tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post6379109226632268738..comments2024-03-29T07:12:24.516+00:00Comments on Picture Book Den: Are you rich? by Jane ClarkeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-81673082200819972142017-03-23T20:05:24.101+00:002017-03-23T20:05:24.101+00:00You're welcome, Debra :-)You're welcome, Debra :-)Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-52318328230324161192017-03-23T15:52:38.917+00:002017-03-23T15:52:38.917+00:00Thank you so much for this honest post! It certain...Thank you so much for this honest post! It certainly covers elements that people (i.e. me!) are hesitant to ask.<br />:-)Isle Be Creativehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01777870964657087620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-30366726302207510132017-03-22T15:35:54.063+00:002017-03-22T15:35:54.063+00:00Rich in hugs, how wonderful! Rich in hugs, how wonderful! Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-56696305986524510732017-03-22T15:33:42.022+00:002017-03-22T15:33:42.022+00:00That's a lovely angle to take, Chitra, thanksThat's a lovely angle to take, Chitra, thanks Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-56446904606215768882017-03-22T15:31:02.091+00:002017-03-22T15:31:02.091+00:00Always nice, especially if the biscuit's a cho...Always nice, especially if the biscuit's a chocolate one!Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-9025931776788812192017-03-22T15:30:06.976+00:002017-03-22T15:30:06.976+00:00Absolutely, thanks DianneAbsolutely, thanks DianneJane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-71163090716087990962017-03-22T15:29:23.262+00:002017-03-22T15:29:23.262+00:00Gosh, you get that much for writing for TV? You mu...Gosh, you get that much for writing for TV? You must be rich!!! (joking) :-) Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-52519593156836906132017-03-22T11:52:17.974+00:002017-03-22T11:52:17.974+00:00Im rich in hugs, thats about it! but i love this a...Im rich in hugs, thats about it! but i love this article and it does ring so true, I'm exceptionally lucky that my job and my writing work around each other so well, so i have the opportunity to do what I love but i meet so many people who think i get all my money from my books and i work of fun lol Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13006690437561976420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-78016000129133882122017-03-21T05:13:07.471+00:002017-03-21T05:13:07.471+00:00I get asked if I'm a celebrity and by that the...I get asked if I'm a celebrity and by that they do mean are you rich? They do get disappointed if I had taken a bus (not a helicopter) and say I do my own dishes (not my staff) and then I basically explain how I didn't own a book for a long time and I grew up in a not so rich family and my reading and writing has given me this opportunity- they feel they have a chance too. Chitra Soundarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11459683357077199646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-49040085409277902292017-03-20T12:08:39.409+00:002017-03-20T12:08:39.409+00:00I tend to give straight answers because I think th...I tend to give straight answers because I think that children should know about money. As you say, its the teachers who tend to be more surprised by the truth than children are ... and then you get offered a biscuit with your coffee at break time if you're lucky!Pippa Goodharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17709422048047155208noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-22129402909032269012017-03-20T11:50:45.275+00:002017-03-20T11:50:45.275+00:00I get asked the 'are you famous' question...I get asked the 'are you famous' question quite regularly, too. I usually smile brightly and say something along the lines of 'well, I am in your school!' They seem a bit disappointed if you say tell them nobody knows who you when you walk down the street!Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-21689592594382247692017-03-20T11:41:51.158+00:002017-03-20T11:41:51.158+00:00Good question, especially as, historically ,writer...Good question, especially as, historically ,writers were often perceived of as poor. Does this stem from the hype around JKR and Harry Potter? I only started school visits in the 2000s and on every school visit school I've done someone has mentioned her name (often as a 'have you met...' query)Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-42025991771157115002017-03-20T11:37:44.957+00:002017-03-20T11:37:44.957+00:00I find it's only the older kids who ask. A lot...I find it's only the older kids who ask. A lot of them know what their parents' salaries are, so they usually go, "Ooh, that's not much!" - but the ones who just think of it in terms of their pocket money think it's amazing. It's usually a really interesting conversation, I don't mind having it. I think people assume that having your name on a book means you're famous, and if you're famous it follows that you must be rich. Adults think it too, it's not just kids! I can't help thinking this is why celebs want to get into publishing all the time - they think it's a natural extension! Michelle Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620246793467493696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-9298882656440362532017-03-20T11:33:39.857+00:002017-03-20T11:33:39.857+00:00I think it's pretty simple and it's the sa...I think it's pretty simple and it's the same reason a lot of adults think writing books is a good way to 'get rich quick'. There's an assumption that having your name on a book = you're famous. It follows quite naturally that famous = rich! Michelle Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620246793467493696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-34390526420856794422017-03-20T11:25:42.357+00:002017-03-20T11:25:42.357+00:00I think the most straightforward answer would be t...I think the most straightforward answer would be that if you were rich, you wouldn't be there! But it would make the kids feel bad, so no. Has anyone ever tried asking why they think that you might be? I'd like to know