This idea that we, creators and spiritual guides, should be giving our gifts away for free is so pervasive. I'd like to add it's also a poverty mentality on the part of the person who wants our sacred gifts without giving a fair exchange. I see it so often they want a healing or tarot reading, without paying for it or giving something else in exchange, because somehow spiritual people don't have bills to pay.
As a fiction writer, I've stopped doing freebies of my stories. Too often, people stuff their e-readers with books they'll never read, meanwhile, I'm trying to pay the cover designer or editor, hoping these freebie seekers will eventually buy my books.
Exactly my point. And most likely the freebie seekers never will buy your books. A client of mine discovered this when she did the same thing. Offered a novella as freebie. It was the prequel to her book. As far as she could tell, no one from her list bought the book when it launched.
This is so well said, and the exact right amount of fire. I actually paid my own coach to work on this with me -- to build my confidence in asking for PROPER payment for what I do because I'd internalized the story of not deserving payment for the care and spiritual work I do. We've been trained to devalue ourselves when we're "just starting out," even though just starting out for many of us comes after years of learning, practicing, and perfecting. Social media deepened our awful societal practice of putting in lots of unpaid effort just for "exposure." I see you and your words are a powerful call for all of us. Thank you.
This is something I had to learn as well when I first started freelancing. I signed up to work with a biz coach, and she told all of us, “you might be new to freelancing, but you’re not starting from scratch. Your skills and knowledge count for something.”
Thank you for your clarity about $. I've grown up with a sense of lack, a poverty mentality, which is taking much hard painful work to overcome. At any rate, I'm a brand new subscriber and already finding a deep resonance with your methodology.
You’re welcome! Glad to have you in the Temple! Let me know if you have any questions about anything. I just released my 3-Level Conceptual Clarity workbook (based on the Air lessons) to help you nail down your premise. This is is for fiction and I'm currently making a nonfiction version too. Happy to unlock the Air piece for you (EWM 101) for a week or so if you'd like to read and try the exercises.
I think part of the issue is that the average person doesn't grasp that creation is a spiritual activity. They've blocked off their own spirituality, perhaps substituting the outward forms of a religion, but that living spark inside them is dying for want of sustenance. And they don't consider writing or art "real work" so why should someone pay for it?
This is true, and it saddens me. I can’t understand the thinking behind writing and other forms of art not being considered as real work. But these same people view their creations as real work. It’s a double standard.
The entitlement is unbelievable, and I want to underscore one important point you made that I find to be true - the people who complain about fees and costs are NOT the people who were ever going to provide any reciprocal value to you as a creator, and they are also the ones who would not consider giving away their own valuable labor for free. They will talk about "mutual aid" but it won't actually be mutual.
I have found this time and time again. I wrote an article a while back with some similar themes - my space isn't a temple, but it IS a space where I paywall some of the valuable content that I create based on decades of professional and academic experience. If it wasn't valuable, people wouldn't be trying to read it. Same with any labor.
“They will talk about "mutual aid" but it won't actually be mutual.” — this part!
Like really? Be serious ma’am or sir. And when you call them out on it, they insist that’s not what they meant or intended.
I’m a trained editor by profession. Words have meaning. As a line editor, it’s literally my job to interpret the meaning of sentences to ensure the writer is saying what they actually want to say.
I’m about to read your piece. That photo is super cute btw!
Thank you! I am 100% with you on the meaning of words (lawyers are trained to be). If you (entitled reader) are going to use words like "exclusive" and "privileged" to refer to my paywall, you are going to hear all about exclusion and privilege in ways that might embarrass you. I make zero apologies about working to pay my bills, and will not entertain criticisms by people whose roofs are secure. Punto.
So very well said!
This idea that we, creators and spiritual guides, should be giving our gifts away for free is so pervasive. I'd like to add it's also a poverty mentality on the part of the person who wants our sacred gifts without giving a fair exchange. I see it so often they want a healing or tarot reading, without paying for it or giving something else in exchange, because somehow spiritual people don't have bills to pay.
As a fiction writer, I've stopped doing freebies of my stories. Too often, people stuff their e-readers with books they'll never read, meanwhile, I'm trying to pay the cover designer or editor, hoping these freebie seekers will eventually buy my books.
Exactly my point. And most likely the freebie seekers never will buy your books. A client of mine discovered this when she did the same thing. Offered a novella as freebie. It was the prequel to her book. As far as she could tell, no one from her list bought the book when it launched.
This is so well said, and the exact right amount of fire. I actually paid my own coach to work on this with me -- to build my confidence in asking for PROPER payment for what I do because I'd internalized the story of not deserving payment for the care and spiritual work I do. We've been trained to devalue ourselves when we're "just starting out," even though just starting out for many of us comes after years of learning, practicing, and perfecting. Social media deepened our awful societal practice of putting in lots of unpaid effort just for "exposure." I see you and your words are a powerful call for all of us. Thank you.
This is something I had to learn as well when I first started freelancing. I signed up to work with a biz coach, and she told all of us, “you might be new to freelancing, but you’re not starting from scratch. Your skills and knowledge count for something.”
Eloquently stated!
Thank you for your clarity about $. I've grown up with a sense of lack, a poverty mentality, which is taking much hard painful work to overcome. At any rate, I'm a brand new subscriber and already finding a deep resonance with your methodology.
You’re welcome! Glad to have you in the Temple! Let me know if you have any questions about anything. I just released my 3-Level Conceptual Clarity workbook (based on the Air lessons) to help you nail down your premise. This is is for fiction and I'm currently making a nonfiction version too. Happy to unlock the Air piece for you (EWM 101) for a week or so if you'd like to read and try the exercises.
I think part of the issue is that the average person doesn't grasp that creation is a spiritual activity. They've blocked off their own spirituality, perhaps substituting the outward forms of a religion, but that living spark inside them is dying for want of sustenance. And they don't consider writing or art "real work" so why should someone pay for it?
This is true, and it saddens me. I can’t understand the thinking behind writing and other forms of art not being considered as real work. But these same people view their creations as real work. It’s a double standard.
The entitlement is unbelievable, and I want to underscore one important point you made that I find to be true - the people who complain about fees and costs are NOT the people who were ever going to provide any reciprocal value to you as a creator, and they are also the ones who would not consider giving away their own valuable labor for free. They will talk about "mutual aid" but it won't actually be mutual.
I have found this time and time again. I wrote an article a while back with some similar themes - my space isn't a temple, but it IS a space where I paywall some of the valuable content that I create based on decades of professional and academic experience. If it wasn't valuable, people wouldn't be trying to read it. Same with any labor.
You might appreciate this: https://elizabethsillecklarueesq.substack.com/p/writers-do-not-owe-you-free-access?r=1h269a
“They will talk about "mutual aid" but it won't actually be mutual.” — this part!
Like really? Be serious ma’am or sir. And when you call them out on it, they insist that’s not what they meant or intended.
I’m a trained editor by profession. Words have meaning. As a line editor, it’s literally my job to interpret the meaning of sentences to ensure the writer is saying what they actually want to say.
I’m about to read your piece. That photo is super cute btw!
Thank you! I am 100% with you on the meaning of words (lawyers are trained to be). If you (entitled reader) are going to use words like "exclusive" and "privileged" to refer to my paywall, you are going to hear all about exclusion and privilege in ways that might embarrass you. I make zero apologies about working to pay my bills, and will not entertain criticisms by people whose roofs are secure. Punto.