Writers: "Commercial" is not a dirty word. There is no shame in selling your work. It doesn& #39;t mean you& #39;ve sold your soul, or compromised your talent. Loving your work doesn& #39;t mean you shouldn& #39;t get paid. And getting paid allows you to keep on doing what you love. #ThisWritingLife

#ThisWritingLife is riddled with archaic and snobbish ideas, the worst being that earning money from art means that your work is somehow "impure." This is a toxic throwback to times when having to work for a living - as opposed to inheriting wealth- was considered low and vulgar.

It& #39;s the greatest trick the arts world ever pulled; making artists feel ashamed at wanting to earn a living. And yet the arts world continues to make millions from artists. So love your work, by all means, but if it gets used, send them the bill in the morning. #ThisWritingLife

And if you& #39;re still in any doubt, imagine asking anyone else but an artist to work for love. Love doesn& #39;t pay the mortgage. Exposure doesn& #39;t buy groceries. And no teacher, lawyer or doctor thinks that taking a salary makes them any less good. Why should you? #ThisWritingLife