Wednesday 1 July 2020

Insecure Writer's Support Group #7

Last month, I failed to write a proper Insecure Writer's Support Group post. Well, not this month. This month I attempt to atone for that. Sign up here.

I have no more time, but I have managed to organise things better. I'm attempting to fit a week's work into a Friday and although I am ultimately not succeeding. I am getting a lot done. My new job has involved filming a documentary Carleton In Lockdown reflecting upon how Covid 19 has affected a small village in North Yorkshire. I've also entered a couple of writing competitions, been pitching some things, so fingers crossed, and writing things which haven't been announced yet, so I'm not in a position to say much.

This month's optional question:

There have been many industry changes in the last decade, so what are some changes you would like to see happen in the next decade?

I would like to see online writing receive similar pay agreements as print work. I've heard of one massive media company that has recently cut their payment by a third and blamed it on Covid-19. I would like to see writers of all genders, ethnicities and backgrounds offered the same terms and, in particular, advances. A recent twitter conversation revealed that cis white males were far more likely to get a decent advance than any other group. This is obviously discriminatory and unjustifiable.

Ten years from now my son will be eleven years old and it feels that during his short life so far the planet has taken several regressive steps. I hope that we can catch up in that time.

7 comments:

Lidy said...

Good luck with your competitions and pitches. I also agree with you about online writing payments. And definitely that the publishing industry need to give the same terms and advances to other writers of different race and gender as they would do to cis white males.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Best wishes on your documentary, your writing projects, and querying! I think the publishing industry definitely needs to take some steps forward. I think our world made some changes, and then took a step or two backwards. It's time for these growing pains. We can make the world a more just place to live.

Chrys Fey said...

All the best with your documentary, as well as writing.

I second everything you said that you'd like to see change.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Cut payments - that's rough.
Sounds like you have a lot in the hopper, Dave.

Patsy said...

More and more content is going online – but the writers often aren't getting properly paid for it. You're right, it should be treated more like printed work.

Donna Hanton said...

I agree! Online content has been woefully exploited in the past. I like to think that things are getting better slowly. Good luck with all your projects

Michelle Wallace said...

With regards to changes? From an educational perspective, I’d like to see more of a three-way collaboration with authors, libraries and schools. It would go a long way in helping to combat the literacy problems in our country.

Good luck with all your writing projects!