Media Piracy - Some Thoughts from Someone Who Creates Stuff

[NJCher]

11. writing compensation schemes have never been fair or good

A small group of us (all writers) were just talking about this last night. We 're the following types of writers: one journalist, a legal/real estate writer, and writers of instructional material. One interesting point that was made was that all of us, early in our careers, walked away from the traditional structure for writers because it just didn't work for us.

One person was interviewed at The New Yorker and would have been given the job--except that she didn't meet that last criterion they threw out at the end of the interview: she wasn't independently wealthy. Yes, you heard that right. When she said she could probably survive on their miserly salary, they declined, saying that she would need to go to parties, art showings, and gatherings of other sorts and she would need money for an acceptable wardrobe, cabs, etc. Therefore she did not get the job after all. So what does this tell you about our independent media? Also--this wasn't the only prominent magazine that told her something of this nature. There were a couple others and you would be shocked at the names--except they're no longer publishing.

In my case, I was probably only in my mid-twenties and had an appointment with a NYC editor regarding a freelance article. Other freelance writers were being interviewed, too, and I struck up a conversation with a few of them. I think I walked away from that place without even going in for the interview because based on the types of people in that waiting room, I could see I'd never be a success at this as I was not willing to put up with the C@$#p the others seemed willing to deal with. Also, they were far more aggressive than I was ever going to be. I said to myself that if that's what it took to be a success as a freelance writer, then I wasn't going to be one.

As the years went by, I had many freelance writer friends whose stories about the field confirmed my original choice not to work in that area. Maybe it was selective listening and I just wanted to affirm my decision. I also had numerous deals offered to me. None were ever acceptable in terms of fair compensation.

The bottom line is there never has been and probably never will be a fair compensation system for writing. It's a disgrace because it's hard work. I am one who refuses to do it for that reason.

There are niches where a writer can be highly paid and I've cultivated a few of those areas. Stuff like writing speeches for the presidents of pharmaceutical companies, for example. You know, where you sell your soul along with the speech. Seriously, though, I was able to write some speeches and others that called for me to twist my ethics, I walked away from. Marketing communications writers can make in the six figures if they take employment with companies that are high profit. The ethical areas, once again, however, are murky.


Cher