Hard Work Hardly Any Pay
Writing is a tough way to make a living - just like the other arts. Many famous painters, musicians, and dancers never became wealthy. You may work at writing a long time and never strike it rich. That's the truth: however that is not the only truth.
Many, many writers earn a decent living from writing. They may not be rich or famous but they are surviving. The important thing to keep in mind is that writers write because they can't imagine doing anything else.
I recently facilitated my workshop based on Dollars and Sense for Writers. Near the end, we do an exercise called Do the Math. In it, I illustrate how discounts, royalties, and per word payments impact what a writer earns. I saw a lot of sad faces. Some in the class had come expecting to earn thousands from their memoir effort. That's like assuming one will win the lottery. There's nothing wrong with the positive attitude but, while waiting for the windfall, it's best to continue a writing life grounded in reality.
Happily there remain many opportunities for writers. What has changed is the manner in which our words are delivered to our readers. Printed books are no longer the norm. Digital media have replaced them. But there is nothing as flexible as writing.
If you have a love of something, such as fishing, ballet, or apple pie, you can write about it and get paid for doing it. Think about it - how many sports writers are there? How many movie critics? In addition to the many possible topics, there are more outlets than books. Think Web sites, think theater, think local newspaper If you have something to say and say it well, your words will find an audience.
So plan on hard work and expect hardly any pay but if you love to write, write. The money and reward will come.
Votes for Kindle?
Frankly, I don’t get the DoJ’s lawsuit against Apple. In going after the “agency model,” the Department of Justice is conveniently forgetting about some of the things Amazon and Jeff Bezos have pulled over time.
How about the ongoing battle over Amazon’s refusal to collect sales tax even in states where it has a physical presence? No Department of Justice involvement in that issue. And it wasn’t that long ago that a small, independent publisher had to sue Amazon for the right to use whatever printing company it wanted to use after Amazon tried to force publishers to employ the printer it owned. And now there's the KDP program that forbids authors from publishing anywhere but Amazon. Isn't that the same issue as the lawsuit? But - no DoJ for any of this.
With all the things on the DoJ’s plate, why is it taking such a hard line on Apple? What prompted that? What, or who, put the bee in the DoJ’s bonnet? The agency model has been around since 2010 and many more publishers are using it than just the five named in the DoJ lawsuit. If five publishers are breaking the law, aren’t all that use the agency model guilty? Why go after just those few companies? And why now? What’s different about 2012? Oh - that’s right. It’s an election year.
Perhaps because I write mysteries, I am a cynic. I do not see the Department of Justice’s interest as purely and simply a matter of law. Nothing in Washington is ever pure or simple.
There is a reason for the DoJ involvement in this problem at this time. Could it be the run-away popularity of Apple products? Could it be that someone is unhappy about all the books being sold at higher prices for Apple, Nooks, eReaders, and other non-Kindle products? I ask these questions because Amazon is so clearly the winner here.
As an author, I support all markets because I want my work to reach my readers. My author-related feelings about the Department of Justice lawsuit are entirely separate from how I view that suit as a business person.
I write here as a business person and I can tell you that this lawsuit is entirely about the bottom line. Don’t kid yourself. This is about dollars. Billions of them.
Vending More Than Candy
Or should I say their vending library. That’s right. The Carnegie-Stout Public Library partnered with Hy-Vee grocery stores to put book vending machines at the stores. How cool is that?
In this rapidly changing world, writers must constantly find new ways to reach the reading public. Apparently the same dilemma faces libraries. I had not considered that. Nor had I had seen the article in the local paper. My traveling companion saw it.
The incident brought several things to light:
- I should read more newspapers.
- Although my friend has never read one of my books, she does read and applies what she reads to those around her.
- Distribution in the tech age is a problem for libraries as well as writers
- Libraries must find new ways to reach patrons if they are to remain viable
So what does this have to do with the business of writing? It points out that getting books or articles into the hands of readers is hard work. One has to know where one’s customers are and how to reach them. The old ways don’t necessarily produce the best results. We writers must understand that when considering how to help readers find our work.
As you write, consider what you can do aid distribution. Certainly social networking is one way. But as the Dubuque library vending idea illustrates, reaching customers is all about knowing where they are and being there with the product.
Bad Bad Book Country?
My purpose today is to point out that Book Country (the self-pub arm of Penguin) may not be as evil as some would have you believe. Or it may be just as bad as JA Konrath and others have stated. (JA Konrath blog) There is more to this than just money and I caution all writers to approach their publishing options with extreme caution.
