As difficult as it is, at times, to make a living as a Creative (writer, singer, dancer, musician, actor, etc.) there’s simply “no business like show business.”

You feel delighted as often as you feel desperate.

You feel thrilled as often as you feel thrashed.

You feel lauded (with sufficient  talent) more often than you feel trashed.

It’s not easy.

That’s why I sigh when I hear about someone else thinking about “getting into the copy writing business”. People are selling books and writing blogs posing the fantastic illusion that you can make a mint a minute as long as you can string sentences together. Malarkey!  A few people are doing that. Most are not. A few actors, directors, singers and musicians are making a mint. Most are not.

I’m certainly not. I’m keeping my head above water and a little bit more. And I’m good–really good at what I do!  I don’t intend to gouge business owners and entrepreneurs for doing what I love to do. Could I? Yes. Will I? Maybe, someday, if I get so swamped that I can’t find any breathing room.

Greedy I’m not.  I know that what I write makes people money–lots of it. I know I should charge more. Lots more.

If I had required a percentage of the income that my evergreen copy has been producing for the past seven years, I’d be sitting in high clover right now.

So … should I make that part of my contract? Lots of copywriters do!

I just don’t want to apply that kind of pressure. I’d like clients to think of it themselves and decide to do it.  Yes, I’ll admit it: I’m an idealistic dreamer.  “Business is business.” “You could have charged me more, but you didn’t.”

I don’t know what the sentiment is. All I know is that it’s darned difficult to make a living as a Creative and it would be great to have some of the money I’ve helped people make year after year end up in my pocket!

I like Alan Alda’s activism! He sued the studio that made M*A*S*H to receive residuals in perpetuity for the work he did on M*A*S*H–and WON! The studio was raking in the big bucks in perpetuity for the work he and his fellow actors (and let’s not forget the excellent writers) produced, so he felt they were entitled to some of the income from the fact that viewers come to enjoy actors (and great writing), not studios. As  a result, now actors in Hollywood  don’t end up destitute during their later years (as happened with Amanda Blake of Gunsmoke fame–and many others); they can live more comfortably. A couple bucks per re-run isn’t asking a lot, but it can add up if your show runs for decades, 24/7 somewhere in the world!

I feel similarly. My initial rates are more than fair. By some accounts, they’re scandalously low. (I’ve had other copywriters tell me I should raise them because I’m making them look bad, as they don’t produce the same quality I do and are charging more. ) Clients have told me to raise my prices!

The start-ups shriek, “No!” So hire me while you can still afford me, then, because my rates ARE going UP!