Catching Up
July 13, 2011
It’s been a busy few days, what with the ThrillerFest award and all the discussions about heading for Arizona to write an e-single called Sarah Palin’s Arizona. The bottom line on that was that at this point in my career I’m not going to start writing without getting paid for it (except for this blog, which I’m doing, yes, to increase awareness of THE ROGUE in advance of its September publication, but also because I enjoy interacting online with all of you: or most of you, anyway.)
The way electronic publishing is evolving for magazine-length original pieces, the writer gets no fee or advance up front but is guaranteed a share in sales revenue down the line. If I did a Kindle Single directly for amazon, I’d get 70 percent of eventual revenues, but then Barnes & Noble would be unhappy because they want people to buy Nooks, not Kindles. And if you have a potentially big book scheduled for fall publication you don’t want to make Barnes & Noble–the country’s largest retailer of actual physical books–unhappy in the summer.
So you write an e-article that is not a Kindle Single exclusive and can also be downloaded on the Nook, the iPad, and across all other electronic platforms. But who pays you to do that? The answer, in this case, turned out to be no one. I was offered a deal whereby an e-partner would electronically “publish” Sarah Palin’s Arizona, but in return would take half of my 70 percent share of sales revenue. And would not pay me any sort of fee or advance for doing the three to four weeks of work involved in reporting and writing, but would only agree to pay a nominal sum to offset my expenses.
No thanks. This arrangement was described to me as a partnership, but I said, “Yeah, it’s like a partnership between a lion and a lamb.”
The further into the 21st century we progress, it seems that more people are devising more ways to not pay writers for their work. See Huffington Post as the most offensive and egregious example. And, believe me, even Daily Beast fees are–to be generous about it–minimal.
Not that it broke my heart not to spend up to two weeks in Arizona at the height of summer. The fact is that it will feel good not to have to write anything more about Sarah Palin. I’ve even spent days at a time recently not even thinking about Sarah Palin. Not thinking about her was accompanied by a strange feeling I recognized from my distant past. I asked Nancy, who’s been with me since 1970, what she thought it might be. She said, “Happiness?”
Bingo! There will come a day late this fall when I’ll be able to throw up my arms, jump in the air, and shout out, “Free at last!”
That, of course, leads to the question of what to do next.
When I met Rosanne Cash recently at her concert at Bard College, alma mater of my son James the Agent , I told her I’d like to write next about someone I admired and respected, whose life and work had inspired me throughout my own life, as did Rosanne’s father, Johnny.
Thinking more about this in recent days I’ve found myself thinking about Bruce Springsteen. I first heard his music in the mid-1970’s, when Philly radio stations started playing it and Nancy and I were living in New Jersey. (We think of the 1970s as either “Joe and Nancy: the Jersey Years,” or, more simply, “The Lost Decade.”)
But I’ve watched and listened as Bruce grew, both as musical talent and man, over the many years since. He’s become, even more than Bob Dylan (whom I consider a demigod), our Walt Whitman: poet of the common man, lover of democracy, personification of what we as a nation can be at our best.
I’ve read Dave Marsh’s excellent Two Hearts, but, especially in light of the recent passing of Clarence Clemons, I think it might be time for me to do my own celebration of BRUCE SPRINGSTEEEN: AMERICAN.
It’s sure more fun to think about than it is to think about Sarah.
And listen here to Rosanne’s great duet with Bruce on “Sea of Heartbreak.”2-17 Sea of Heartbreak (feat. Bruce Springsteen)
HOWEVER: I can’t put Sarah behind me just yet. She got that Newsweek puff cover, she’s got Greta Van Susteren saying she’s running, and the GOP field continues to display its inadequacy. At some point, she has to figure, “Why not?” If she doesn’t, Bachmann takes her mojo away. If she does, she becomes the white hot center of U.S. politics once again. I’ll have more to say about this in days to come, but for tonight I’m going to listen to Springsteen and feel happy that I don’t have to board a flight to Phoenix tomorrow morning.
Posted in Joe McGinniss, Sarah Palin, The Rogue | 
Tags: arizona, bard college, bob dylan, bruce springsteen, clarence clemons, johnny cash, rosanne cash, thrillerfest, walt whitman
37 Responses to “Catching Up”
“…not pay writers for their work”
Don’t feel alone. I think that statement works for all of us worker-bees. We get paid less and less and do more and more. Only the curd at the top is pulling in the cash hand over fist.
