Outsourcing

 

Rococo / Hubert Robert/ The Old Bridge

Whew.  I didn’t realize that writing about writing would constitute such a foofarah.  But I suppose that my apparently shit-stirring post yesterday about JMG actually gives me greater respect for his work ethic than I had before.  

Now, don’t take this wrong, but one of the reasons that I moved here to Dreamwidth was to cut down on the trollage that was occurring at my old place.  Worked like a champ.  My comment section became a manageable tiny number and I could cruise along writing screed to my heart's content and no one really noticed.  

I write because I get a little mentally/emotionally constipated when I don’t.  I don’t write for money, I write because I like to write.  JMG has chosen a different path.  I strongly believe, and I think that he has admitted it, that he writes for the money.  I am not judging this.  I send him some coins every month to have him do this.  He is a crackerjack writer who a lot of the time writes about things that I find interesting and important.  If you read this, I think you should hit his tip jar and thank him for his work

But, all that being said, it doesn’t mean that I always agree with the guy.  But, if you folks and I were to sit down and have far ranging discussions about anything, we would probably have disagreements as well.  

Nope, I still posit that JMG’s most recent post over at his main blog is appropriate for an established writer of proven talent (read here: JMG).  But the simple fact here is that he seems to want a larger section of the pie (and I do agree with him that he should have it) and is trying to cut a deal with a more amenable firm to provide the physical plant and expertise that lets him get paid his due.  I hope he can pull it off.

But, I am stating two things out loud here:

The first is that writing is an art and there is a vanishingly small number of folks out there who are good artists.

Second is that the act of publishing itself is demonstrably a case of intermediation and like all examples of that business model, it will be fading away or changing.  

I don’t know the answer yet, but when I read the comments over at his place, what I see is folks who are thinking he is telling them how they can be published.  What I see is him trying to figure out how he can continue his career and keep getting paid enough to keep the lights on.

My five bucks a month might not be enough to allow this.

I’ll ponder this some more.  Not certain that there is an answer anyone will like.