Would you write or read a short story advert?

[Patti (baconater)]

Seems William Boyd has written an advert for Landrover.

Pays the bills, I suppose but something about it rankles me.

What do you lot think?

Oh, it's free if you want a look.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Vanishing...

[Jim]

Fascinating
A friend of mine who is an erotic novelist also does bespoke commissions for discerning individual clients.
At a standard freelance rate of 20p a word I suppose I'd be happy to follow, anyone want their own Benor Dorfinngil novel, purely for them? ;-)

On a serious note I suspect that because I've had to feed the family as a freelance writer it bothers me less than it might bother others.

[Patti (baconater)]

Yeah, that's the thing, Jim. I understand the need to pay the bills, of course.
Just seems a huge sell out. Mind you, musicians have been selling their songs for adverts for decades...

I don't think I'd pay money for a book like that. I wonder if that's the general feeling and why it's free.

[Michael]

That is just... weird.

[Jim]

I feel a blog coming on ;-)

[Patti (baconater)]

Jim wrote: "I feel a blog coming on ;-)"

Sounds painful.

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Patti (baconater) wrote: "Jim wrote: "I feel a blog coming on ;-)"

Sounds painful."

It's all that rich food at this time of year!

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

You can get a tablet for that Jim.

[Patti (baconater)]

An unguent.

Or a dip, perhaps.

Anyway, I can think of several books that refer to products by their trade names. I know Stephen King does.

Do you reckon he gets compensation from the companies?

[David]

For some reason, this thread reminded me of Danny Gatton's old beer bottle guitar slide video because he always used a beer bottle with no label and said "Your brand could be here." Sadly, Danny is no longer with us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfBF4rr7FiA

[Jim]

Gingerlily - Elephant Philosopher wrote: "You can get a tablet for that Jim."

I'm not getting caught by Apple, that's for sure

[Jim]

Here we are
http://jandbvwebster.wordpress.com/20...

[Patti (baconater)]

I'd like to say 'book whore' but that'd be rude. ;)

[Will]

Why not? It's a job.

[Jim]

It's like the man said.

Man goes up to woman at a party and asks, "Would you sleep with me for £10,000,000
Anyway she ums and ahs a bit, but eventually says, 'Yes.'

Then he says, "Will you sleep with me for £10."
She gets indignant and says, "What do you think I am?"
He said, "We established that with the first question, now we're just discussing rates."

Once you've taken money for your work, we're just down to discussing rates :-)

[A.L.]

Jim wrote: "It's like the man said.

Man goes up to woman at a party and asks, "Would you sleep with me for £10,000,000
Anyway she ums and ahs a bit, but eventually says, 'Yes.'

Then he says, "Will you sleep ..."

Lol. Good point.

[Jim]

Jacquelynn wrote: "Interesting blog, Jim."

Glad to be of service :-)

[B J]

I think it's an idea with great potential. My son works for one of the big five accountancy firms. I've asked him to make it clear that I'm available if they want a short story about exciting, adventurous accountants saving the world.

[Kath]

B J wrote: "I think it's an idea with great potential. My son works for one of the big five accountancy firms. I've asked him to make it clear that I'm available if they want a short story about exciting, adve..."

Good luck with that! Silk purse... sow's ear? ;)

[Jim]

B J wrote: "I think it's an idea with great potential. My son works for one of the big five accountancy firms. I've asked him to make it clear that I'm available if they want a short story about exciting, adve..."

Well my books have featured heroic Cartographers, Insurance loss adjusters and radio DJs
I did actually sell one book to an insurance loss adjuster because he just had to have a book with one in as a hero :-)

[Jim]

Kath wrote: "Good luck with that! Silk purse... sow's ear? ;) ..."


Oh ye of little faith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YUiB...

[David]

B J wrote: "I think it's an idea with great potential. My son works for one of the big five accountancy firms. I've asked him to make it clear that I'm available if they want a short story about exciting, adve..."

I'll go shares with you:

https://davidhadleyauthor.wordpress.c...

[B J]

Nice one, David. Do they have a hot-line where we can report suspected miscreants?

