I like the eBook self-publishing because you can share your work with other people without a lot of expense (or revenue for that matter). Maybe it will get picked up on, maybe not. But it certainly can't languish there anymore than it already does on your personal hard drive. Even if it makes only one person happy, you did that. You don't even have to know. There's just the possibility and that makes it worth putting your work on display.

I keep a large (140 sheet) steno pad by the bed and jot down whatever I'm thinking at 3 in the morning. I try to use a different sheet for different stories, but sometimes I just draw a line. I'll figure it out in the morning.

Congratulations! And what about getting paid?

The tremendous effort (usually futile) of attempting to find an agent or publisher, IMO, is better spent on actual writing. I must say, though, that there's something thrilling about holding an actual book, with your name as author, in your hand. So I go the self-publishing route (not ebook) and order a few copies to give away or sell at cost, and to proudly put one on my bookshelf.

Get to it.

And making money is far more important than expressing yourself. At least that's what I believed back in my teenage Objectivist days. Thankfully I'm better now.

"What's wrong with writing just because you enjoy it, not to get published?"

Absolutely nothing. That's usually what leads to your being published anyway. The more you write the more your thoughts become organized. You're writing to communicate your thoughts. The more you do that, the more clearly those thoughts are presented. I enjoy politics. I've been posting on political forums for the past 12 years. Each time I posted something it was in response to something by some wingnut that was illogical and made no sense. Over time I found that my arguments became more sound and logically valid. Eventually I sent some of my writing samples to a few online publishers, and got picked up. Got paid too. That led to a publishing deal and a book that came out two years ago. I'm new on this forum, but it looks really promising for posting my ideas.

In fact MOST writers do it primarily to write. The money (if you get paid) is secondary.

Very few writers can support themselves in style with their writing unless they are willing to turn out porn or copies of whatever is hot at the moment. That is not "writing". That is work.

If you aim for publication, be sure to check out the market, because publishers want a sure thing---and that means something very much like something else that has made a lot of money. A talented writer can write anything, so if you need the money, do not hesitate to write what you think the paying audience wants. But do not expect to be rewarded by publishers for your creativity and do not expect to get a lot of satisfaction from writing the formula fiction they do want. Also remember that when a publisher rejects your work, he is not rejecting your soul. He thinks the book won't make any money.

I am lucky to have a "day job" that I love---I am a family physician at a public clinic that provides health care for the needy. I make less than a lot of doctors in private practice, but I make much more than I would if I tried to support myself writing. If you really want to make money doing something creative, consider art. I do a little art as a hobby, and I make much more money from that than I do from writing---even though writing is my avocation. People are more than willing to pay cold, hard cash for the privilege of owning something that is one of a kind.

I agree. Sometimes your best audience is you. I used to write a lot of poetry when I was a kid. I would hang them up in my room. I now write some poems and give them to my wife as presents. Before you say I am a wimp then know I actually write the poems because I am cheap!

There is absolutely nothing wrong with writing just for yourself.

It's a great way to think, for one thing, and to organize ideas, and to learn new material.

I say this as someone who writes for a living -- and makes a good living at it. Since it's now a business for me, I find that it has become a job like any other. I miss the days when I wrote for fun.

While I myself certainly hope to get published, I have to start by writing for myself. It's the only way there's any hope of getting good enough to be published.

And sometimes it's simply an end in itself. I've also kept a journal for many years. That's not intended for publication.

Others have addressed why keep writing for yourself, I would like to address the physical act of writing. For me, nothing beats the enjoyment of using a quality fountain pen, whether to jot down a quick note or to work on something much, much longer.

I am not certain what happens; but, there is a different mindset when I write with a pen as compared to a keyboard. I seem more thoughtful and better able to concentrate. Plus, those nice cursive words, in the current chosen color look so much nicer than a screen ever can.

For you who are writing for yourself give the fountain pen a try, you might just be surprised.

in my journal or write down my dreams.

because they're not writers or not writing. You've got it! Check out Brenda Euland "If YOu Want to Write." Great book.

http://www.passiononpurposeblog.com/tag/brenda-euland/

No one ever seems to worry about that. And yet some writers worry that they're wasting time if they're not trying to publish.

But I write what I want to read.