Brain Burps About Books Podcast #169
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This week’s guest: Cory Huff, The Abundant Artist
In the week’s episode you’ll hear
- an exclusive offer for Brain Burps About Books listeners from Hamline! If you’re interested in getting your MFA in children’s writing click here. The deadline to apply for the July residency is May 15.
- The Launch Team for How to Promote Your Children’s Book: Tips, Tricks, and Secrets to Create a Bestseller is now closed.
In the interview with Cory you’ll hear
- about the value of money to an artist
- what money represents
- how artists charge for their art
- why it’s so hard for us to charge for our art
- about The Pay What You Want Model
- what Cory does for artists.
Sometimes I use affiliate links. if you click on them and buy what I recommend, I earn a referral fee. You do not pay any more than if you found the same thing through a search engine. It’s akin to going to a restaurant and getting a recommendation from the waitress on what’s good. You don’t pay more for the food she suggests, but you might tip her for her service. In any case I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, recommend a product or person I don’t believe in or trust. Otherwise, how would you believe me next time?
Ronnie Gunter
March 7, 2014 - 3:44 pm ·A delightful podcast! I went on his website. It's great beyond words. I really loved his blog on 15 ways to sell your art online. It's a must read! Then of course a big thank you to Katie on educating us daily, and the special guest you brought for us today.
Katie
March 7, 2014 - 6:42 pm ·I told you guys he’s awesome, right?! Thanks so much for commenting, Ronnie. 😎
Cory Huff
March 7, 2014 - 7:23 pm ·Glad you like the site Ronnie!
Taurean Watkins
March 10, 2014 - 9:06 am ·Great episode yet again, and now for some in-depth thoughts-
First, with all due respect to the challenges women face in business in general, as one of the male authors in this female-dominated industry, let me tell you it’s not always easy for some of us to get comfortable charging for our stuff, either! Especially in the beginning when we’re in the hazy middle place between “Respectfully Valuing Ourselves” and “Expecting pro rates right out of the gate” when we have no track rec
For instance, you charged 9.99 for the first edition of “How To Promote Your Children’s Book” to test the waters
But you can charge more for the upcoming second edition because you not only have more content to share, more people trust you offer value in your info that warrants and worth the higher price, and having blurbs of industry insiders can help make the difference.
Plus, now more people know you from VIBC and the great things you’ve done since that support that.
If I weren’t on the launch team, I’d trust you in getting my money’s worth, because I know from the effort you put into your books in general, and you understand the writer’s side of what you discuss.
Many guides I own that while useful overall only speak to the business aspect, and yes we writers and/or illustrators are businesses, but some of us have a longer road to earning income than others, and when I say income, I just mean going from 0 to SOMETHING, for me and author friends I know, just a few extra bucks here and there would help me grow my business more, and when you’re on a tight budget any little bit helps.
I just want people starting out with a VERY TIGHT budget who listen to this podcast to not be onerously discouraged while being realistic about things.
For writers battling art and commerce, myself included, we need to be willing to see the nuance between “I can’t afford outside editors or cover designers, but it’s not always practical to work a project for YEARS, (Especially when people across the industry who say the best success in e-publishing especially is backlist!) and instead have to take smaller steps with less resources.” is WAY different than “I won’t spend money on something that doesn’t really matter because I’m so great I can have the most horrid cover on Earth and no one will care! I’m the exception to all rules.”
I did a blog post a couple years ago that speaks to this-
http://talkinganimaladdicts.com/birthday-tribute-a-true-artist-who-taught-me-a-lesson-i-will-never-forget
Don’t get me wrong, I agree with what’s expressed here, but there isn’t always as fine a line between “Valuing Yourself” and “Being Unlrealistic” with what you charge for your skills, be they selling artwork, stories, services like VIBC or whatever.
That said, this video I found months ago about reframing money as value exchange touches on what’s discussed in this podcast-
http://www.tubechop.com/watch/2249649
(I cut to the segment most related to the podcast above for convience sake)
You can watch the full video (Which is longer) here-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFafymotfSA&list=WLRMok0pg8Zsbc3ix2NX-AVUdSfaU7Syj4
Second, as I work on my plan for a crowdfunding campaign for an illustrator for my debut novel, GABRIEL, this info will be helpful.
My publisher is small and isn’t able to fund it themselves, and I feel this a fair thing for me to try and make happen because my editor is terrific and her publisher’s giving me the editorial process and publishing platform I could not give myself if I went 100% indie.
It’s similar to the hybrid model Julie Hedlund took with her next picture book release (Glad I got to donate to that) though my book is a novel, but I see value in this novel having illustrations that I’ve discussed with my publisher.
If it doesn’t work out, I plan to work out a deal with the illustrator I had in mine to do the cover art at my expense once my editor and I are at the layout stage for the print book (I don’t yet know about an ebook version)
(Note to newbies: This is not atypical for publishers larger than mine regarding illustrations, as they typically handle it themselves, but my publisher supports my input on this specific matter)
Third, I knew the character Cory’s talking about. I’ve probably watched all the various film and television adaptations countless times (prior to the 2011 film), except that one, but I do know about Gopher (from the 1980s cartoon “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh), that whistle lisp in his voice is entrancing in a weird way, and I’m thinking “What would you need dynamite for ? (unless you’re a miner or like blowing stuff up for the fun of it…) Or would it just be for “collector’s value?”
Katie, I know your yard sale question is target specifically to the original books (Not various alternate adaptations) but adaptations don’t have to be bad, and some fair certainly fare better than others, but be assured I have a legit answer ready should I ever be guest (Just saying…)
Anyway, as I always say, you always have the original book(s), no one’s taking it away, but seriously, you’ve never seen “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh?” (Not what Cory’s specifically referring to, but Gopher was in that, too) Not be confused with the 2011 film, in which Tigger’s original VA was Paul W. and now is played by Jim Cummings who voices Pooh in both films, and yeah I’m a geek like that, you’ve seen my site’s welcome video so you know. (LOL)
Also, Pooh and Co. aside, I think you’re thinking more of Disney now versus 20 years ago, they were more “risque” with their films than you often see now, though occasionally something more daring comes around,
That said, before I was hooked on books, I was a film and television buff when I was younger, so that’s why I know and notice this stuff more acutely. Anyway, great show once again.
Kathy Rupff
March 14, 2014 - 8:24 am ·Thank you soooo much Katie and Cory for this amazing interview! Look forward to exploring and learning more on The Abundant Artist website!
Katie
March 22, 2014 - 8:46 am ·Yay! Thanks, Kathy – definitely check out Cory’s site. He is AWESOME.