Why do you write? (4)

... my publisher asked me.
Good question.
Do I write for myself or do I write to be read? Do I write to sell books? (Of course I do, every writer wants to sell books, but that is not the reason.) Do I write to make money? Do I want to be able to live off the income it generates? Or do I care?
Know what I mean?
Yes, I would love to be able to live off the money I make with my mysteries, my books, plays or screenplays. Yes, that is what I want, but I am nowhere near that. My latest book has now sold 1800 copies and sales are down to a couple of copies every month.
Realistically I should give it up. Maybe write another book once every five years and for the rest concentrate on something else. I have had my shot, I have published eight books and the financial result is pitiful. Sure enough, there are people who like my books, I even have a few fans, but the effort that goes into it is way out of proportion.
But does that matter?
"Why do you write?' my publisher asked me. And sure, I have to make a living. And sure, it would be convenient if writing and making a living could be the same thing. But the question is: would it be anything more than convenient?
Yes, it would. It would be very nice, too. But that is the same thing.
"Why do you write?" is like a hundred questions rolled into one. That is why it is such a good question. The answer can take you anywhere, and even when you think you have covered the ground pretty thoroughly there are still new angles to be found, new answers to be tried.
But at the same time I think of my own motto, the one on my homepage: "Ask not why people do things. Ask what they will do next."
Write another book. I guess.