July 14, 2025
Which would you rather have?
Money or Fame?
You’ve likely heard the saying, “Money can’t buy happiness.” But I’ve always thought happiness is a lot easier to achieve with money enough to cover the basics and more. Worry about having enough food? Pay for medical care? Being able to help others without having to check your budget? Not a problem with a good flow of cold, hard cash or the electronic equivalent. It won’t solve everything, but can go a long way.
What about choosing between money or fame?
Here’s my take. I’ve never chased the idea of fame. I wish for readers, but enjoy a quiet life. Like many authors, I’m a bit of an introvert, and it’s draining to interact with strangers for hours, even when the topic is writing. (Like I do when I’m out at events selling my books.)
And money can buy fame. Or, at least, a best-seller title. There are stories of organizations buying mass quantities of books (especially for pre-order) in order to inflate numbers to make it on a bestseller list. (The books are then distributed for free.) Political and religious figures have done this. Safeguards have been put in place to stop this tactic, not always successfully.
Money can also buy an author’s way into numerous opportunities to market their books. I have to limit where I sell my books because I can’t afford to spend money on airfare and hotels all across the country. Or even internationally. And some events can be really pricey.
I limit myself to one event a year where I have to stay overnight. And I’ve never sold enough books to cover the hotel room. I usually sell enough to cover the costs of the venue and supplies. With enough money, I could travel to many places to help connect with new readers.
But fame can bring in money.
In 2025, some of the gift bags distributed at the Academy Awards were worth over $200,000. The speaker fees for Nora Roberts can range between $50,000 to $100,000. Craig Johnson, the author of the Longmire series, “only” receives between $5,000 and $10,000.
So, which do I choose? Remember that I’m an introvert? I choose money. That way I have more control of my life, my time, my interactions with others.
What do the others on this hop choose? Money or Fame? Find out by following the links below.
And, as always, please stay safe until next time.
July 14, 2025
Which would you rather have? Money or Fame?
My father used to say, “money can’t buy you happiness, but at least you can be miserable in comfort.”
That works for me!
Yes, for me money would win over fame anytime.
They say money is the root of all evil, but the lack of money is evil, too.
Makes people do evil things to get it.
I think you’ve got it right. You can use money to make your books famous without having to give up your privacy. I write under a pen name, so having the money to provide my books with the attention they deserve wouldn’t necessarily mean I’d personally have fame. And that suits me just fine.
And yet, it feels like cheating to buy your way into maki8ng your books famous.
I don’t think so. The big selling novelists have pubishers who buy their way into being famous, so why is it cheating if we do the same?
You’ve got some solid reasons here. I agree. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Thanks!
Money money money- which can help with making life easier if not happier 🙂
And some people aren’t happy even when they have plenty of money.
yea, money, even plenty of if, doesn’t guarantee happiness. But as they say , at least be in comfort :P…
I know I’ve said it before, but I loved the Longmire series. Sure would be nice to have marketing capital, and ROI on the publishing process. Being an introvert myself, it’s so double edged wanting to nerd out with readers and have my peace.
The Longmire Series lost me as a reader around book 10. (I think. The one where he went to Mexico) I think Johnson “jumped the shark” with that one.