The really scary thing is, 10¢/word is pretty decent money 112 years later. - ThreadSky

hntdove.bsky.social • 2 days ago

The really scary thing is, 10¢/word is pretty decent money 112 years later.

Reposted from Scott Edelman

A writing joke, 1913.

Comments

moochava.bsky.social•2 days ago

If I made ten cents a word I'd be scrolling Bluesky from the bridge of my airship that's also a submarine

lonelyspoon.bsky.social•2 days ago

And no tips...

denise-f.bsky.social•2 days ago

I made 10 cents a word writing for a local newspaper in the 80s. It was OK, although I wasn't trying to live on it.

galenker.bsky.social•2 days ago

I made ten cents a word writing occasional articles for a regional computer weekly in the mid-90s.

Was known to complain at the time, "There's no money in it."

hntdove.bsky.social•1 day ago

Nonfiction pays better than fiction does.

christiegolden.bsky.social•2 days ago

Harry I remember watching a DS9 ep where Sisko was a writer in the 50s exclaiming he made 3 cents/word and going WELP

lizardky.bsky.social•2 days ago

The TTRPG stuff I write has the same word rate as 1930s pulp authors got... NOT adjusted for inflation.

hntdove.bsky.social•2 days ago

I believe you.

stephenthelesser.bsky.social•2 days ago

The fact that I've been able to do 5¢ per word for writers is both something I've been proud to achieve. And deeply bothered me that I haven't been able to do more for this exact reason.

dvandom.bsky.social•2 days ago

Like the bit about how the money one of the sisters in Little Women earned for a story she wrote was about what writers get today, in actual numbers not adjusted for inflation.

hntdove.bsky.social•2 days ago

In 1960, MacKinlay Kantor got $25,000 for his novella, IF THE SOUTH HAD WON THE CIVIL WAR. Close to a buck a word then, about 10x that now.

saintofbouncers.bsky.social•2 days ago

I regularly quote a pal in Fandom (name witheld due to respect) who would say things like, "People called Hugo Gernsback a cheapskate for paying what [this editor] pays, back in 1915." It is true for many. I'm from the First Church of Harlan. Pay The Writer

scottedelman.bsky.social•2 days ago

According to an inflation calculator, we'd need to earn $3.21 per word today to match that!

hntdove.bsky.social•2 days ago

I notice wayyyyy too many writers liking my comment.

thatemilymunro.bsky.social•2 days ago

Told my dad I was making the same rate as Hemingway on my last short story.
He nodded along proudly.
Then went "Wait..."

cheshiremuser.bsky.social•2 days ago

Not all of us are writers, Harry-sensei...yet...

but we've been through the grinders of various other industries and know the feeling...and offer respect to you and others' hard work to get here...

cuentosbo.bsky.social•2 days ago

And crying, accordingly.

hntdove.bsky.social•2 days ago

¡Claro que sí!

lafleurmtl.bsky.social•2 days ago

Balzac used to write his novels in newspapers weekly
A penny a word
When he lost his train of thoughts,he would just describe the room until he got the drift back
Why all his novels are peppered with looooog room descriptions