The above title is actually a comment I left on a writer friend's post after she declined an opportunity because the organizers would not pay an honorarium for her contribution to their event. The implication being that exposure is compensation enough.

As writers, we'd love to be paid for our work, but ultimately we want our stuff out there. Too often this means giving our words away. For some it's a matter of wanting to build up a CV, for others it's frustration over fierce competition within the shrinking pool of semi-pro and pro paying markets. It's all perfectly understandable, but let's be honest. Exposure is not payment, my friends.


I have a giggle-snort when markets list EXPOSURE!!! as their dazzling form of compensation. As if exposure will fill your bowl with Kraft Dinner. The last time I went to the supermarket and tried to pay for my groceries with exposure they asked me very nicely to put my tits back in my shirt. So trust me guys, the only thing you can buy with exposure is your name on a list.


Teachers, plumbers, and helicopter pilots are not expected to work for free. The work of creatives is no less valuable. Don't give yourself away. If they are words worth writing, if it's art worth creating, then anyone who wants to publish it owes you more than EXPOSURE!!! and a pdf contributor's copy.


S.

By which I don't mean that I never watch, only that I often forget about it as an entertainment option. I have a TV. Hell, I've got three of them. Sometimes I watch stuff on my three televisions. I like The Mindy Project (sniff, cancelled), Nashville (I want to nest in Connie Britton's hair), Vampire Diaries (what, you don't think I want to stop?), and I will devour absolutely anything with Eva Green. As you can see, I'm no snob, I veg out with the best of them...when I remember that I can. When I'm not running, or pooped from running, or writing, or reading, or interneting. The kids also hog the tv a lot, what with their Spongebobs, Ultimate Spidermans, and Diamond Minecart videos.


My sporadic viewing habits mean I'm about two years behind on everything. It's cool though. By the time I catch up on Game of Thrones, I will have forgotten about the spoilers I stumbled on today.


I also like to watch a lot at once, plough through a whole season in a weekend. Netflix seems to take a dim view of this practice (ARE YOU STILL WATCHING?), but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed Breaking Bad as much if I'd had to wait a week between episodes.

Sometimes the binge watching experience works against me and I'll end up liking a show less. I'll watch a whole pile of Walking Dead and it will become remarkably apparent how uneven the quality of the writing is and then I'll be shocked to learn that while I'm two years behind, this more often than not boring show is still on and the ratings are higher than ever. I'm sorry, but as much as I love Carol and Darryl, it's not enough. I faced the same tough decision with The Killing. Break ups are hard.

In the last few months I've averaged maybe an hour of tv a week. Now I'm craving it. There are so many great shows out there. I ran a 50km ultra marathon this past Sunday and after all that training and hard work, I plan to spend the upcoming weekend basically couch-locked. I've got Sons of Anarchy, Ray Donovan, Downton Abbey, and I'm open to recommendations.

What were your favourite shows two years ago?


S.