Should Writers with Little Money be Kept Out of Publishing?

[image error] Does this feel like an ad you would take. It does for more writers than you might imagine. (Image by Jaime)

I wanted to share a post by Traci Kenworth because she introduces an issue facing artists and writers. Traci writes:

…There was a big argument on Twitter on whether writers with little money should be kept out of publishing. There were those who wondered how writers not being able to pay the $20 PitchWars fee, how could they afford to be on the internet? Basically, they were saying that if you can’t afford to pay, you shouldn’t be trying to write a book or publish it.

I’m not sure Traci interpreted their meaning correctly, but that doesn’t mean their comments shouldn’t give us pause for concern. What they seem to be suggesting is this:

How can these writers say they can’t afford an entry fee when they can pay for an Internet provider?

It’s an argument I’ve heard before in other contexts. My father, for instance: “Why are you asking me for money when you went to the movies yesterday?” It assumes a false equivalency. The dollar I spent on the movie yesterday1 might not compensate for the twenty-dollar fee for the senior trip the school announced today and wants tomorrow. Or pay for the gas I need after my sister borrowed my car to drive to San Antonio without refilling.

As Traci points out, the lack of money can cripple young writers in countless ways. Entry fees add up, internet connections cost money as do cloud storage fees to back up their work. I can afford to write only because my wife’s retirement allows me the luxury of time.2 I don’t feel the pressure of money that other writers do. But I try to empathize with them. Which is why I’m sharing Traci’s post with you:

Should Writers with Little Money be Kept Out of Publishing?

1Hard to believe movies only cost a dollar when I was in high school.back
2My own adjunct professor’s salary does not, even combined with Social Security.back


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