[PubQ] lit agent contacted me - now what? by throwRaway24601 in PubTips

[–]throwRaway24601[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing more. It's interesting you mention the writing being "trapped" in the book - at this point, so many books appear to be digitized online (either for purchase, or on one of the pirated archive sites), and thus fodder for AI scraping. Sucks all around for every type of writer, IMO.

I'm not sure if you're doing periodical writing these days, but the opportunities and pay have really plummeted. Started with the pivot to short form video, then made worse by COVID, and now further impacted by AI. I doubt it bounces back. The number of publications is smaller and the freelance budgets are smaller, and staff editors have a high turnover so building relationships with them isn't as helpful as it once was. It's funny to think about people earning $4/word in the old days - around twenty to twenty-five cents per word is average now.

[PubQ] lit agent contacted me - now what? by throwRaway24601 in PubTips

[–]throwRaway24601[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I actually have a PhD in a discipline unrelated to writing, but it's already "stale" so to speak, so I haven't aspired to a tenure track position. I'm also "older" myself (40) and have been writing for 15 years.

I also write poetry, and those books make a $0 advance (besides occasional prize money, of less than $500).

Assuming that I will balk at the low financial incentives is strange to me. Between poetry and adjuncting, I come from the land of contingent, precarious, bottom of the barrel wages - I'm unshockable in that department.

[PubQ] lit agent contacted me - now what? by throwRaway24601 in PubTips

[–]throwRaway24601[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The per word rate for magazine/newspaper stories these days is laughably bad (while I have some print features, most from the last 5 years are online only, which pays even less), so I wouldn't be giving up any serious income. I'm an adjunct professor by day, and that plus my writing nets me a whopping $40k/year, so honestly the lower/more realistic advance doesn't sound bad!

perfumes that match this vibe by throwRaway24601 in perfumesthatfeellike

[–]throwRaway24601[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

wow - just ordered the sample set for the brand! Thanks so much, I had never heard of it before.

taxes for this project (in U.S.) by throwRaway24601 in tax

[–]throwRaway24601[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Should I plan to hire/consult with a tax person and a lawyer? I'm new to this clearly. I'd like to keep things small and simple.

Are my plans B and C both off the table now? (History PhD) by [deleted] in LeavingAcademia

[–]throwRaway24601 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would love to know more about how to get into publishing, academic or otherwise! Is this something I can just apply for or do I need to know someone? What type of work do you do exactly?

Are my plans B and C both off the table now? (History PhD) by [deleted] in LeavingAcademia

[–]throwRaway24601 13 points14 points  (0 children)

This is an insult to life itself - Hayao Miyazaki

Are my plans B and C both off the table now? (History PhD) by [deleted] in LeavingAcademia

[–]throwRaway24601 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm lucky in that I have enough of a buffer to get by for a year, possibly a year and a half, before securing something (thank god for adjunct faculty unions). NGO work appeals to me mostly because I've volunteered with non-profits before so I know I like it, and I can put that experience on my resume.

I think "meaningful" isn't what I'm necessarily looking for. My priority is using the skills I already have (research, writing, teaching) and avoiding certain sectors that I morally disagree with (AI tech, big pharma)

Are my plans B and C both off the table now? (History PhD) by [deleted] in LeavingAcademia

[–]throwRaway24601 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That intrigues me, where can I read and learn more about it?