The patronage model is, in part, an expression of escalating income and wealth inequality. The economics of the mid-2oth century, where Americans were the least economically unequal we'd even been (a time nicknamed "the Great Compression"), started fading circa 1980. Now we're in the age of the oligarchs, Gilded Age 2.0 as Swiss Re once put it, and so the swelling 1% sometimes dispenses gifts to underlings.
There has been a middle class for US writers ever since established writers ever since Sherwood Anderson told Faulkner'swife he would publish "Bills" novel (very early- either Mosquitoes or Soldier's Pay) as long as he did not have to read it.
Also, many many writers pay twenty to thitry bucks as a reading fee to scores of literary magazines and contests. Writer retreats amd getaways will run a person from 300- 1200 fort that "intimate setting" and "special attention," Breadloaf, Yaddo, The Robert Frost Center, The Elizabeth Bishop Bar, The Naropa Open Field Readings, etc etc. Hundreds of dollars in an attempt to get published.
I have been to a few of these but only because someone backed out at the last minute so the fee had already been made. The food was great; the room was clean; nature abounded in all its beauty and I think we mght have spend two hours talking about. "craft" It seemed more of a place and time to network and/or pick someone up than anythingof any real quality.
But my main point is for years in America, if you want to be a writer there is a big middle class in charge of the whole thing. There are some way to get in, but it's not always or often about talent unless you get luch or work your butt off making your luck.
Great stuff, John, as always. And thank you for mentioning and replying to my comment. It's a pleasure to interact with this newsletter 1) because your takes are fascinating and usually contentious 2) I'm comforted to know that you're open to having discussions with readers.
The thought that arose here was: It sounds like the best thing to do is both. Publish books and, when not busy with that, maintain a Substack (or some similar space). Problem is, that's tough. As you described, each in their own way require a hustle, and it's a big task to hustle endlessly on two fronts.
Anyway, great stuff. Wishing you success (and smooth progress) on your book.
Great piece and I've added Big Fiction to my reading list. I think an underlying question could be: what does a middle class for writers mean? Does it mean the same in the US where the middle class is a buffer between the wealthy and the poor, and the poor try to overtake the middle class and the middle class try to overtake the wealthy and everyone lives in fear of losing their status or position? From your post I suspect the underlying sentiment is more the idea of stability without excessive work, and also without excessive wealth, so stability might be a better way to describe it that allows for solutions other than concentrations of readership and wealth
The patronage model is, in part, an expression of escalating income and wealth inequality. The economics of the mid-2oth century, where Americans were the least economically unequal we'd even been (a time nicknamed "the Great Compression"), started fading circa 1980. Now we're in the age of the oligarchs, Gilded Age 2.0 as Swiss Re once put it, and so the swelling 1% sometimes dispenses gifts to underlings.
There has been a middle class for US writers ever since established writers ever since Sherwood Anderson told Faulkner'swife he would publish "Bills" novel (very early- either Mosquitoes or Soldier's Pay) as long as he did not have to read it.
Also, many many writers pay twenty to thitry bucks as a reading fee to scores of literary magazines and contests. Writer retreats amd getaways will run a person from 300- 1200 fort that "intimate setting" and "special attention," Breadloaf, Yaddo, The Robert Frost Center, The Elizabeth Bishop Bar, The Naropa Open Field Readings, etc etc. Hundreds of dollars in an attempt to get published.
I have been to a few of these but only because someone backed out at the last minute so the fee had already been made. The food was great; the room was clean; nature abounded in all its beauty and I think we mght have spend two hours talking about. "craft" It seemed more of a place and time to network and/or pick someone up than anythingof any real quality.
But my main point is for years in America, if you want to be a writer there is a big middle class in charge of the whole thing. There are some way to get in, but it's not always or often about talent unless you get luch or work your butt off making your luck.
Great stuff, John, as always. And thank you for mentioning and replying to my comment. It's a pleasure to interact with this newsletter 1) because your takes are fascinating and usually contentious 2) I'm comforted to know that you're open to having discussions with readers.
The thought that arose here was: It sounds like the best thing to do is both. Publish books and, when not busy with that, maintain a Substack (or some similar space). Problem is, that's tough. As you described, each in their own way require a hustle, and it's a big task to hustle endlessly on two fronts.
Anyway, great stuff. Wishing you success (and smooth progress) on your book.
Great piece and I've added Big Fiction to my reading list. I think an underlying question could be: what does a middle class for writers mean? Does it mean the same in the US where the middle class is a buffer between the wealthy and the poor, and the poor try to overtake the middle class and the middle class try to overtake the wealthy and everyone lives in fear of losing their status or position? From your post I suspect the underlying sentiment is more the idea of stability without excessive work, and also without excessive wealth, so stability might be a better way to describe it that allows for solutions other than concentrations of readership and wealth