I may have to buy a book again. I have stopped reading paper books in the last decade, but I will buy yours. I may have to start reading again in general. I am 56, a time when I need things to fill my days. Going To Extremes was my introduction to Alaska, along with McPhee’s book. As a musician, I would love to see you do a Springsteen book. You deserve to do something fun after exposing Palin.
Thank you for the brief but informative look at how e-publishing works in some circumstances, and how complicated it can be.
As a toast to you, Joe, and to hope and happiness, I’m going to do two things:
1. Pre-order The Rogue (Kindle version!)
2. Re-watch the original We Are the World, and delight in Bruce Springsteen’s joy as he performs and his appreciation of his fellow/sister performers and–my favorite part–watch Stevie Wonder at the piano reminding Bob Dylan how to sing like Bob Dylan.
Cheers!
Joe,
Don’t feel so bad people who have been getting hourly wages have been feeling that pinch for a very long long time. My son has worked 55 hrs a week sometimes more at a minimum wage job. It’s pretty hard on a man having to support a child and wife paying over $400.00 a month in a terrible healthcare plan that he really has no choice at work to buy. I know there are many people out there like him who work blood, sweat off their butts. He doesn’t ask for handouts. This is a new world we live in now Joe. This is capitalism at its worse. I don’t mean to offend anyone but lets face it when you don’t have a college degree and you work as a wage earner capitalism isn’t your friend. I try to tell people not all people are made to go to college. Funny now wages seem to be falling for everyone. I feel so bad for many college kids like my nieces who are still going to college and wonder how they are going to be able to make it after they finish school. I guess everyone has it stuff. America use to be a country of caring and sharing. Now you got these teapublicans who are so religious and want to make sure we all stay at the bottom of the barrel.
JOHHNY CASH! Please. For those of us old enough to remember how many times he was trotted out as the next big thing. Finally, he hit it with a ‘bad boy’ image that only appealed to upperclass east coasters whose idea of something wild was a guy with a guitar and a leather jacket.
Okay. So he has turned out to be a fantastic singer. But whatever. Johnny Cash is the embodiment of an American person whose veins flowed with blood from many sources and whose life was formed in the truth of a hard luck childhood in Arkansas. And more…
Leave Bruce to the yuppies. John Cash deserves you.
…how many times Springsteen was trotted out, not Johnny Cash. I need an editor for posts under 100 words…
I guess I’ll just grow old reading Joe McGinnis’ books. Either or both the Boss or Johnny sound wonderful. I commit to you that I will buy them both the first week they’re released Joe! I’m so looking forward to The Rogue. We will make a roadtrip to take my daughter, my one & only child, to college in mid-September I’ll begin to read your book then! It will be a good distraction on the way home to not think about leaving my baby 1,300 miles away….
Holy crap what more crap we have to hear from Palin, for is going to be on Hannity tonight!
Bruce is a working class guy, and seems to have a heart of gold. I look forward to reading his life story and getting to know him… hopefully, written by Joe McGinnis, my favorite new author.. (I own “Walk the Line” DVD about Johnny Cash. I’ve watched the movie at least four times. Nominated for many Oscars. Great movie for those interested in Mr. Cash.)
Big fan of J.C. & B.S..Looking forward to both…The Rogue can’t come soon enough..Thanks Joe…
well I for one appreciate the honesty( rare these days) concerning the arizona situation and especially for pointing out the fraud that A. huffington is.
I was one of the first to leave that site(anybody follow me??) when AFTER she got her readership she put other visitors in charge of flagging comments!! by offering silly imaginary “badges” that gives them the right to refuse comments!.
but she got the last laugh didn’t she?
anyways with so many places to go online and with all the junk sites and all the fools that visit them to rant their mostly racial hatred, its no wonder a real writer can’t get paid and I realized you were were not to keen about giving away your talent when you first informed us here that this blog was pushed..on you by your publisher.
though I would never fault you for that I am glad you find some of the comments refreshing .
and sadly palin just wont go away no matter what is revealed about her and again I realized your anger from day one at having to endure her accusations questioning your integrity and indeed your lifes work.
