I Want to Get Paid!

Life sucks, let's face it. We live in a world where greed is the norm and it's a rare person that helps out from the goodness of their heart. Everyone wants to get paid these days. The world revolves around money and if you don't have it, you're nothing but a bum.

I'd like to be rich, be a billionaire, but I'm stuck in a low-income job while I pound away at my keyboard writing fiction. I'm like a good portion of Americans today -- in tons of debt that will most likely take me the rest of my life to pay off, but yet, I still do things to be nice. Sure, it's nice to get paid, but I understand if people don't have the money.

I babysat for my neighbor and refused to take any money for it because that's what a good neighbor would do. I subbed for my niece at work and refused to take any money for it because that's what family is all about. I critique manuscripts and offer helpful suggestions to improve them and I never ask for compensation. But yet when I ask for help, I'm ragged on because I can't afford to pay for it?

Sure, it would be nice to afford $1,000s for an editor per manuscript. Where would I get that kind of money? Okay, I'd love to be able to spend $1,000s to advertise and promote my books or services. I can't afford that. I wish I had the money for a make-over. I wish I had the money to join a gym and hire a personal trainer. I wish I had the money to take a vacation once in awhile. But the fact is, I can count myself among those starving writers. How do other people do it?

It cracks me up when people say something only costs $299. That's a lot of money to someone who doesn't have it. Sheesh, $100 is a lot of money to me. I pay on the low-end right now for a great editor and wish I could pay more, but it takes me months to scrape together the money to pay him.

I posted an ad looking for someone to critique my manuscript. I got a few nice people responding; unfortunately, in the ad I stated it was a non-paying gig. Someone emailed me and said professionals pay professionals for a service like this and the person I find will most likely be worth every penny I didn't pay. Hmm, hundreds of people belong to critique groups and they don't pay their critiquers. So none of them are professionals?

I remember being on a writer's email list awhile back. Now, when a lot of writers first start out, sometimes they post articles for free or do things for credit. Most of the list was appalled at that. They stated that you can't call yourself a writer if you don't get paid for it. Know what I say? If you write, you're a writer. We should write because we enjoy it, not just to get paid. If you do it just for the money, why not get a different job? *sigh*

What's the world come to when it's all about the money?

I still like to help if needed and don't require anything more than a thank you. If you need help with your writing or just want another pair of eyes to take a look at something you have written, don't hestitate to contact me. Asking for help isn't a crime and it shouldn't come with strings.

Good luck!