat, then edit it to cater to your audience’?

I guess I am – even though that’s not the way I voted.

Thoughts anyone?