Dear Mogadon Catsnip
Since you ask -
>Who writes what when for how much from whom?
I'm investigating the bestseller business, in order to write crap now for
zillions of dollars from American multinational publishers. That seems
to be a venally clear proposal.
As to the rest - I write very little sometimes for nothing or next to
nothing from those foolish enough to pay me for it. Which is somewhat
less clear. I've always had trouble selling my own books, since I have a
deep feeling poetry should be free. I gave away 40 copies of my first
book and Penguin billed me for years, but I guess it was a bit
embarrassing to pursue one of their authors and they dropped it...
These days I've got bigger bills, no mortgage, no car, and a dentally
challenged prepubescent. I'm doing special courses for the fiscally
delinquent but they haven't cured me of poetry yet. If only my parents
had never bought me that copy of Dr Seuss.
I was once given a sheet poem by a street poet which said: "I could turn
and live with cats, they are so placid and self contained - " and so on.
Wow! It was even signed by the author. And no pomo quotation business
going on there, just straightout innocent plagiarism. If someone wants
to do that to one of mine, I'm not going to get heated. But if they sell
the film rights to Spielberg, should I sue for a bit of the action?
Yours
Sewer Collins
Alison Croggon
Editor
Masthead Literary Arts Magazine
PO Box 186
NEWPORT VIC 3015
Masthead online: http://www.masthead.com.au
Home page: http:www.fortunecity.com/victorian/bronte/338
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