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Are You a Sell-Out if You Get Paid?
The question of “selling out” can get convoluted.
There is an impression that someone who writes for money — or does anything else for money — is a sellout.
This notion, unfortunately, has created the idea of the starving artist. There is this concept of nobility that comes of art for art’s sake without remuneration.
Let me just put this out here: That’s a crock of shit.
The “nobility” many believe comes of keeping their art pure and unsullied by the almighty dollar is not the truth. At least, not when you strive to make your living as an artist.
This causes so very many problems. For example, crafters who put hours and hours into their work — and only feel they can value it based on materials costs. Thus, you spend $20 on the yarn you buy, but spend 100 hours creating an incredible, knitted blanket — and feel guilty charging more than $100.
Based solely on the time you put into your work — are you only worth $1 per hour? Of course not. But on the other side of the coin, if you charge a mere $10 an hour for 100 hours of work — who will pay $1000 for it? And then, how many people ask you to do “little” projects for them that take 10 hours and only offer you $20?
