The Perks of Being a Writer
![Image](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwnfL8G5Yqp53Pt4VVj6_OMLU1vTe9l8EknHHL2xiUsDGz65T83rGRyFju1Ac4AXybOA37SSUo2LS2NIygQc_DX5mUwg5S_cToZxT4sD0veW1qe1OOz-TUXFAaDqhsDnyK6iPMf3je4qWQ9UvJhsI1HvJza-mBc26deVupGF5THJ6EnMi9sUM1_GDZFs/s320/AdobeStock_424922614.jpeg)
I was at an event yesterday where I saw lots of people I hadn't seen for a long time. The question that often comes up is "Are you still writing?" My answer, of course, is "Yes," but I sense that some wonder why. In twenty years, I haven't become a famous writer, and I probably never will. (FYI, I haven't become rich, either.) Why put in the hours and hours (et cetera, et cetera) it takes to write a book, edit a book, and publish a book? I write for the same reasons anyone does what they love: crafters, bakers, amateur athletes, bird-watchers, whoever. It isn't for money or recognition; it's something they call self-fulfillment--the enjoyment of putting effort into something to get the best result you can manage. There are some side perks to writing for publication, though, and a message I got this morning told me I'm not as crafty as I imagined. A reader who knows me well pointed out that the "bad" characters in one of my books ar