Pay the Writer

One of my favorite writers, Harlan Ellison, was recording discussing the common habit of publishers to expect content for free. Harlan had some choice comments for both the publishers who expect this and the writers who are stupid enough to comply.

Although he is discussing writers, it is just as applicable (if not more so) to photographers. It's the amateurs who make it difficult for the professionals.

Transcript
" a young woman calls me" about the a video interview he's done about his role on Babylon 5, and he recounts "she says 'we'd like to use it on the DVD, can that be arranged', I said, absolutely, all you've got to do is pay me, and she says 'what?', I said you gotta pay me, she said 'well, everyone else is just doing it for nothing', and I said 'everybody else may be an a*shole, but I'm not, I said, 'by what right would you call me and ask me to work for nothing, do you get a paycheck?" 'well yes' (she responded)....'how dare you call me and want me to work for nothing', 'well it would be good publicity' (she responded), 'lady, tell that to someone a little older than you who has just fallen off the turnip truck, there is no publicity value in my being on the DVD...the only value for me is to put money in my hand..."




Hopefully, this will provide a bit of guidance for the next time you're asked to donate your work.

Scott MacQuarrie