Since it’s all about the work, what kind of work should it be? Put another way, what should we be working for? This is the “great and terrible question” anyone attempting to create anything must answer. Am I making or creating something for gain or for the joy of the work itself? This is a question of first intent, namely, what is my first intent for making something? I confess an never-ending wrestle with this question, especially since of course I want as many people as possible to experience (i.e. pay for) my creative work.  It is a conscious and constant decision that one must make throughout the creative process. I find that the moment I begin to consider the monetary potential of something I am writing, the lights go out, creatively speaking. It is a tension that one must live with, apparently. How about you? Any strategies for dealing with this?