why they think it in the first place - it must come from some adults somewhere.Stroppy Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16560035800075465845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-54760278138316639012017-03-20T11:20:52.642+00:002017-03-20T11:20:52.642+00:00In my experience since I started writing a long lo...In my experience since I started writing a long long long time ago... advances on picture books have got smaller. I don't think I've become a lesser writer since those heady days of larger advances but publishers have become more shareholder aware. And the first person they put the squeeze on is the author. We see this in deals when books still in print (I'm not talking about remaindered bks) are sold at £1 and we are encouraged to believe this is in our interest. Books sold below cost are never in our interest and we should make sure the clauses that allow this are eliminated from our contracts. <br />But like you, Jane, I remain a happy writer as long as the practices that govern our income are fair. Dianne Hofmeyrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18222157214605257030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-49724524608525494052017-03-20T09:56:02.810+00:002017-03-20T09:56:02.810+00:00I don't give figures, but I usually make an an...I don't give figures, but I usually make an analogy between what I get paid for books and what I get paid for TV and the time it takes to write both. It's roughly the same fee for 11 mins of script (about 2,500 words) as it is for a chapter book of 22,000 words. So clearly, if I wanted to make money writing then TV's the way to go. However, the more honest answer is I get paid enough to lead a nice life and do nothing but write or talk about writing - that's plenty for me. Ciaran Murtaghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09489512904306022126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-83724835130046961182017-03-20T09:34:38.935+00:002017-03-20T09:34:38.935+00:00Thank you for taking the time to comment, John. Y...Thank you for taking the time to comment, John. Yes, making a living from writing or illustrating is tough and getting tougher. I began my writing career in the early 2000s and have seen advances go down, not up, since then - the opposite trajectory to those bills.Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-34166112104437738242017-03-20T09:27:09.398+00:002017-03-20T09:27:09.398+00:00Thanks, AbleThanks, AbleJane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-36438190030419796912017-03-20T09:26:25.037+00:002017-03-20T09:26:25.037+00:00That's a very good answer!That's a very good answer!<br />Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-78463131165803609132017-03-20T09:25:48.879+00:002017-03-20T09:25:48.879+00:00Oh, that's a wonderful question! Yes, higher u...Oh, that's a wonderful question! Yes, higher up the school, I occasionally give real figures, too. Trouble is, as soon as you mention something- thousand, kids think that's an enormous sum and you really are rich (though you can see teacher doing computations in their heads and it dawning on them that you're not!)<br />Jane Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361379190770989657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-35182626508214929962017-03-20T09:02:29.913+00:002017-03-20T09:02:29.913+00:00Great post, Jane - I always answer honestly and wi...Great post, Jane - I always answer honestly and with real figures in schools when the kids ask me how much money I make from my books. There's too much smoke and mirrors in publishing. I have been asked if I live in a castle. I am typing this in a small chamber in the east wing.Michelle Robinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620246793467493696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-51007293141528781022017-03-20T09:01:52.213+00:002017-03-20T09:01:52.213+00:00Kids often ask me if I’m rich a lot too, Jane. I u...Kids often ask me if I’m rich a lot too, Jane. I usually tell them that I get paid about as much as their teachers do, so if they think that their teachers are rich, then I’m rich too!Jonathan Emmetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11413964991466780348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-48762730936258648682017-03-20T08:57:57.321+00:002017-03-20T08:57:57.321+00:00Thanks Jane - this is a really brave post. It'...Thanks Jane - this is a really brave post. It's so great when we talk about the realities of money. We're often shy to say how much we really earn but discussing it helps to dispel misconceptions and reassures us that we're not alone in not getting the mythical 6 figure advance :) Abie Longstaffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14682225221860351795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3758609568631190155.post-126853908969427292017-03-20T08:55:07.820+00:002017-03-20T08:55:07.820+00:00I'm rich in compliments, I often hear how much...I'm rich in compliments, I often hear how much people love my work (both from publishers and the public), but in the words John Lee Hooker "You love gives me such a thrill, But your love won't pay my bills". I chuckle at the way people confuse self-promotion with success and fame - Just because you've a jolly website and are telling everyone about your books on social media doesn't necessarily mean the royalty cheques are flowing. Glowing reviews are fantastic and I'm sure do their part to promote sales, but with so much discounting now, even if your books sell out it still doesn't result in a living wage for the author & illustrator, the latter of which may have spent half a year or more painting the commission. The Society of Authors is campaigning for the rights of creators, but it's a slow and very difficult problem to overcome. Ultimately we suffer because there is no "creator's union" with power to defend the rights of book creators within the industry, without such power bringing the industry to heel there will never be financial respect for the individual writer and illustrator I fear. John Shelleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12667956500314198121noreply@blogger.com