Time Costs Money

[rynling]

A dirty secret: you can only be a writer if you can afford it
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/feb/27/a-dirty-secret-you-can-only-be-a-writer-if-you-can-afford-it

According to a 2018 Author’s Guild Study the median income of all published authors for all writing related activity was $6,080 in 2017, down from $10,500 in 2009; while the median income for all published authors based solely on book-related activities went from $3,900 to $3,100, down 21%. Roughly 25% of authors earned $0 in income in 2017.

I would argue that there is nothing more sustaining to long-term creative work than time and space – these things cost money – and the fact that some people have access to it for reasons that are often outside of their control continues to create an ecosystem in which the tenor of the voices that we hear from most often remains similar.

Where is the lie smh.

Something the article doesn't address is that, putting the act of writing aside, actually submitting your work for publication is another full-time job. Although I have a ton of ideas for original stories, one of the reasons I've stuck with fanfic since I started getting serious about writing is that not having to deal with the fiction market has given me the space to write, edit, and be a part of a community while still putting in all the necessary hours at my actual job. I don't want to say that it would have been impossible for me to publish original fiction as a tenure-track professor, but I feel much more comfortable facing the challenge now that I've left that position.

Comments

[runicmagitek]

one of the reasons I've stuck with fanfic since I started getting serious about writing is that not having to deal with the fiction market has given me the space to write, edit, and be a part of a community while still putting in all the necessary hours at my actual job.

Same tho.

I've considered putting down fanfiction to dive back into my original work, but then I think of everything that goes into being halfway successful, if that, and I get so discouraged.

I also had a similar conversation with someone years ago back when I was teaching yoga. This other person had recently bought a yoga studio and she revamped it and so forth. And she made a comment about how I should open my own studio if I was so unhappy with the available studio choices. I had to remind her that I wasn't a stay-at-home mom with a husband making six-figures to back my lucrative ventures.

[lassarina]

My book club was able to have a video chat with Seanan McGuire a few months back and someone asked her what advice she had for writers. One of the things she said was that if your goals don't explicitly include things that are specifically tied to publication, just write fanfic, you might well be a lot happier.

I've been thinking about that a lot.

[runicmagitek]

That's both comforting and depressing :( honestly, a lot of what I see tied to publication and other expectations (needing an active social media account with plenty of followers, for one) dissuades me heavily from returning to my original work with the intent to publish. But it's also nice to hear from a published author that it's not all sunshine and rainbows; I see so many published authors look down upon fanfiction and don't really mention the hardships of publishing... but I also wouldn't be surprised if these same people are like the one yoga person I knew who had all the free time and extensive disposable income thanks to a wealthy spouse.

[rynling]

Seanan McGuire is super cool, and it's amazing that you got to talk with her! Thank you so much for sharing that.

I just saw that a new episode of Fansplaining was posted on this very issue. I don't typically listen to the podcast, and I haven't actually checked out this episode yet, but I think they arrive more or less at McGuire's conclusion. Just in case, the audio file and transcript are here: https://www.fansplaining.com/episodes/121-the-money-question-2-the-appening

[rynling]

Jesus, that’s frustrating. I don't care how many years ago this conversation took place; Yoga Karen can go fuck herself.

The worst thing is that this isn’t even about the misplaced compliments and "advice," because we can all be awkward sometimes. Rather, it's about the concomitant assumption that the only reason you don't open your own yoga studio (or whatever) is because you're lazy. Which, it should go without saying, fills me with rage.

For what it's worth, I think you would make an excellent teacher, and I would take a class with you on any subject on any day of the week.

And, if you ever should be in a position to publish "original" writing, please know that I will create sock puppet accounts to spam Goodreads and Amazon with five-star ratings and reviews.

[runicmagitek]

I unfortunately have a lot of awful Yoga Karen stories (I wish it was all the same person, but it's across multiple people). And yeah, it filled me with rage then and also now. When I eventually stepped down as a yoga teacher and also from the yoga community, I had a general sense of not belonging that I had trouble placing. It wasn't until about 2018 or so when I decided to take a class at a studio again that I realized why I loathe the community - it really is full of white (and probably not poor) women who are borderline brainwashed with "life lessons" that I've only heard uttered in yoga studios.

Hmm... maybe I should make a retrospective post at some point about my experiences and feelings regarding the yoga community.

Anyhow.

As always, you are too kind and I wish I could hug you through the internet :D 💕💕💕

[lassarina]

Yeah, I mean, honestly - being a woman on social media is such a trashfire that I wouldn't really want to do it. And so I am like, do I want to do the publication thing? And I do - but I don't. so. Phew.

[lassarina]

ooh, thank you for sharing!