So I think it's fair to say that most of us here are writers, however here are a couple of questions.

How many of us want our writing to be a profession, and how many want writing to remain as a hobby?

Why would you not want to go into writing full time as a profession, and keep it as a hobby?

What made you decide that you wanted writing to be your profession?

I write as a hobby, mostly because I don't have time to put enough effort into it to make it a profession. And I personally don't think I have the discipline to write as a profession. Anyways, since I'm hoping to raise my kids at home and school them at home, I only plan on my writing being a side thing in the long run.

If God wills it to be my profession then it will happen on his time. I would like it as a profession

Good discussion topic!

I decided just recently that I wanted writing to be part of my profession. I am planning on making films, but originally I thought I would start working as an editor. As I went through my film school classes however, I found out that my real passion was in the limitless creativity that comes with the writing aspect of film. I also found out that I have at least some talent for writing, and I'm looking forward to developing that talent as I practice and study. Also, finding out that I actually can make a living through filmmaking was a real confidence boost.

*redirects from HWHF*

I write because...well, because I find it's the way I best express myself. I can say things through story that I never could directly. So I guess it's a calling for me...but the question I now ask is, "In which way?" I'm not sure if I'm meant to publish - I can't support plots very well. I'm trying to figure out if I might be supposed to simply use my writing to help specific people, if that makes sense.

I honestly don't know, I mean, it's definitely a hobby right now, and I'd like to keep it that way for quite a while. I know I do devote a lot of my free time writing.

But as a profession? I think it'd be hard for me. I don't really know what I'm going to be doing as a career when I grow up, and I did consider writing, but I don't think I'm a) Good enough b) Experienced enough.

And if I was going to do it as a profession, I would probably want to self-publish within the next couple years, meaning I should rearrange my schedule and start working on an original fantasy WIP that I've been devoting a lot of world-building time to, since much of my works are pretty much semi-fan fiction.

I started writing a little under four-and-a-half years ago, and it was really not intended to be serious at all, and didn't become a serious hobby for me until, maybe, two-and-a-half years ago. Even then, I never considered writing as a profession.

So, right now, I would say "Hobby", especially since I probably won't get a lot of time to write once I enter college.

My writing is my profession because it is my obsession.

A few years ago, well, okay. Like six years ago. I sat myself down and had a talk about writing. And I said to myself, I said, what if you just quit writing? You'd have so much time for doing other things like practising music and doing school and being a success in life. And you could always pick it up more seriously in a few years when you're settled and life slows down. And my Self gave me this look and said: "Are you nuts? I don't think you could stop writing even if you did want to." And I said, well, you're probably right about that...

And as long as I'm spending that much time and effort into writing I might as well do something with it, right? I consider myself a professional because I've been doing it seriously for ten years (Although I wrote my first short story when I was eight) and come talk to me in another ten years and I'll have figured out the whole publishing thing too.

I absolutely adore writing. I'm an avid (read: obssessed) reader, and I devoured anything I could find. I loved movies and have also ventured into acting. When I read all of the books I could find and had to slow down, I started writing for myself, and fell in love. I constantly revise worlds and characters, and I file away scenes, personalities, and dialogue to use. If I could, I'd probably lock myself away and devote myself (more) to my stories.

However, I get really bad writer's block. I'll have absolutely fantastic worlds and endings, but no beginnings whatsoever. And it takes me forever to write anything. And I flit from universe to universe-and my mind keeps dreaming up more!

While I would love to make writing a profession, I fear I would starve to death-and I hear food is necessary for one's imagination and mind to function anywhere near adequetly. So, unless I can overcome my bouts of writer's block and not leave my work little better than a child's drawing, I fear I should have to get a job to help support my hobby.

Unfortunately.

I haven't really decided yet. Most of me would love to write as a profession. But there's other occupations I would really love to explore. I'd like to be a counselor/therapist for struggling people (especially children and teenagers), for instance. I want to someday run an animal rescue. I'd love to work with animals, and/or possibly young children. I think it would be awesome to work in filmmaking; as an actor, most likely, though director/screenplay writer also catches my eye.

Those are my reasons for not being sure whether I want to write full-time as a profession; because there are so many other things out there I want to try out or do! I also want to travel the world; not an occupation, but it is a long-term goal of mine.

If I do decide to keep writing as a profession, it's because I love losing myself in another world, and spending time with my friends and family - or, as many people know them as, my characters. It's a beautiful thing, to live another life, even if it's just inside your imagination.

I write as a hobby with dreams of someday publishing at least one of my multitudes of stories. It isn't something I'd want to do as a profession because I lack the consistent creativity these days and I struggle with completing my novels. I like to take me time. *lazy writer*

I would say in my case, it's definitely my profession.