How Do You Measure Your Success As A Writer ?

Contrary to how we feel, writers are like all other segments of humanity. We are individuals with unique goals and varying philosophies. We write for many reasons and the reasons are as unique as the material we write about. But, because we are different, we may also measure our success by different standards.

Writers also have a variety of ways in which we measure our success. Some feel successful when their work has received a lot of views. Others measure success by the volume of their written work or the money they’ve earned. And, there are some who have something to say that they feel might make a difference in the quality of a human life and feel successful by the simple expression of those feelings.

In communities of on-line writers, we often find ourselves drawn to those who have a similar interest but find that our reasons for writing and the manner in which we measure success are quite different. It is the beauty of being a writer as it allows us to individualize our career. Writing allows us to be who we are and to practice our craft for whatever reason fulfills us.

Serious writers understand that writing requires an investment of time. They carefully research their subject and then apply creative methods to communicate the information. Others write about a life experience or from a place inside them about issues that matter to them. And some, do both, understanding that the rewards or measured success will vary.

Writing purely technical articles, product reviews, or “how to” articles may bring you lots of readers and money too but you may miss making a personal connection to your readers. They will read your material and move on. They may return a few times to see what else you’ve written on the subject but rarely become devoted followers who support your work. For many writers, this is the perfect environment. It allows them to maintain a bit of anonymity and more time to write.

If you write with passion about social concerns, human rights, protecting the environment or animals, you will connect with readers who share your passion. It’s about people connecting with people on issues that matter to them and you will find that your readers become loyal fans and supporters. It is human nature to feel a sense of community when we share our hearts and passions with like-minded individuals.

Whether you write for money or self-expression is up to you. Many of us strive to find a balance. We attempt to write good material that others will find useful and that will financially support us but we also use our love of writing to enlighten and serve our fellow man. We measure our success both in numbers and in impact on the world we live in.

As a newcomer to the freelance writing world, I have experienced feelings of success often and in a variety of ways. On my personal blog about Alzheimer’s, I have felt success when a reader shared their own tragic story of watching a parent fade into the darkness of Alzheimer’s disease. My heart swelled when they explained that after reading an entry on my blog, they no longer felt alone. That is success in my opinion.

When when I wrote my 100^th hub here on HubPages, It was thrilling to see that after writing 100 hubs I had none that had gone idle, no violations, and no broken links. That was success in my opinion.

Most of my financial gain has come from writing SEO (search engine optimized) articles on Textbroker.com. It’s my least favorite work but I must admit that when I made my first payout after only 15 short assignments, I could barely contain my excitement. That was success in my opinion.

The truth is, since starting to write in May of 2012, I have felt the most successful when I have written about social issues; issues of injustice or abuse of human rights. The articles I’ve written about eugenics, the oppression of Native Americans or, the many lessons that have been given to me through nature or life experience have been my most successful works. I consider them my most successful because they have allowed me to connect with people and those people left heartfelt comments on my articles. They also became followers and after a while – friends. And that is real success for this writer.

Although I did not start writing to make friends, the friends I have made are the most valuable asset of writing. Friends share my work, encourage me, and support the issues that matter to me. They have given me a sense of community, of belonging to a group of kind and compassionate individuals who are willing to stand beside me when it counts. They read and promote my work, no matter what I write, and in their generosity, I gain more readers, more followers, and more pennies. And, I do the same for them. It is a win/win for all concerned.

Among the many great writers here on Hubpages you will find a growing community of caring individuals who write about social justice,civil rights, homelessness, hunger, and more. These writers really care about the human condition and are using their talents to make a difference. I encourage you to visit their profiles and read some of their work. You will find many ideas for how you too can make a difference in the world.