Will Work for Food

I recently corresponded with two different people putting together an anthology about trans lives, and I asked if contributors were getting paid. I was told no one is getting paid, but they’re pitching to commercial publishers.

What the hell is that? I’m writing about this because it terrifies me. I’m not making a living writing – not many authors do – but jesus h., we still need to get paid! Sometimes I worry that because of the fierce competition in academic circles that people will do *anything* to get published, but goddamn.

So here’s Harlan Ellison giving you the what-for, writers. Get paid! & Join a damn union, whether you write books or scripts.

One Reply to “Will Work for Food”

  1. It’s normal not to get paid for publishing one’s research. Sometimes there’s a small honorarium, say $125, for a book chapter, or a journal subscription as thanks for an invited review paper. But otherwise one is not paid for writing, and often you’re expected to pay page charges out of your grant (assuming that you have one).

    Unfortunately, it’s often taxpayer-funded research published in commercially published journals, and the taxpayers have to buy back the work they already funded if they want it in public (including academic) libraries.

    So, yes, it’s really hard to make a living as a writer.

Comments are closed.