Why should you support creators?

It's a very good question. 

There are plenty of other good causes you could be supporting, plenty of other crowdfunders to help people who are more in need than I am: those fundraising to cover surgery or cancer treatment expenses, for example. And you should definitely donate to them if you're able, and if you're looking for a way to make a difference to someone else's life. Their need is obviously much greater.

However, if you accept that but are still interested in funding the arts, stay with me while I explain why creators such as myself may need a little help from time to time.

Writing pays ABYSMALLY. I promise you, it really does. For every J K Rowling or George R R R R (how many Rs? I forget) Martin you read about who's coining it in, there are about ten million other writers struggling to make even minimum wage from their writing.

That's not an exaggeration: a 2014 study by the Authors' Licensing and  Collection Society found the average salary for a full-time author is £11,000 a year (for the purposes of comparison, the over-25 minimum wage of £7.20 x 40hrs a week x 52 weeks = £14,976). Blame the internet and the death of print, blame the countless outlets constantly trying it on by asking people to write for "exposure" (read: FREE), but there it is. And don't even get me started about chasing down payments from outlets taking the mickey - I've just had to get my union (which I can barely afford to be a member of!) involved in squeezing payment out of a company who took 78 days (yes, that's 2 months and 18 days) to cough up. Unfortunately my gas and electricity provider doesn't accept "it's coming soon" as payment, funnily enough...

What about advances on books? I hear you cry? Well, to quote Holly from Red Dwarf, do me a lemon! Just like sod's law dictates that in order get a loan from a bank, first you must prove you don't need one, the authors most likely to get advances are those who don't need the money because they're already insanely successful (Oh, and Milo Yiannopolous but he messed that one right up, didn't he!) The vast majority of authors don't get advances precisely because we're relatively unknown and publishers aren't willing to gamble that they'll get their investment back. Also, small or indie publishers simply don't have the resources to pay advances. That is the camp I'm squarely in.

Long story short, this book that I'm writing won't earn me a cent until (optimistic estimate) June 2018 when royalties start coming in. That means it will have to be researched, written, fact-checked, proofread, edited, indexed (and these are all things I'll be doing myself), release forms for interviews gathered, permissions for artwork obtained (and any copyright fees paid by me, because there's no budget for illustrations) and submitted probably nine months before I see any money from it.

I'm not complaining - I promise! - but rather simply explaining how this industry works. I love what I do so, so ridiculously much and I love working with a publisher who was willing to take a chance on some strange gobby chick from across the Atlantic and give me the creative control to bring my ideas to life. I know I'm insanely lucky to have such a fun job, and have people out there who actually want to read what I write who aren't related to me, or being bribed. 

But if it weren't for the generosity of patrons, grants and a fantastic support network around me, I couldn't do what I do. I couldn't afford it. I would have to be a full time care worker, or tutor, or do pretty much anything other than the job I've wanted to do since I was ten years old.

So if you have already supported me - thank you.
If you want to support creators but don't know how - here's a simple answer.
PAY THEM.