Writing for an audience.

Yesterday, I sent out a story I wrote recently to see if some journal would want to publish it. It's a different story. I like some parts of it a lot, but I'm not sure I'm ever quite satisfied with anything I write.

Anyway, this got me thinking, how much of writing is just for myself, and how much for an audience? How much do I care if no one ever reads a thing I attempt to put in words?

I do write just for myself. If no one ever read a thing I wrote, I'd probably still spend some time working on it. But when I finish something I still feel compelled to send it out a couple times, see if anyone wants to give it a chance with a larger audience.

I think I'd break it down like this:
Writing contracts or other work related stuff. 50% for me. 50% for audience.
Writing stories. 40% for me. 60% for audience.
Writing blog. 80% me. 20% for audience.

Yeah. That's right. This is my journal.