Poppy Brite says, “Thanks for Nothing (Literally)” in her recent post. This dovetails nicely with a recent article in Salon dealing with the woes of a self-described mid-list author. Based on the outpouring of love Ms. Doe received, it’s a good thing she remained anonymous.
Seriously, anyone who has ever had any slight glimmer of hope of becoming a world-famous author and live the jet-setting lifestyle of the rich and famous had to have done a modicum of research and found out the worst-kept secret of publishing. That secret? Glad you asked. Most writers are poor or have “real” jobs that allow them to write without worrying about the money from the publisher. The vast majority of writers do not earn a living at it, even the famous ones. In addition to the indomitable Doc Brite, Steven Brust has mentioned his money woes in passing during recent months.