Writing.... as Meditation, and its Commercial Implications

I think part of my "problem" with being a writer is that the vast majority of what I write is in the form of personal "meditative journaling."

That is the kind of writing I like the most, and it essentially amounts to some 80% of all my writing. When I "sit with myself" and am completely honest about my motivations, I have very little interest in writing about "topics." I like to just sit down and let the words flow, by themselves. And it is pretty rare that they flow in any direction that might be described as "commercially viable."

Writing-- for me-- is ultimately a personal meditation of sorts. It pretty much always have been, and in more recent times it got a bit of a shot in the arm after I read Julia Cameron's "The Artists Way," which inspired me to pursue a more structured routine of writing "Morning Pages."

As my writing "career" has unfolded, I have increasingly turned to variations of "personal blogging" that only has the faintest of connections to something "useful." Now, I have to confess (in my defense?) that my own interest-- as a reader-- is in people's personal stories. I like to read about human beings and their striving for self-actualization and attempts to find inner peace. I really don't care about "the stock market" or "the Middle East" or "how to install cabinetry" or "decorating with a Hawaiian flair."

In many ways... I believe our writing reflects our interests. My "interests" are psychology, self-development and the human condition. In the greater scheme of things, these are minute niche markets. Now, if we add in my other ventures and hobbies... like stamp collecting, beach combing, and my artwork... I still end up with tiny niche markets with little broad appeal.

I'm not sure exactly why I am "musing" on this, right now... other than maybe for the reason that I am increasingly becoming resigned to the idea that my writing may never be much more than a very minimal income stream. Put simply: I'm not writing anything that's likely to get 100,000 readers a day.

Not that this will make me stop, mind you. Nor will it make me want to sell my soul and start pursuing so-called "popular topics." But it is something to think about... just how small are our niches?