For starters - read that contract. Every single stinking word of it. Watch out for more than the dollars. Be very careful about who will own your work. Is there an escape clause? Can you leave this publisher and go with someone else? How will your work be distributed and in what platforms? (Use the contract review checklist in Dollars and Sense for Writers to assist you.)
Look at the publisher's business ethics. Is this a company you want to work with or does it do things that trouble you? There are some very large companies that spend an awful lot of time in court. Do you want to be one of those filing suit? Do you care?
Finally, consider what works best for you. If you work full time and have little computer savvy, you may feel that paying someone to format your manuscript for e-publishing makes sense. If that is your decision, be sure to compare vendors. Select someone who charges a reasonable rate and has a proven track record. There are plenty of independent contractors who do this work and they charge a lot less than a self-publisher will.
Writing is a business. Remember to treat it like one. Make all your decisions after investigating your options and considering all the facts. Book Country, and others like it, may be a bad deal. Or not. Only you can determine that based on what works for you and your situation.
Many Tasks, Little Time
Recently my mother experienced a heart episode that had me at the hospital for the better part of week. Needless to say, I didn't get much writing done. While I focused on my mother's health, I was aware that I had a deadline to meet for my publisher, neither of my blogs were updated, and my plans to work on promotion projects were sidelined.
Simply stated, I felt guilty. I wasn't doing my job. In point of fact, I wasn't doing any work of any kind. I didn't go to my day job, I didn't write, and I didn't get the dishes done.
Obviously we all have times when we are required to do things that were not in our schedule. Sometimes, these unplanned events interfere with conducting our business. So what do we do when life interferes? First, try not to be too hard on yourself. Do what you can when you can and let it go at that. Hopefully you are working with people who will understand and support you.
I am happy to report that my mother is home and doing well. My new novel made it to the editor a week late but in much better shape than if I had tried to work on it when my mind was at the hospital. My employer just stacked things on my desk, knowing I would get to it as soon as I could. And the dishes got done, too. Three cheers for dishwashers.
My point is this - give yourself a break. One part of managing your business is understanding and accepting that there are times when all your plans are for naught. It's your reaction to the chaos that may determine how quickly you recover your stride and move forward.
Change Isn't a Nickel
Jason Hiner states, “In the new Internet world, there are going to be a lot more books published (as e-books) and lot more titles to sort through, but it’s also going to become a much more democratic process and there will be room for more people to make a living as niche authors. The traditional publishers will morph into promotional agents for the really big titles.”
This will not happen; it already has happened. It’s done. More than half a million titles are published annually, thanks to e-publishing. The big six publishers are already agents and, like Hollywood, seek only the blockbuster. Many writers no longer writer; they have turned into producers. James Patterson is a conglomerate that licenses his name because the name sells books, not his writing. And he isn’t the only big name doing this.
So what does this mean for the average writer? It means finding a market for your work on your own. In addition to writing, authors must now distribute and market. It also means that your work had better be the best you can make it or you won’t get repeat sales.That’s a lot for writers to take on. It’s hard enough to write a good book. Lawrence Block said he takes 12-18 months for a reason. Add the business side and the burden of doing it all can bring many writers to their knees.
Before you decide to author books, be sure you know what you’re getting into. That’s why I wrote Dollars and Sense for Writers. Not to scare you off but to prepare you for what’s ahead.
Copyright Snags
There is a slight hitch to copyright law, however. Unlike hamburgers, books can be resold. The author gets no part of that. Nor do publishers and they don’t like it.
Publishers recently scored big when the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in their favor in a case involving the resale of textbooks. (Read Publishers Weekly article) Simply stated, a student purchased books that were produced elsewhere and resold them to his fellow students. It is the “produced elsewhere” part of the transaction that got him into trouble. The court agreed that he violated the law. No problem there. However the court went on to rule that books produced outside the jurisdiction of the US copyright law cannot be resold.
You say "So what?" Where are many of our goods currently manufactured? China. China is outside the jurisdiction of US law. Therefore a book printed there cannot be resold. The market most affected is textbooks. The publishers may have won a battle but, in doing so, they knifed the kids and have potentially unleashed a reaction that will negatively impact all writers.
Not long ago, I spoke to a divinity student who confessed he used a pirated copy of a textbook. He simply did not have the $400 the book cost.