That could not have been easy.
Enjoy the music.
One of the most fascinating thing about Springsteen is his childhood and how he came of age playing on the street. I’d love to read your narrative of that time in American (rock) history.
Ah yes… Life in Wasilla gettin some wind blown trees pulled out of the back 5 acres. Bungee cord that boombox to the front of the ATV and the chainsaw to the back. Coil up the truckers chain across the back. Slide in a Springsteen CD and head into the heart of the whitesox nesting grounds. Winterwood gathering and Springsteen at its finest.
Drag your trees to a heap at the end of the driveway and set up the wood splitter. Slide in a Johnny Cash CD and work towards a couple more weeks of winter warmth…
Grab the boombox and head to the tub. Hot water, a cold wine cooler (I kid you not) and enjoy some Rosanne.
Start all over again in the morning.
Joe, I enjoy following your blog posts and eagerly await the publication of your book. September can’t come fast enough. Yours is one of the few books that I will purchase in hardback and Kindle versions. The hardback will be shared with friends who have been kind enough to tolerate my Palin rants over the years but won’t buy the book. Sadly I have a couple of friends that fit in that category. Lucky for you I also have some who like me can’t wait to read it. I’m sure you will enjoy tremendous success with the book despite the many Palin books that have flooded the market. None of the other authors come close to having your level of credibility, respect and talent. Also, too as Palin would say, the “lamestream” will certainly pay more attention to your book.
Glad to have you back Joe. I really like your blog and I am very surprised to find myself liking all the commenters on the blog. It’s a nice little community, but like all things, it too shall pass. But I intend to stick around until this blog is no more.
Amen to your comment AFM. It’s getting rough out here. I am in the middle of a four year pay freeze. We have to do more with less people as well. And there is no guarantee that the pay freeze will not be extended beyond that.
But I am lucky to have a job at all; I tell myself that everyday. There is a lot of hardship in this country right now.
Value is totally skewed in our society now. People who have something to contribute (teachers, people who actually write their own books, etc) are not valued. Celebrities are valued. As a full-time caretaker and blogger who gave up a teaching career, nothing I do has ANY monetary value. I get karma heaven for the caretaking and smiles for the blog. Neither of those things buys groceries. And nobody wants to do a Newsweek puff piece because I take care of my mother at the total sacrifice of my career in the prime earning years of my life. At least I’m finally putting a donate button on my blog, in case somebody thinks the smiles and fun I give them has some actual value that can be counted. I don’t actually want celebrity, but it does irk me that trash like the Palins get millions for being trash. Why is trash over-valued in our society?
Amen to The Boss! I applaud your choice.
Just a couple more check marks in the plus column for you!
@womanwithsardinecan,
I have enjoyed your posts for years (IIRC at Palins’ Deceptions, Immoral Minority, and Mudflats?).
I have especially enjoyed The Perils of Palins – hilarious – you are quite creative.
In fact, I think I was kicked off ADN at least once for linking a post of yours about Bristol the Pistol.
It was an honor, thank you.
I totally agree!
Write a book about someone you admire…you have earned that right!
I have not read the other comments; I scrolled down to reply to your post … I love Roseanne Cash and to discover on “the List” that there was a duet with Bruce Springsteen was just so special. I am a late comer to the Boss. I am the same age as Bruce Springsteen. But I guess when he was popular, I listened mostly to Neil Diamond, and really, I don’t know who else. But my son who is now 36, “introduced” me to the Boss about 10 years ago. I started borrowing his CDs and playing them while I gardened. My son and I went to my first Springsteen concert in Atlanta in 2008. I was 58; I stood on the floor (we were close to the stage) for the entire concert. I loved it. I listen to him almost every day and his music keeps me centered. Thank you for this post.
Joe:
I would love to buy, and read, anything you wrote about Bruce Springsteen, the E Street Band, and their music.
I was lucky enough to see them in concert in the early 1980’s.
I have long thought “Blinded by the Light” to be a totally underappreciated song, and I still listen to the album “The River” on a regular basis. Love love love “Stolen Car”.
