shut up and go away

WHAT THEY SAY:

You should monetize your writing!

WHAT I HEAR:

I have a scarcity mindset.

Money is more important to me than authentic self-expression.

I can’t imagine spending time on something just for the joy of it.

I don’t make enough money and am forever casting about for ways to make more, so I assume everyone else is, too.

I’m not creative. I don’t know how to be creative. If I was creative, I’d utilize that skill for money, because my personality is oriented toward productivity, not creativity.

I’m creative-minded but I don’t have the discipline to make use of unpaid, leisure time for actually doing anything creative. It’s hard for me to understand anyone who does.

I don’t have the emotional intelligence to recognize that unsolicited advice is actually just criticism.

You and I have totally different values in this arena and I’m probably deadly boring to you in other ways, too. Don’t bother trying to get close.