That’s exactly it. No matter what I’ve created, at the end of the day, I’ve written, and, like you, it’s the writing process I love. I once joked that I was a writing “whore,” because it didn’t matter what I was working on, so long as I was writing. And I’m self-aware enough to know that right now, I don’t have the discipline to write a novel or short story or screenplay; that brochure or press release or marketing material fulfills that need.

I work for a nonprofit (with some freelancing on the side), so there the added satisfaction that my brochure or press release or Web copy is helping people, either because our consumers come to us for help, or a donor decides to give, or we get positive media coverage.

I’m a “bread-writer” as well, although I write technical papers and applications for grants etc. the end result is the same. I’m lucky to be able to ask a no cure, no pay, which almost always is a cure & pay.
But there are occasions when someone wants a hour price and a number of hours.
Or they try to get 5% instead of 15%.
They want to do it on their own etc.
When they ask for an hour price and the amount of hours, no problem. It’s just isn’t no cure, no pay anymore.
When they read online that some people do it for 5%, I warn them that the quality isn’t necessarily very good and the service is usually awful.
When they want to do it on their own, I’m really helpful and I really do give them all the documents I wrote for them in the past.

But, when the application isn’t positive, they don’t like paying. When the 5% guy ask them to write the application, they are not rejoicing to get behind their desks . Or when the own written application is plagued with question letters they don’t have the time to answer them.
That’s how I often get clients back again, and I have to say, they are the best clients. They are so happy with your service and quality, they never ask again for a reduction or lower prices!

But, special for Bill, in all honesty, I make a decent living out of writing. And I like writing. But then there are the interviews, project management, reports, differences between parties and all those other things to overcome. Surprisingly I don’t like that as much. Most of my colleagues don’t like several parts of this job as well.
Let’s face it, writing your latest novel can be a pain in the proverbial place as well. All those hours laborious behind a desk. And even worse when there is no publisher who wants to publish it.
So I would say every job has it’s own merits, be it writing the latest travel book, novel or a report to explain where all those Euro’s went on things and hours that where not on the forecast.

P.S. English is not my first language, neither my second come to think of it, so do correct me if I’m wrong, but keep in mind that you’re not fluent in Dutch either. Most likely. I hope. haha.

Your comment has made me do some introspection — especially your mention of being fullfilled by writing a brochure. My first reaction was, “How can anyone be fulfilled by writing a brochure?” Then I thought about it and, yes, I will admit that I’m fulfilled when I write a brochure, press release or other commercial project that comes together well. It’s a good feeling, perhaps because it does, in fact, take a lot of creativity and skill. Also, I love the writing process, no matter what I apply it to.

So there you have it. You’ve made me realize something that I’ve ignored for over a quarter of a century.

Having said all that, however, I would still rather sit down and write a story or work on a novel than on a brochure. But I suppose that’s just personal preference — maybe because I relate the latter to the day-in, day-out grind of making a living as a writer and having to please a lot of people to make it happen.

I really gain insight from your blog and weekly mailings. Thanks for sharing your insights and expertise.