The following is an actual conversation my husband had with a friend recently.

Friend: “How’s Angie’s writing going?”

Husband: “Good. She finaled in another contest.”

Friend: “Awesome. What a nice hobby for her.”

My reaction:  

It drives me absolutely bonkers when people describe my writing as a “hobby.” Paint by numbers is a hobby. Building sculptures out of toenail clippings is a hobby. Fantasy football is a hobby.

I am trying to sell my work. Actually make money by writing. So it’s not a hobby…right?

What’s a hobby anyway?

Merriam-Webster defines it as “a pursuit outside one’s regular occupation engaged in especially for relaxation.”

Truth time: since I haven’t sold a book yet, my regular occupation isn’t novelist. I work a day job because I like to eat and pay bills and stuff. So according to the first half of the definition, writing is a hobby.

But what about the second half, “…engaged in especially for relaxation.”

Do I write because it’s relaxing?

Hells to the no. Writing is many things—challenging, rewarding, infuriating, liberating, life affirming—but I wouldn’t call it relaxing. And implicit in the definition of “hobby” is the idea that you’re pursuing an activity for the sole reason that it’s pleasurable.

Looking at the simplified definition for hobby confirms it: “an interest or activity engaged in for pleasure.”

Writing is pleasurable, sure. I love to write. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t do it. But that’s not exclusively why I do it. I’m writing for business (i.e., to get published), not only for pleasure.

Even though writing romance novels hasn’t earned me a dime, I hope it will someday, preferably sooner than later. And at the moment, I’m working hard as hell to make that goal a reality.

In fact, even if you’re not published, the IRS categorizes writing as an occupation if you’re intending to make it a paid, substantial gig. It doesn’t matter if you have another job that you’re subsisting on in the meantime, you can still claim a loss on expenses related to writing (FYI: Writers Digest offers wonderfully informative tax advice for writers here).

Most businesses lose money the first five years they’re in operation; the IRS knows this. So whether something qualifies as a “business” doesn’t hinge on it turning a profit. Same with writing. Whether it’s a hobby or a business depends on how you treat your writing pursuits, not how much money you’re making (or not making) from it.

If you write purely for fun, perhaps dabble every once in a while with no real intent to see your work published: hobby.

If you write with the express goal of selling your work: business.

Because my goal is to sell my stories and, with luck, eventually write full-time, I consider writing a business venture, not a hobby.

How about you? Do you consider writing a hobby if you’re not published? Leave your thoughts in the comments!