[B J]

Kath wrote: "B J wrote: "I think it's an idea with great potential. My son works for one of the big five accountancy firms. I've asked him to make it clear that I'm available if they want a short story about ex..."

Over Christmas someone told me the origin of that expression. There's an old French (I think) word for a cheap, inferior material that sounds like 'sow's ear'. My memory is such that I've already forgotten the word.

[David]

B J wrote: "Nice one, David. Do they have a hot-line where we can report suspected miscreants?"

There was talk of having something similar to the bat-phone or the bat-signal called the VAT phone, but everyone was afraid to use it because it was too expensive.

[Lydia]

David wrote: "For some reason, this thread reminded me of Danny Gatton's old beer bottle guitar slide video because he always used a beer bottle with no label and said "Your brand could be here." Sadly, Danny is..."

Thank you for that link. I'm very partial to slide guitar.

[Will]

Most of Shakespeare's sonnets.
The Last Supper.
David
Just about every celebrity "autobiography"
Most movie scripts

So, yeah, I think it's okay for writers to write to order.

[Jim]

I had a skype chat to an American guy earlier this year, he wanted a blog writing for his company, he made interesting stuff and worked with shipping etc so I had links.
Only reason I'm not writing it is he wasn't willing to pay a sensible professional rate

[Jim]

Oh and judging by the comments on the blog, we've got writers asking where to queue for the money :-)

[Patti (baconater)]

Nice to see a good discussion.

[Jim]

It's interesting, I did think we might get someone who claimed his art was what it was all about and money merely soiled him

But I'm shop soiled already so I never bothered :-)

[David]

'No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money.' - Samuel Johnson.

[Tim]

"That'll be 3 quid please, including the evil new VAT." - me.

[Jim]

David wrote: "'No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money.' - Samuel Johnson."

I have quoted these profound words several times, often to editors :-)

[David]

Nice one.

Well, it ought to be self-evident that if you want to be paid for what you do, you must produce something other people are willing to pay for.

[Jim]

Absolutely, the equation has to balance on both sides of the 'equals' sign :-)

[David]

Yep.

Unless, of course, your 'art' is too complex and profound for the hoi polloi to understand or appreciate and you must therefore depend on the largesse of the public purse in order to have the freedom to pursue your vision unhindered by the mere prosaic facts of keeping the wolf from your door.

[R.J.]

No problem at all. You put some words together you get paid if you are lucky. Most writers never get paid. It's a biz.

[Jim]

David wrote: "Yep.

Unless, of course, your 'art' is too complex and profound for the hoi polloi to understand or appreciate and you must therefore depend on the largesse of the public purse in order to have the freedom to pursue your vision unhindered by the mere prosaic facts of keeping the wolf from your door...."

I really must remember those wise words when I fill in my next arts council grant application :-)

[Jim]

R.J. wrote: "No problem at all. You put some words together you get paid if you are lucky. Most writers never get paid. It's a biz."

Nah, if you don't get paid, it's not a business, it's a hobby :-)

[David]

Jim wrote: "I really must remember those wise words when I fill in my next arts council grant application :-) "

Well, as far as I can see it does seem to work for a lot of the... artists who are discussed here:

http://davidthompson.typepad.com/davi...

[Jim]

That blog is just brilliant, as are his links!

[Rosemary (grooving with the Picts)]

Excellent blog. The Paypal Donate button was a nice touch too :+|

[Patti (baconater)]

Think I'll stick with the daily mail.

[Jim]

Rosemary (The Nosemanny) wrote: "Excellent blog. The Paypal Donate button was a nice touch too :+|"

I'm tempted to get one on mine ;-)

[David]

Jim wrote: "That blog is just brilliant, as are his links!"

Yes. I've been reading it for a few years now.It is one of the few places as well where the comments can be as good as the articles.

[Tim]

Can we put Donate buttons on our GR posts?

Psst, Big Issue anyone?

[Jim]

Sits cross legged on opened out cardboard box with flat cap in front of him. The cap already contains a few token coins to remind passersby what it's for.
Has border collie as a companion in an attempt to elicit more generous giving.