In forcing students to always buy new textbooks at ridiculously inflated prices, US publishers are pushing them to pirate. If they overcome their consciences often enough, they will not stop at textbooks. (Pirating is already a big problem. Let’s not have divinity students piling on.) The end result is that everyone loses: the students, the writers, and the publishers.
We cannot undo the court’s decision. However we can encourage our publishers to print books here so that they can be resold. We may not make any money on the resales but at least we can keep our kids from stealing.
Should You DIY?
Can you design a Web page yourself? Do you know how to write a press release or ad copy? These are questions that I pose on the Skills Assessment questionnaire in Chapter One of Dollars and Sense for Writers.
These questions are all about spending money. Whether you should do these things yourself and save the money it would cost to hire someone or spend your time writing and pay someone else to do the work. For most writers, the answer is a simple one: Do it yourself because there is no ready cash to pay someone else.
I recently had to make such a decision. In order to accomplish a specific marketing task for my business, I need to acquire a new computer skill. I am capable of reading the Internet and teaching myself. However, that would take a significant investment in time. Happy day, the local high school is offering a 3-hour course. For a merely $30, I can get the basic training I need in one evening. This was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, these decisions are not always easy to make.
It is important to consider each investment of time as a monetary outlay. Your time has value. If you are creating a Web site, you are not writing. And if you are not writing, you are not producing the product that generates income. Does one investment outweigh the other?
I know outsourcing some of these tasks can be expensive. However, if you comparison shop and use your network, you may find some terrific bargains. For example, through the local library, a writer friend of mine found a graphic arts student-turned mom to design his book cover. He is still getting compliments on it years later and he paid a quarter of the going rate.
So when you are about to spend hours doing something yourself, take a moment and consider – is this something I really can do myself or is this something best handed off to someone else?
Do what is best for your business. If it is good for your business, it is good for you.
Commas and Colons
I have a love-hate relationship (note use of the hyphen with this pair of compound nouns) with grammar. I love that it clarifies my sentences and I hate that I have to remember how to use it properly. At least the rules of grammar are truly useful and apply directly to what I do; something I was never able to say about those in geometry.
I rely on several books and a terrific Web site to assist me with my grammar. The Chicago Manual of Style is a frightfully thick tome. Once a writer figures out how to use it, the answer to nearly every conceivable grammar-related question can be found in its pages. I also use the Associated Press Stylebook. And there’s the gotta-have-it English Grammar for Dummies. Finally, among the many wonderful Web sites that deal with this topic, a particular favorite is http://www.dailywritingtips.com/.
Writing is hard work. After we do battle with fact or fiction, quotes or dialogue, we must concern ourselves with spelling and grammar. I am amazed that even after my work is proofed by multiple readers, errors remain. My editor circles in red, highlights in yellow, and underscores. Together we do battle against the ever-present passive voice and the sentences that end in prepositions.
I am better with grammar than I was and I am grateful that I had English teachers who spent weeks drilling us in grammatical rules. While the struggle to use my own language effectively continues, I can’t help but wonder if writing in French or German would be easier.
Editing: As Necessary as Breathing
Perhaps it has something to do with ego. The writer feels his or her work is so good it does not require a rewrite. Or maybe the writer fears that editing will interfere with the creative process.
Simply stated, writers who do not edit their work and who do enlist the aid of someone who will help them edit their work, will never improve as writers. In addition, their material, whether published or not, will not be as good as it might be. It may not sell well or it may be criticized negatively; something that will also hamper sales. Even J.K. Rowling admits that her books needed to be edited more thoroughly and that the push to satisfy the hype produced books that were less than what she had envisioned. They are too long, there are unresolved issues, and the prose is cumbersome in spots. I agree and so do others. (See the commentary at Writing101.com.)
Editors do not search for missing periods. That is the job of a proofreader. Editors tell a writer when things don't make sense plus they help with character development and structure. They keep writers focused and point out plot issues or weak spots. Finally, editors help writers say what they mean to say.
Good editors never rewrite anything themselves. They point out the trouble spots and leave the rewrites to the author. This ensures that the article or manuscript retains the writer's voice and does not pick up the editor's point of view. Good editors are mindful of what sells but do not sacrifice a work on the altar of merchandizing.
Where does one find a good editor? Unless you have an exceptional relationship with someone who is willing to be brutally honest, it is best not to use your spouse, child, or best friend as an editor. Ask other writers, librarians, or instructors for referrals.
In summary, all writers need editing so do yourself a favor and find one. You won't regret it.
