Friday, January 19, 2007

Friday

To snitch (and alter) an old pilot's phrase, "any day you walk away from is a good one."

Well, I've almost walked away from today. It wasn't good.

Some of it was, I must admit. I wrote 2278 words for a client today, and I don't think the article's all that bad. That means all I have to do this weekend is rewrite the same piece for the other magazine -- with some substantial changes -- and grind out another 1000 words for another client.

It's a damn good thing I got most of the words pecked out before the mail showed up. No checks.

Frankly, that buggered my attitude completely, and it was all I could do to go through the piece and clean up some garbled syntax, replace a few fifty-cent words with the two-dollar variety, and ship the whole mess off to the editor.

I don't want to suffer for my art. I know some people think creativity is worth whatever it costs you in terms of a secure, halfway decent personal life, but those who say that usually have a steady income, and all the good stuff that goes with it, like a house with their name on the deed, a fridge full of food, and someone to share their life with.

Having done without those things for longer than I care to recall, I can tell you it's all bullcrap.

In my next life, I hope I'm an accountant. They make good dough, and get opposite-sex action more often than I do.

So tonight, it's just me and Mr J Beam once again....

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, dear....
I wish I was there tonight...
we could try to pull down the shoes! (Are they still there?)

Anonymous said...

An accountant -- really? Sounds kind of boring to me. Of course I'm in insurance -- it doesn't get much more boring than that.

Gill

Anonymous said...

Anybody self-employed is in the same boat as you, Scribbs. Hope you have a relaxing evening with Jim. :)

Anonymous said...

Good on you, you scribbling old git. I knew you're get that article done and I knew when you did you would think it was OK. And I know you really wouldn't want to be a bean counter.
JJ

John0 Juanderlust said...

Suffering is usually highly aver rated.

MrScribbler said...

JJ and Gill -- bean-counters get regular, fairly decent checks and can thus afford to have homes and families.

I'm not sure the more adventurous path was worth it.

Anonymous said...

For my education- is this work that gets shopped around to different editors, or is it on spec? A lot of companies now own several variations of the same rag as well, would that explain the variations in the piece you're referring to?

Anonymous said...

Never had the company of Jim, mind if I pour myself some?

Anonymous said...

I'll join you in a glass of JB. It used to be my drink of choice. I hope someday you have all those things you dream of.

Dorrie said...

somehow I think you should threat to not write for them any more unless the checks come in ON TIME!
Or is there the possibility they got lost in the mail? make them pay you direct deposit... much safer. If it's checks over-due, then hint to them that the checks may have gotten burned in the Malibu fires or something... and force them to give you an answer!

{hugs}

Anonymous said...

I suffered for my art, and all I got was a lot of loneliness and a drug problem.

-Lauren

MrScribbler said...

t-e -- One thing I have never done is write stories "on spec." I don't type out word one until I have a commitment (such as it is) from an editor.

It happens that this particular story is close enough to "breaking news" that two magazines from the same company wanted to share.

Anonymous said...

AMEN!!!

It is easy for those who have the financial security & all that good stuff to open their mouths and say stupid shit that they know nothing about.

I sure hope you get a check in the mail SOON!!!

As for Accountants: do they really make a whole lot of money?? Certainly they have a better shot at a decent level of financial security, but is it enough to actually buy a home with? If so, then what the hell was i thinking when i said i was going to shoot for a LAW degree. I'll be dead by the time i'm handed my diploma.

Give me some ideas of which career field to shoot for - One which requires the least amount of schooling, but pays a good sum, and a career in which i can work from home (or at least around my own schedule - as much as possible).

Any thoughts on this?

MrScribbler said...

KF -- I'm giving some thought to bank robbery...good hours, decent pay, and you can work from home 'til they identify you....