>Apparently the new issue of Poets & Writers includes an article by Steve Almond in which he argues that writers should not be willing to accept the mere pleasure of publication as payment for their work–as too many of us currently do. Maryanne Stahl has launched a discussion of the topic on her blog. How do you feel about this? What can we do?
>You already know how I feel about retaining my copyright. Here’s my thoughts on getting paid for my writing. Yes. In money or in cred, and here’s the breakdown. My feature-writing is for money. A magazine hires me to write a piece, they pay me. With money, and a byline, and my retaining all rights (with the exception of some work-for-hire stuff when I am on staff.) Lit mags? No, unless it’s the stipends like $50, which equals 25 words or fewer in the national market feature writing world. The reason? The lit mag stuff gets my name out there and adds to the CV, which generates paid work, so there’s a circle established.
But that’s me. I’m also a freak about contracts.