Everyone likes to enjoy the casual good read whether it’s a copy back book or an online book. From Charles Bukowski to John Green, everyone has a different range of authors. For some, their favorite authors are the ones who are right next door or in their same classroom. If you haven’t yet figured it out, I am talking about the reading and writing app, Wattpad. Anyone can create an account and simply read or become an author and post anything from articles to short stories to the famous genre of writing, fan fiction. But writers aren’t all on Wattpad, they’re on Tumblr, too. Freelance writers are everywhere and most don’t get paid in cash, but are rewarded in comments and likes.
Recently, a friend I knew for a long time, Zoe*, confessed to me that she wrote on Wattpad and Tumblr. It was a big secret, but she kindly showed me her writing about her favorite singer, and I had to say, she had a gift for writing. I asked her how she managed to write close to seven books, go to her scheduled classes, go to work, practice, and manage to maintain a social life. Zoe mentioned that it was rough, but nonetheless, she loved writing. While scrolling through her Wattpad and looking at the three thousand followers she had, I looked at her message board and felt an uneasy feeling. Though it wasn’t a message she replied to, it was a message that I’m sure she had seen. Someone really had the audacity to say, “You should make more time for us, just saying.”
Seeing that message made me want to write something directed to all the people that read other stories of freelance writers. To those eager readers out there, please be courteous to freelance writers.
These are people that don’t get paid to do this. Writing is a hobby that many people enjoy, and seeing comments of how much someone enjoyed your writing is really rewarding. In fact, I find myself scrolling through Affinity‘s twitter account to see the comments people make about my articles. The reward that we get, as writers, are complements and knowing that someone has read what we’ve taken the time out of our day to do. Everyone has a social life and freelance writers manage to do their day jobs and come home, shower, eat, rest, and still find time to write something that someone is eagerly waiting for.
Zoe mentioned that it does get hard; she has to deal with her classes and maintain her 4.0 GPA, deal with her job and the many customers she deals with, have a social life that includes going to her sport practice, and have time to herself. These writers write whenever they have free time and their readers shouldn’t be bugging them 24/7 about updating a next part. While she does get plenty of great comments of people who are patient and understanding of her ever-so-busy schedule, there’s always someone from the bunch that expects more.
Again, these are people who don’t get paid for a hobby that they enjoy. Writing is a joy that people love to partake in. One should never ruin the enjoyment of writing for another simply because they feel as if they deserve more.
* Name has been changed.