I’ll by copies of your book for all the nieces and nephews, too. (16)
Thanks for calling out Arianna’s contemptible actions, and yes, I’ve pretty much abandoned Huffpo. She’s trying to pull the same thing again with AOL Patch. How anyone could write a book like “Third World America” and then turn right around and exploit free labor is pretty galling. Oh well, guess we have a few marauders on our side, too (not nearly as many as the other side, though).
Hey Joe, I saw a video of palin today announcing that she will “announce” her intentions to run in either August or September. I found her timeline interesting. My guess is that she’s hoping her announcement will trump the release of your book. She’s hoping everyone will be so busy chatting it up about HER, nobody will really pay that much attention to your book. But she’s wrong. 🙂
Oh, and a big thumbs up for refusing to write for free. Now, if only non-famous writers would stop agreeing to write for free, too. They need to understand that people will only value their work precisely as much as they themselves do.
Let’s not be too quick to say Huff is on “our side.” She’s on her side.
–Joe
Her greatest gift to me would be for her to announce in September that she’s running.
–Joe
Huffington Post is a joke. I’ve had many posts that were never approved for inclusion with other comments. However, there was nothing in any of them that should have excluded them. I checked all of them prior to sending. I think they decide based on where else you post, especially if done on a regular basis. No problem for me, I just read everything I’m interested in on other sites. I’m not missing a thing if they are going to censor everything that is written. I might have pursued it if I really enjoyed HP but when they hired Andrew Breitbart, they lost me for good along with a large number of both readers & posters.
Joe, I’ve pre-ordered the Rogue, and am excited that you are considering writing a book about Bruce Springsteen, for I admire his music very much. It’s always a pleasure to learn more about those I admire.
As for not getting paid to write, what makes it worse, is that non-writers are paid big bucks these days to write fiction as non-fiction. Are we in Wonderland?
I understand your desire to write about someone inspirational in a good way and your desire to get away from someone as negative as Sarah Palin (I await the delivery of your book in September with great anticipation). However, Rupert Murdoch is the great villain of the century. If not for him, Sarah Palin and the tea party would be nothing but a distant memory. I would look forward to, with great anticipation, a book written by you about him. I realize how hard it would be on your psyche, but for the good of the planet it NEEDS to be written and written by someone of your caliber. Please consider.
Sincerely,
McGinnis by birth
I was banned from commenting on HP for poiting out that palin articles are always in “moderation lockdown” whereas articles about the president are “free-for-alls” where anything goes. I questioned huffington’s agenda and suggested that perhaps she was once againg flip-flopping on her political leanings in her palin like pursuit of cash. Oh yea, I referred to her as zsa zsa huffington, that probably did it…lol. I still go there and read articles and still am allowed to “fan” others. I fan all that disagree with hp’s agenda or question arianna’s “faux progressiveness”. I’ve been banned for 1-1/2 months and have garnered over 150 new fans…
Oh good, I just can’t wait Joe…
You bet your lucky friend. I keep telling my son that. My husband is retired from the military and has a college degree but moving to this little rural time to take care of his parents he wasn’t able to find a job. You kinda have to be connected if you know what I mean. He ended up working for a department store chain who shall go nameless. He has been there for 15 yrs. He says this job is a piece of cake compared to his military job. He feels lucky to have a job also. Thank god we don’t depend on their medical insurance because it is to high. He says he doesn’t know how people who work with him make it. He is at least retired and this is a job for many of them is the only job they have had. Many have second jobs because their health insurance costs so much. Sad this department store is a well known store who don’t treat the employees well. But like my husband said it is a job and is lucky to have it. Thank god we have military retired insurance to help us. I think people just want a fair break. They want to pay for their own things but need a living wage to do it. Thank god you have a job.
That’s certainly more apparent now. I used to think she was on the side of decency, certainly when it came to labor issues. At the time, I had no idea all those bloggers were writing for her for free.
Re: Rosanne Cash: She wrote a BRILLIANT piece about Grifty McQuitter during the 2008 election campaign. Here’s the link: http://www.thenation.com/article/why-id-be-better-vp-sarah-palin
and here’s an excerpt: “I knew it was God’s will that I win the Grammy in 2007 for my last record, but Bob Dylan won. This is clearly the work of Satan, but shouldn’t my will/God’s will have been strong enough to override that?”
P.S. I read _Going to Extremes_ when it came out in hardcover. It’s still on my bookshelf.