Do you think this is a problem for all creative industries? It seems like the model is similar in the publishing industry as well. How do you think creators could go about demanding fair wages for our labor?
I am not sure how much this applies to the specifics of other creative industries, because recorded music has a particularly tortured way of approaching intellectual property rights - new copyright law has had to be created more than once to deal with the challenges that audio recording presented to traditional ideas of ownership, copies, dissemination, etc. Streaming is the latest conundrum: is it a sale, a license, a broadcast...? But as for demanding fair wages: unionize!
I own the copyright to my books and sign long-term deals with publishers for them to publish, promote, etc. Once that deal is up, there is re-negotiation. I'm fairly certain this is standard practice. However, that can change when it comes to magazines. Often a magazine will share the copyright with the writer. Even small magazines that pay nothing or very little will sommetimes insist on a shared copyright. Also, the money the publisher spends for promotion and production doesn't count against an author's royalties.
Do you think this is a problem for all creative industries? It seems like the model is similar in the publishing industry as well. How do you think creators could go about demanding fair wages for our labor?
I am not sure how much this applies to the specifics of other creative industries, because recorded music has a particularly tortured way of approaching intellectual property rights - new copyright law has had to be created more than once to deal with the challenges that audio recording presented to traditional ideas of ownership, copies, dissemination, etc. Streaming is the latest conundrum: is it a sale, a license, a broadcast...? But as for demanding fair wages: unionize!
I own the copyright to my books and sign long-term deals with publishers for them to publish, promote, etc. Once that deal is up, there is re-negotiation. I'm fairly certain this is standard practice. However, that can change when it comes to magazines. Often a magazine will share the copyright with the writer. Even small magazines that pay nothing or very little will sommetimes insist on a shared copyright. Also, the money the publisher spends for promotion and production doesn't count against an author's royalties.
Hey Damon,
I hear you! Love your work.
I just wrote something that might interest you. As a new (old) writer, I would welcome your thoughts.
Best wishes, David
https://blog.openmusic.io/the-openmusic-project/