Word Wise Penny Fools: A World of Broke Writers

by Mandira Pattnaik

Towfiqu barbhuiya

In a correspondence with Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine, Edgar Allan Poe, one of the world’s greatest writers, and one who straddled ‘art’ and ‘commercial’ culture, writes: “Upon the whole I am not willing to admit that you have greatly overpaid me.”

His lifetime earnings — fourteen years as a professional writer, editor, poet and lecturer — was USD $6200. Adjusted to today’s dollar value and inflation, it’d still be less than half the poverty level today. Herman Melville (American novelist, best known for Moby Dick), O. Henry and Oscar Wilde are all said to have died penniless. Whether they were paid less, or were not careful with spending, is disputed to this day.

In recent years, literary figures have been reported to be earning in millions and leading celebrity lifestyles. J.K. Rowling and Maya Angelou saw early poverty before tasting literary success. Chetan Bhagat, a popular Indian novelist, is reported to earn INR 1.5 crore per month or USD 190 million per month (2022 report).

However, the downturn seems here again.

In the three-plus years I’ve been on the literary ‘scene’ writing and contributing to magazines (both online and print, but no chapbooks/books), and as an editor and reader, I have received payments and contributor copies. Pretty decent, in my opinion. I’ve ENJOYED being here, LOVED what I did, every day.

But not all are as lucky. Now is a time when I am seeing the largest numbers of literary magazines —decades old, very much in circulation, apparently doing well — suddenly announcing a hiatus, or even a closure. Writers on social media platforms requesting funding for projects, or asking for help so they can simply meet ends, is definitely disconcerting, particularly when side-by-side the world continues to toast and boast a handful of publishing success stories around. More shocking is the sheer rise in numbers of writers/poets/artists literally falling off the radar, particularly in crisis-hit nations in post-pandemic times. While I’ve been writing this column, two more highly popular places announced temporary closures: Trish Hopkinson’s blog and Misery Tourism. Publishers, editors and event organizers, are routinely reporting losses, low ticket sales of events, workshops and courses, and also lesser-than-normal entries to contests. According to several media reports, both e-book and print overall book sales have also plummeted in 2022.

We writers were never rich, but this is an appalling trend.

SO, IS IT REALLY OWING TO THE ONCOMING RECESSION? Probably yes. Already here or to hit later in the year. According to financial experts, it is expected to be moderate. Good! Bad news? It’s going to be prolonged. Bloomberg says, “Even a downturn on the shallower end of the spectrum would likely see hundreds of thousands of Americans — at least — lose their jobs.” (July 3)

With financial stress on people, it goes without saying that the first item on the list to get struck off will be expenditure on the ‘arts.’

SO WHAT’S AT STAKE? Almost everything. Not everyone does it ‘on the side.’ Apart from writers for whom writing must pay the bills, there’s a whole eco-system of agents, copy editors, proofreaders, publishers, printers, book sellers and stockists. The downturn could affect everybody.

THE ARGUMENT OF PAYING FOR ART AND SELLING ART: This is not the time to discuss that argument, but of course, that argument is still valid. Yes, we create art out of habit, it isn’t necessarily a vocation to start with, yet easily develops into one. But in times like these, be prepared to have this argument thrown at creatives more and more: ‘Who pays for short fiction?’ ‘And why do you need to sell your art, isn’t it something you enjoy doing?’ ‘Art will sustain itself,’ and ‘Who needs originality.’ and ‘why spend on a book when you should on, maybe, something else?’

WHAT ARE THE AVENUES FOR A FREELANCER? This might be a good time to try out other options you haven’t explored before, like freelancing for projects and companies. Even newspapers looking for specific inputs. It won’t be much in payment but worth the time you spend researching and the added exposure of a new platform. Also, content writing, copy editing, and social media management are some options that are still being chased, at the moment, if you are looking to diversify and hedge the worse that’s coming.

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF GETTING DUPED? There are. Instances of stolen pitches, payments skipped for no fault of the writer, or short-paid creators aren’t uncommon as the deep economic crisis looms. In a traditional system where most payments are after publication, and much of it is good faith, this is a secret nobody likes to share. But we keep fingers crossed. As travelers with tickets on the same boat going to the same shore, over the same turbulence, we expect it doesn’t happen, at least not all of them at once.

SO WHAT’S NEXT? Most argue there’s not much to trim anyway! Writers, editors and publishers are already operating on shoe-string budgets. What could help is that, over the last few years, a robust network across online publishing and marketing has been built. Writers are connecting with readers over communities and blogs. That will hopefully absorb most of the shock. Plus, the experience of revival of book business post the recession in Argentina, according to this NYT report, with the opening of small bookshops and increased reader footfalls, perhaps points to some hope for all of us. Plus, there’ll be creation no matter what, and writing for the sheer joy of it!