She thinks you need help. Margot might not possess the quickest brain in the Western world, but she meets a boy who says he’s a poet, and the first word that comes to her is starvation.
Auster, Paul. Invisible (p. 17). Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.
Fantastic essay :) All too often, exposure is the only “payment” offered for writers as you mention, which isn’t helpful when we need to pay our bills! I love the connections you’ve made here to writers of the past, in particular the relationship between recognition and gender
We have to face the truth though :) Thanks for making it clear and also sharing with those who don't write what our salaries look like.
Sure, it has long been a problem, but there are unique problems for writers now, and I agree that it narrows the voice we get to hear, the one that makes it to (marketed) publication.
As you say, if it is up to 'goodwill of the reader' maybe it will take a larger cultural shift and mindset change where the public recognizes and realizes the need/desire for this artistry and are willing to pay for things like Substack publications. There are of course some who do, but it doesn't amount to all that much (especially for more literary/artistic publications). But a shift might mean understanding what's missing on a deeper level, and I'm not sure how people can realize it. Leaders who read - Obama comes to mind - have the power to help shape this narrative. Another factor could be through taxation of the rich if more grants were given out to writers in recognition of the value for society. Would love to have a longer discussion with you about our work and the balance between writing/money/artistry.
Thanks Kathleen, I know you have written before on The Matterhorn about the importance of art and of studying the arts, and would also love to discuss more! Unfortunately, it is all too common for the arts to be sidelined or seen as less important. I think maybe the popularity of celebrity book clubs and such could have an influence, but unfortunately even having a bestselling novel out doesn't automatically equate to earning a good living, which I don't think people often realise.
This post also made me think of Audre Lorde’s “Poetry is not a luxury”
So true! It is a sad fact that all areas of art are often undervalued. Thank you for reading : )
She thinks you need help. Margot might not possess the quickest brain in the Western world, but she meets a boy who says he’s a poet, and the first word that comes to her is starvation.
Auster, Paul. Invisible (p. 17). Henry Holt and Co.. Kindle Edition.
That's one of my favorite books
Fantastic essay :) All too often, exposure is the only “payment” offered for writers as you mention, which isn’t helpful when we need to pay our bills! I love the connections you’ve made here to writers of the past, in particular the relationship between recognition and gender
Thanks for reading : ) I know, unfortunately we can't live on "exposure"...
It's true and it hurts!
We have to face the truth though :) Thanks for making it clear and also sharing with those who don't write what our salaries look like.
Sure, it has long been a problem, but there are unique problems for writers now, and I agree that it narrows the voice we get to hear, the one that makes it to (marketed) publication.
As you say, if it is up to 'goodwill of the reader' maybe it will take a larger cultural shift and mindset change where the public recognizes and realizes the need/desire for this artistry and are willing to pay for things like Substack publications. There are of course some who do, but it doesn't amount to all that much (especially for more literary/artistic publications). But a shift might mean understanding what's missing on a deeper level, and I'm not sure how people can realize it. Leaders who read - Obama comes to mind - have the power to help shape this narrative. Another factor could be through taxation of the rich if more grants were given out to writers in recognition of the value for society. Would love to have a longer discussion with you about our work and the balance between writing/money/artistry.
Thanks Kathleen, I know you have written before on The Matterhorn about the importance of art and of studying the arts, and would also love to discuss more! Unfortunately, it is all too common for the arts to be sidelined or seen as less important. I think maybe the popularity of celebrity book clubs and such could have an influence, but unfortunately even having a bestselling novel out doesn't automatically equate to earning a good living, which I don't think people often realise.