I started twitter a few months ago, since then I've begun to love it. What started out as a love hate relationship it's allowed me to network with people in my life alot easier. News and updates happen in quickly which makes for a great social communication app.

Producing content for a fee, you're answering to the person paying you. You're fitting their requirements and hoping that you'll do it well enough to get another gig.
Producing content for free, you can enjoy indulging your interests and style. And there's usually a social element too - you meet people you otherwise wouldn't.

I'm usually the person at the receiving end of readers' photographs and video clips. There are a few who are trying to raise the profile of a project or for personal glory but sometimes it's something else.

After major incidents we appeal for people to get in touch with pictures etc. So many times I've spoken to people who a. don't think what they've seen/done is that interesting, when it is or b. just happen to have been at the right place at the right time and are happy to help out.

I don't think money is the only 'motive' (you make it sound like earning money from writing is a bad thing, I don't think it is), but it is one. Sharing information is great, and the internet is a great platform for doing that. But there's nothing wrong with wanting to make money from it. It's no bad thing. If you can spend the day doing what you love, and pay the bills at the same time, then isn't that a positive thing?

I think the greatest sadness that comes from this debate is that people find it so hard to believe a person would spend their time sharing information and engaging with fellow human beings without having a monetary motive.

There's the other option that I don't think is quite covered by the above. A lot of people write for free in the hope that at some point they'll get paid to do it. That's how I started when I was first blogging three years ago. Sure, I always stuck to what I was passionate about (otherwise there really would have been no point), but it was always with the hope of leading to paid work in the area I wanted to work in. It paid off (excuse the pun). I know that sounds much more shallow than saying "I write because I love it", but it's still a reason to consider. Whether or not you should have to work for free to get where you want is another matter...

It's a really interesting question Vikki - I think it's probably a combination of all of the above and probably changes quite a lot from person to person. It would be naive to think that it is done for the greater good!