Money or Immortality?

I read something the other day that sparked a question. All you guys came out of the woodworks when my dog died, (bless you) so I hope you'll pop in and answer this question.

Would you rather have only ONE published novel that generations will enjoy or publish lots of books that made you buckets of money during your lifetime?

I was a little surprised when I answered this for myself. I'll tell you my answer later this week.

Your turn. Money or immortality?

Comments

Mike Keyton said…
Right, I've thought about it, but reserve the right to change my mind. I think I'd go for the many books and pots of money. That will make my future agent very happy and equally important countless generations of children who will be spared analysing my one great book in school. (My heart sank when I once saw a whole set of Harry Potter books in an English Classroom. Kiss of death) Again, though I envy and admire J.K Rowling as a thoroughly good egg and presumably the patron saint of publishers and agents everywhere Harry Potter may well be an example of a brilliant book for its time that makes pots of money but might not be read in a hundred years time. Yes, I'm talking myself into this. Write the book you enjoy and hope it makes pots.
Mike.
Anonymous said…
I think I want lots of books. It's not so much the money as the multiple stories.
Sherrill Quinn said…
I'm in this as a career, Maria, so I want to make a living out of it. Maybe not buckets of money, but enough so that I can enjoy life. I'm not looking to die broke and in obscurity... *G*
Maria Zannini said…
I would have said money, but the more I thought about it, the more I leaned toward immortality.

Here's why: I don't have kids. I don't have a legacy, someone or something that will come after me and keep my memory alive. So I think I would rather die with one phenomenal book than lots of books that made me rich.

Not that I would turn down money. I'm NOT stupid. LOL! But if Fate came down and told me I had a choice, I'd choose immortality. I'd like knowing some small part of me lived on.

--who knew I could be sentimental?
Kaz Augustin said…
Money for me. Perhaps it's also due to the fact that I'm the major breadwinner, but still....

Besides, since I'm always looking for a loophole, how's this for reasoning: if I write heaps of books and make pots of money, someone somewhere is going to remember me anyway. I may only be part of some doctoral thesis a century from now, but fame of a sort is still fame! ;)
How about one book that makes a DA VINCI CODE-sized pile of money? I'll take that. It's all about the dough for me, as you might have heard me say before.