Writing Is Private. Publishing Isn't.

Anyone can write a novel and keep it to themselves. Here's why I chose to put mine into the world.

When I quit my corporate job in my 50s to write and publish Pale Privileges, Dark Roast, I didn't spend much time asking myself why. I'd wanted to do it for years. The questions that occupied me were much more practical: Could I afford to make the change? What was the plan? How would I prioritize my time between writing, publishing, and promoting?

The desire to write itself didn't seem to require much explanation. I just wanted to write a novel, and I finally had the opportunity to do it.

But writing and publishing are different things. A person can write a novel and keep it private. That distinction interests me. I’m not talking about publishing because it’s required for school, a job, or a career. I’m interested in the more personal question of why someone who has already written a novel decides they want other people to actually see it.

At the time, I hadn't really asked myself that. Looking back, I can see three reasons I published.

Reason 1: Prove It to Myself

For years, I had ideas, notes, and plenty of reasons why I hadn't finished a novel, some more valid than others. Publishing a book became a mission to prove to myself I could do this. I could craft a story, work with people to have it edited and a cover designed, learn the tools and processes from pricing to production, and get it published in paperback and ebook worldwide on all major platforms.

It wasn’t easy, and I made it harder on myself at times than it needed to be, but I did it. My friends and family had supported my attempts for years, and part of publishing was wanting to show them that their encouragement had meant something.

Reason 2: Contribute Something

One time I was talking with a friend about protests and large gatherings for causes. I’ve been to some, but they never resonated.

It wasn’t from a lack of interest. I have always enjoyed discussing issues, social messaging, and political strategy.

My friend responded with: “Maybe then you should be the one at the front talking and sharing your ideas instead of standing in the crowd.”

That was a non-starter for me. I am not the one who is going to be in front of the crowd, run for office, or go door to door.

But I got the point. If you care about something, at some point you have to act. Fiction is my way of contributing, and people can only read what’s been published.

Fiction provides a way to talk about things without telling people what to think. They get to know a character, care about what happens to them, and make their own judgments. A character can make you feel what it might be like to live through it.

I don't know how much impact my writing will have, and I'm not sure I'll ever know. But I do know that publishing gives me a way to contribute, and for me, that's enough reason to keep doing it.

Reason 3: Be an Example

I'll admit it feels a little egotistical, but I want to be an example.

Not an example of how to become a commercially successful novelist, as I have no idea if I'll ever be one of those. Odds are low.

And not an example of how to make a career out of writing. I have my opinions, of course, but there are people way more qualified than I am to talk about that.

Instead, I want to be an example that you can make an intentional transition in your life, on your terms and according to your own definition of success. I published my first novel in my 50s. Life doesn't have to follow a predetermined script. But I couldn't be that example with a manuscript sitting on a hard drive. Publishing is what made the change real, to other people and to me.

If you want to retire and just play golf and travel, that’s great. If you want to keep working because you enjoy it and are productive, keep working. For me, those weren't the only two options. As a writer, I could be just as busy and productive as I had been, but doing something I was passionate about and enjoyed.

Motivations Shift Over Time

Some of these reasons became clear after I'd started, and I expect others will surface the same way. Some of the ones that were important for Book 1 will not be as important for later novels. Perhaps new ones will appear.

There's no single right reason to write and publish. There is nothing wrong with doing it for money, fame, personal therapy, or fun.

The reasons I publish today may not be the reasons I publish five years from now. That's probably the point. As our lives change, our reasons can change with them. What matters is knowing why we're doing what we're doing, and being willing to choose that life intentionally.