Writing "funny" stuff for a living Page 2

Quote: sootyj @ 24th August 2015, 6:04 PM BST

They're being absorbed by upwork.

So when you say you work for companies is that like speech writing agencies?

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Yep, that's the kind of thing. There's also a company that does drama-based training, and then I get odds and sods from a few other places.

Quote: sootyj @ 24th August 2015, 6:10 PM BST

Yeh the price for short stories is just depressing

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Certainly is! The most I've sold one for was about $200 to an American magazine, which was nice enough, but I think it was another few months before I found a home for the next one.

And that was about £50!

Yeh they fall behind the dreaded Elance 1/1 e.g. 1 cent a word.

Oddly enough corporate training scripts I always thought paid well.

I know some one who writes short stories for the Peoples Friend = seriously and seems to get a few published.

Do they get paid for them?

Quote: Chappers @ 24th August 2015, 7:39 PM BST

I know some one who writes short stories for the Peoples Friend = seriously and seems to get a few published.

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This isn't that hard to believe, Chaps, they must be written by someone.

I think the difficulty with Elance is that many clients just hire for one job and then leave. It's hard to find those who want long term work.

If you're charming enough they'll pay you off the site after the first job.

I mean you don't want to buy a good looking girl drinks at club prices all night do you?

A can of Special Brew under a bus shelter is just as sweet.

Quote: sootyj @ 24th August 2015, 8:00 PM BST

A can of Special Brew under a bus shelter is just as sweet.

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Shakespeare?

Quote: sootyj @ 24th August 2015, 7:52 PM BST

Do they get paid for them?

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Yes. Someone at LCW who wouldn't waste his time if he wasn't getting paid.

Quote: DavidE81 @ 24th August 2015, 9:35 PM BST

Shakespeare?

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A can of special brew and my spear shaken and thou

The Rubiyat of Omark Khayam

Quote: Chappers @ 24th August 2015, 9:49 PM BST

Yes. Someone at LCW who wouldn't waste his time if he wasn't getting paid.

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Ah I think I can guess who, as there's so few of us there earning anything.

I never get those sorts of jobs. I either get stuff that's really niche and personal like wedding speeches.

Or just where they need mass quantities of guff, like Indonesian tshirt companies.

I have long ago resigned myself to having no art in my soul.

Quote: sootyj @ 24th August 2015, 9:54 PM BST

A can of special brew and my spear shaken and thou

The Rubiyat of Omark Khayam

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The moving finger writes, and having writ moves on ... to another bus shelter.

The Rubiyat of Doner Kebab

Quote: sootyj @ 24th August 2015, 9:54 PM BST

I have long ago resigned myself to having no art in my soul.

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I think it's just being realistic about where the paying work's likely to come from ...

Your bus shelter will be my bus shelter, you're bottle of Zepellin Cider my bottle of Zepellin Cider

The Book of Ruthies

And Jesus said:

"Drink this brew, in remembrance of me. For 'tis special, and hath an alcohol content of 97.6 %."

The Gospel of Puke

Just saw yet another job for 15,000 word short story....$150!?

Quote: sootyj @ 25th August 2015, 7:48 AM BST

Just saw yet another job for 15,000 word short story....$150!?

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Yes - and I bet the rights go with it.
Next thing it'll be included in an e-book that's being knocked out for a couple of bucks to feed the seemingly endless desire for Kindle fodder- with the writer not getting a sniff of the royalties.
So you end up with one of two scenarios -

1) Reams of shit cluttering up the Kindle bookstore - and some poor talentless sap knocking his pipe out for less than minimum wage.

2) A decent writer getting soundly ripped off.

Tricky.

I helped rewrite a book on how to make mobey from kindle. It seems workable if you can write 2-3 books a month. Which some people do.

I helped rewrite a book on how to make mobey from kindle. It seems workable if you can write 2-3 books a month. Which some people do.