Payment for Acknowledgments: Resourceful or Cringe Inducing?
In my almost-daily Web surfing of assorted Middle East news sites and blogs, I stumbled upon a blog by a reader-funded foreign correspondent named Michael J. Totten. I neither know nor know of him, but apparently he's written articles that have been published in The Jerusalem Post, LA Weekly, The New York Daily News, The Wall Street Journal, and other mainstream periodicals.
According to Mr. Totten's blog, he is halfway through writing a book about the strife in the Middle East, but running low on money for his living expenses. So he is offering to include in the Acknowledgments section of his book the names of people who donate at least US$1,000 to him.
Is this a good idea or a slippery slope? Does it matter whether the writing is fiction or nonfiction? Does it matter that the funds will be used to pay household bills rather than sponsor travel or other research-related expenses?
Coincidentally, as I was writing this, RedRoomer and foreign correspondent Matt Beynon Rees blogged about his peeves with Acknowledgment sections, arguing that less is more.
What are the unwritten rules concerning the Acknowledgments section? Where do you draw the line?
About Ellen
Ellen R. Sheeley is the author of Reclaiming Honor in Jordan: A National Public Opinion Survey on "Honor" Killings and a contributor to the anthology Nothing But Red.
In 2003, she journeyed to Jordan, where she learned of the needs for empirical...
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Causes Ellen Sheeley Supports
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Ellen’s Favorite Books
I vacillate between Khaled Hosseini's "The Kite Runner" and Frank McCourt's "Angela's Ashes." I've read both multiple times and relate perhaps too well to...
God almighty, what fool
God almighty, what fool would pay money to someone so that their name would appear in the back page of some novel. I think this is hilarious. Even if I had millions, I don't imagine I would ever fall for that! Honestly, the plot is easily lost!!!
I got the impression that
I got the impression that he's writing a nonfiction book, Mares, but when I returned to his site to confirm, he's not explicit about it.
I was taken aback when I stumbled upon his solicitation for funds in exchange for mention in the Acknowledgments. The "name in lights" aspect of this would never attract me as a donor, but maybe there are some people just vain/desperate enough to bite the bait?!
I have issues with the money-compromising-integrity aspects of this. . .plus the fact that the money is going toward expenses that are the writer's personal responsibility. And, yet, back in the day, many artists and creative types had patrons. . .
Patrons
But that was different. The patrons were passionate about the artist and sometimes I imagine sought out the artist and not the other way round!
Yes, and everyone knew what
Yes, and everyone knew what the deal was, whereas in these times funding one's work in this way is unusual, to say the least.
Ellen, He must be the first
Ellen,
He must be the first to do that. I feel the kind of people he is trying to reach is non-readers. I wonder about the content of his books.
And yet he describes himself
And yet he describes himself as a "reader funded" correspondent, so does he write only about subjects his readers/funders like and in ways that are pleasing to them? How does one carry this off and maintain any kind of journalistic/writerly integrity?
And, anyway, is this an appropriate use of the Acknowledgments section? Is it for sale to the highest bidder?
Sorry Ellen, but I think
Sorry Ellen, but I think this guy is spoofing. Nobody says give me a thousand and there is a good chance that my book MIGHT BE ACCEPTED BY A PUBLISHER BUT IF NOT I will go ahead and publish it myself! So, all you rich fools out there just send in the bucks so I can keep writing and refrain from earning a living because my ego is just about to burst it is so BIG!
If it were a one-time
If it were a one-time solicitation, maybe. But he's solicited in earlier blogs, too (see, e.g., his August 29, 2009 blog about Libya and how the payment LA Weekly gave him for his article didn't cover his expenses as a freelancer). And all the PayPal links actually do link to his account.
I think he's just trying to survive as a freelance writer, but there must be a better way.
He could turn into a social colunmnist! :-D
Mares, El, and Keiko, I bet some people will pay to have their names in a book, even if it´s in a back cover and they might not even read it. Here in PF, the social columnist in the newspaper charges people R$ 500,00 (about US$ 315,00) to publish your photo (in 10 different occasions) and say how a wonderful, traveled, rich and important individual you are (and also wish a happy birthday on your birthday month :-D) The first time I heard that I started laughing hard and said, this guy must be starving, for Heaven´s sake. Well, it turns out he makes A LOT of money from that. In fact an acquaintance of mine pays him regularly. In the latest entry he made of her I spotted two BIG lies. Ah, human vanity...
Lu, this is hilarious!
Lu, this is hilarious! Promise me, here and now and in public, even if you are having a very low self-esteem day, you will never, ever resort to this. :-D We will write good things about you. . .and for free!!
LOL!!! I promise!
LOL!!! I promise!
Actually, Lu, upon further
Actually, Lu, upon further consideration, this isn't so different from what some people here do to get their names on the society pages, to get honorary degrees, and to otherwise self promote their goodness and greatness. Sometimes they use PR firms to do their dirty work, but other times there is a more direct link. It's just that no one wants to admit they're that high on themselves.
Luciana,That's amazing. A
Luciana, That's amazing. A LOT? How much? Hmm. The world is changing faster than I thought. We at least need to know new marketing stragegy. We don't want to be crooks, but we shouldn't be ignorant about the latest technology and trend.
True, Keiko. Very true.
True, Keiko. Very true. And it helps us be educated readers, too, for now when I see a long list of names in an Acknowledgments section and no mention of what those folks actually did to help the writer with his/her book, I will raise an eyebrow and wonder. . .
Nonfiction books about the
Nonfiction books about the Middle East -- especially written by people who aren't staff correspondents with what publishers call a "platform", ie. name recognition from the readers of their regular publication -- can sell to a publisher for as little as $5,000. So your putative author may end up making more money from his acknowledgments page than the rest of the book...
The world's gone mad!
The world's gone mad!