“Writing is like sex. First, you do it for love, then you do it for your friends, and then you do it for money.”
― Virginia Woolf
Really? But I think sex is a much stronger word. Why not substitute sex for food? No man can make love to himself. A man can make love to his many females friends. What then is the use of making love for money, when alternate and lucrative ventures exist?
There are many other ways to rebuttal the saying. The mind certainly can be dynamic in handling the challenge. Thank you.
Mibakagh, it's a quotation from the (dead) writer, Virginia Woolfe. It is what it is. An analogy. Probably meant to be funny.
And there's no need to use profanity in this forum.
Hello, theraggededge, however, funny it the quote seems, some like me had not realized it be taken in a funny manner. It can sound seriously likewise. The dead author Virginia Wolf is not here to tell us that she is not serious with her statement either.
Be that as it may, I know when to see funny things my way. I know too how to take funny things my way.
We here on HubPages are taught, or rather told not to write for money but for our larger audience, right? But the money will come some days. Some authors are already earning monthly. Others are getting listed, and getting just a little of the dollar. Whatever, the attitude will take to writing let's stick with it.
Profanity? Okay, I am sorry. I thought the language I used should be taken as normal. But why is that, the words, rape, sexual abuse, birth control, and so on as recently used in the forum this week was not tag profane? Good day, and thank you.
Because those example words are fine. They are not profane. Your use of the F-word is not fine. While I don't get offended by such things, there are forum members who won't expect to see it used here.
I don't really understand your claim that we are not told to write for money. In the beginning, it's best not to worry about it while the new writer builds up a collection of well-written articles. From there, they can see what works for them and what doesn't.
So, to take Virginia Woolf's analogy and apply it to HubPages:
1. Write for the love of writing.
2. Write for friends (visitors).
3. Write to build on what you have learned in order to be paid for it.
Hey, theraggedge, my friend, thank you. I should have explained it that way too, but I want to be a little creative. That is all. You are welcomed as I used to comment. Have a nice day.
Bev and Miebakagh,
Bev perfectly explains the wit of Virginia Woolf's quote. She was part of a group of friends - Bloomsbury Group - intellectual writers and artists.
Speculatively, witticisms were part of their expressions in order to show their feelings and opinions. Similar to HP forums, they shared their feelings and opinions as well as helped each other with their craft.
Hello, Kenna, got it. Be that as it seems, I and others were not part of that inner group. And so, our expressions whether creatively or intellectually, would seem to differ, right? We all interpreted things from different angles. We composed our thoughts differently. Take an example like to write "A travel to the Virgin Islands." We all write the same story with a different experience. Thank you, and enjoy the day.
No, you wouldn't be. It doesn't exist any more. Google 'Bloomsbury Group' to find out more. It's fascinating.
And of course your expressions are going to differ. Virginia Woolf was a female English writer born in 1882.
The quote is an example of British humour, using an extreme comparison to explain a complex point in a simple way. It's not about sex vs writing. And it's not meant to be taken literally. It would have been quite shocking back in the day when she said or wrote it.
When you read "Something is like something.... " it's called a 'simile', a helpful, interesting, memorable, or funny comparison.
Hey, theraggedege, "extreme comparison to explain a complex point"? Interesting! The British are extremely unique, and masters in literature, English, and the arts. But this is not what they (the Brits) told me about simile.
We the third world English speakers or learners have still the way to go 'Virginia Wolf.' But agreed that our expressions may differ, the discussion to me seems also a fascinating lesson. Welcome, and thank you.
Now you've confused two separate paragraphs. I didn't say that a simile is an extreme comparison to explain a complex point, did I? It can be, as illustrated by the quote, but that's not the definition of a simile. That's why I put into another paragraph.
My friend, theraggededge, either did I say or mean a simile is "extreme comparison to explain a complex point"?. I was referring to Virginia Wolf's quote and nothing else. I did not take it neither that you mean a simile is an extreme comparison to explain a complex point. But like as you said that it can be, that is noted. You are always welcomed. And, thank you. Hope you enjoy the day? I do.
Miebakagh, Yes. Everyone is different, and their stories account for that. Police officers will tell you that when they get witness statements to a crime on the street. Each witness has a different take on what happened.
Woolf had an interesting life for a woman at the turn of the century. Though it was a troubled life, she was extremely literate. It shows in her wit.
Good morning miss Kenna Mchug. I am still doing it for love , and the rest come alone. I wish you a wonderful day. Also, I wish you stay in love with your writing and pictures posting. I love it. Thank you.
erorantes, Thank you for the comment. I enjoy sharing quotes with pictures. I will not stop.
No one who has read Woolf or knows anything about her life would believe that quotation is real.
The pic chosen by the OP is the most pertinent comment.
Really? Then, are all the discussions going on in the forum interesting, fascinating and ...real?
Woolf lived and wrote during a time when literacy was much higher than it is today. People read books. There was no television, and radio was on the airwaves. Her work continues to be read and liked because she wrote in prose that people understood and agreed with and that made it real.
I like what Francis Bacon once wrote: "Reading makes a full man...writing an exact man." Today, we don't have a high reading culture. Today, we have lost the writing culture. Technology has taken all that away. But some persons are not swayed. They insisted on the good old ways.
Many have lost the fine art of handwriting in preference to hitting the "keyboard" on computers and smartphones. I love handwriting, especially when cursive and calligraphic. Nothing fascinates me than a fine traditional handwriting. Handwriting is now a lost art.
Recently, I was commenting on such an issue. A writer told me that her husband thinks a writing was made by four different persons or it was forged. She explains that for this reason, she types the shopping list to her man otherwise, he will not bring the right foodstuffs.
I have two bottles of black and blue with two fountain pens for each ink. In addition, I stock collections of fountain pens. Recently, my first daughter asks me to lend her a pen and I gave out one as a gift.
Moreso, I usually write on paper before hitting the keyboard to load my stories on HubPages.
In conclusion, modern men have lost the reading and writing culture these days. Thank you for your time.
Sir Francis Bacon is one of my favorite historical figures. His scientific methods revolutionized science.
I appreciated that. You are welcomed. And thank you.
by Kenna McHugh 7 years ago
“Every secret of a writer’s soul, every experience of his life, every quality of his mind, is written large in his works.”—Virginia Woolf
by Kenna McHugh 7 years ago
“Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.” ― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own
by Mohan Kumar 13 years ago
Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?
by Dale J Ovenstone 14 years ago
Whilst reading through the forum posts I want to learn how to create more clicks for my article titles & one suggestion I read was an article has to be interesting to read so followers of such subjects may become compelled to click to read more & even possibly add you as a friend?But what...
by Ravi Rajan 2 months ago
Why do we write? What is the need to write? And most important what do we get by writing? Chitrangada has asked some interesting questions to all writers in her thought-provoking article.https://hubpages.com/literature/Common- … -You-Write
by Kenna McHugh 5 years ago
“Women have served all these centuries as looking glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size.” ― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own
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