At the weekly book talk that my Bluestocking Belles’ sisters and I hold on Facebook, today’s topic was ‘Why do we do what we do’. That is, why do we authors write and sell books.

Great topic, so I thought I’d answer it again here.

Why do I write?

I write because otherwise the stories build up in my head and if I don’t shape them and form them into a completed story, I’m afraid my head will explode. This happens. When for some reason I can’t write, I begin to have really weird vivid dreams that wake me up, and snippets of story also attack me during the day when I ought to be doing something else. I

It is true that when the writing is going well, I also have vivid and specific dreams in which my subconscious minds solves plot problems. I also either can’t get to sleep or wake up from sleep with a section of story that I just have to get down. And I think in story all day long, even when I should be doing something else.

On the other hand, when I’m not writing, I also get jittery, anxious and bad tempered. Writing keeps me even.

If you think it sounds like some sort of addiction, you are probably right.

Why do I write historical romance?

I write what I love. I have written in a number of genres, but the first fiction book I published was an historical romance (Candle’s Christmas Chair), and I wrote that while waiting for beta reading feedback on the first novel I’d finished in nearly forty years, also historical romance (Farewell to Kindness).

When I started Farewell, I had collected more than 40 plots, most of them historical romance and all of those regency. Regency romance is one of my favourite genres for my own reading. I find it absorbing when it is done well. And when it isn’t, I’m inspired to do better. I find the Regency era fascinating, and a great medium through which to think about issues and challenges that face couples, families and our society today.

Here’s a blog I wrote five years ago about the ten reasons I read (and write) historicals. Still true.

The other reason for sticking (mostly) to Regency is commercial. I haven’t finished the Regency series I’ve started, and I owe those unwritten books to my readers before I wander off into another genre. Furthermore, I’m (somewhat) known under my Regency pen name. If I write speculative fiction or contemporary mysteries or even in another era, do I need another pen name? Will I need to find an entire group of new readers? Will I upset my current readers? (Genuine questions. I don’t know.)

Why do I publish?

I write for myself, in other words. But, as Caroline pointed out in our chat, I revise, polish and publish for readers.

Readers are an essential part of what makes my story into a book. As long as it is only in my head and even as long as I am the only one that has read it, it doesn’t truly exist as a book. It’s just a story I’m muttering to myself. A book has readers. The reader brings her (or his — I’m an equal opportunities romance writer) experiences and emotions to the story, interprets the characters and events through her filters, and get stuff out of the story that I didn’t know I put there.\

Every book is a collaboration between the writer and the readers, and they make the magic together.

I sell my books because the money I earn funds covers, professional copy editors, subscriptions to all the services that allow me to produce and market my books, research materials such as course in Regency London and books about Napoleonic France, and a myriad of other expenses. If I didn’t sell my books, I couldn’t afford to write them.

And I sell my books in the hopes that I will one day sell enough to make a surplus. We are now living on retirement income, so a bit of extra income would be much appreciated.

So that’s why I write

How about you? If you’re a reader, why do you read the books you choose to give part of your life to? If you’re a writer, why do you write?

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If you’d like to join the Bluestocking Belles and chat about books and writing, we meet every Saturday at 1pm. (New York time — it is currently at 5am Sunday morning for me in New Zealand. Roll on daylight savings changes at both ends!) The post in which we chat in the comments is always pinned to the top of the group, which is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BellesBrigade We’d love to see you there.