Writing for a living

From Asoboo - Japan Fiction Writer's Forum

Barbara asked me over the weekend: "How is the writing as a way of making money going for you? I am always curious about that."

It's probably one of those things that writers don't talk about to each other - the money that they make (or more to the point, that they don't). It's estimated that the average Australian writer makes $10,000 a year. I'm guessing though that the average Australian writer doesn't receive $10,000 a year. I expect (having done university standard statistics!) that there are a few writers at the top making some money and it's averaged across the rest of us. In reality, I would be stoked if I made $10,000 this year from writing, but its unlikely?

To date this year I've been paid $45.00 - from the sale of 'Demon Lover'! Don't spend it all at once, my mother would have said once upon a time, in jest. The cheque is still pinned to my noticeboard ... I really must remember to put it in the bank. Obviously I'm not spending it all at once! I have numerous articles either published or about to be in a variety of newsletters and magazines, but like so many of us - its for the love of it, no money will exchange hands for these. It's all about getting published, getting the exposure - we've all told that to ourselves and to those close to us.

For me I find it hard to value myself as a writer, to value the time that's put into writing (and thus make time for it), when there is no monetary return. Don't get me wrong, I'm not interested in making lots of money, I'm not in it purely for the money - it's simply that I'm finally learning that everything has a price, everything has a monetary value and at the moment my writing has very little. We equate something with little value as being worthless - and that's the irony. I don't believe that my writing is worthless. I know that I have the ability to move people, push them in places that they may not want to go ... make them laugh, cry, applaude, hate! I believe my work is most definitley worthy - though my bank balance makes a liar out of me. I'm certain that I am not the only one who feels this way.

Recently I was asked to do some editorial consulting - and I had no idea what to charge. The three years I was at the helm of Down to Birth, it was as a volunteer, it was for the love of it. My friend Catherine, who I was having lunch with, told me that once I began to feel uncomfortable with the dollar amount in my head, I was getting close to my true worth.

But there is very little chance for us as writers to set our price, to feel the discomfort of getting close to our monetary worth. We feel grateful for whatever money gets tossed our way - it's like feeding scraps to stray dogs. Our currency is the glowing comments that we receive ... but it's not dollars in the bank at the end of the day - a collection of wonderful comments wont allow you to give up your day job.

Even if you do strike a big publishing deal - it will be the publishing house that makes all the money - and again, they'll just throw you the scraps ... I don't think as writers we should feel thankful about 10% and 15%s ... after all WE WERE THE ONES THE CREATED IT, in the first place. It is our blood, sweat and tears, the time we've spent away from family and friends. Is that really all we're worth? And like my cheque for Demon Lover - I was ecstatic about $45.00 because it meant something. But is my story only worth $45.00 fee (the standard fee for the short stories they publish.) It's like letting off fire works only to discover they're pissweak, made in China, firelights that go bang really loudly but that's it.

In doing some internet research, I discovered that of the short fiction that is available on the internet - it is no surprise that 99.9% of it is FREE! On blogs, on dedicated fiction sites, as adjuncts to other websites ... I guess that I should feel rather priviledged that Getting Hitched, the site that published my Demon Lover, actually offered to pay for it and followed throug with a cheque!

Occassionally I would like an easy and simple avenue for my work to be published - somewhere my value as a writer is honoured. It's one of those double bind situations, most editors want to see that you've already been published, want some type of guarantee as to your saleability before they take you on board. What if you're still unpublished? What if you haven't manage to find that niche for your writing? And there's the time factor. When you're already hard pressed to find the time to write ... there's editing and then the whole process of submitting work and waiting.

I'm a full time Mum and in days gone by, I would have called myself lazy for the fact that I dont go after the publishing opportunities that may exist out there. The fact is, that after I have written something, I simply file it away. I am busy, not lazy ... all these steps in writing take time and now perhaps I'm overtly focused on the creation side. There is a sizeable back catalogue of work accumulating there, waiting for me to remember that it's there and to do something with it. Perhaps finally I've worked out what to do with it.

There is a saying 'When the going get's tough, the tough getting going' ... but I'm pretty sure it should actually read 'When the going get's touch, the tough get creative'. Watch this space for more ... but until then, what are your thoughts on being paid for your writing?

• Do you believe that short fiction should be available free on the internet or do you believe this undermines the true value of it?
• How would you feel about being PAID to have your writing on the internet rather than offering it up for free?
• Who pays to publish short fiction online?
• Does the mere suggestion of being paid for your writing amp up the cringe factor in your mind? Or is being paid the first milestone to feeling like you are a 'real' writer?