When the “giving-away” mentality is going too far

by Cendrine Marrouat

The other day, while browsing Facebook, I chanced upon an update that really bothered me. Someone mentioned that they felt guilty for selling their creations at their current prices. That person was considering lowering them enough to make their products affordable to as many customers as possible.

Why is that particular update bothering me? Not because the person is feeling concerned about their customers. What bothers me is the word “enough.” And also because I am an independent artist and entrepreneur. I have not only written and published five books, but I have also recorded a spoken word CD. Further, I am a professional translator (and proofreader). I have seen the damage caused by increasingly low prices in the translation industry. Customers want miracles but are not willing to pay. Some rates are so low that they fall well under the minimum-wage limit. Competition is fierce and some translators are forced to accept such rates. When they do not, companies sub-contract people in Third-World countries. In both cases, translators need to find another job to make ends meet; they end up overworked. As a result, translations are often of the worst quality conceivable.

When customers complain that my rates are too high, I always educate them on how translators and proofreaders calculate their wages and / or rates. More often than not, clients end up thanking me.

I am afraid that this problem also plagues independent artists. Rarely have I seen an industry that is treated with so much disrespect. However, in hindsight, it is not very surprising. Why?

Independent artists fall into two categories:
—Those who have done their due diligence; they start making money after years of continuous hard work.
—Those who have not taken the time to educate themselves or ask for advice.
In turn, the second category can be divided into two groups:
—The spammers: They visit your profile on Facebook, Myspace or Ning, and leave messages asking you to support them. Or they will post an irrelevant comment under one of your threads. But they never offer to connect with you. In fact, they did not even take the time to read your profile.
—The givers: They literally give away their products to anybody who offers them some exposure.

Members of this entire second category do the industry the most disservice because you see them everywhere. As a result, audiences imagine that all indie are like them. How then are they supposed to value their work, when independent artists themselves constantly underrate their worth? And then, how is an indie supposed to offer quality products when they receive no compensation? If you can barely pay for your bills, it is almost impossible to make the necessary investments that will lead to marketable products.

This mentality needs to stop. Everything we create has a value, period. Feeling bad about selling things that require hard work will certainly not change people’s perceptions. It will only make some think that they can get a free ride from you. And demanding support from the entire world is not a solution either, especially when it is done with disrespect. The world does not owe you anything, just because you have an ounce of talent…

Real supporters are out there and buy our products without asking for a discount or a favour. Others are just others, passing through. Treat them respectfully without expecting much. Do not beg, apologize or justify yourself. Give your products away after careful research, not all the time. Not every promotional venue is the right one for you.

If we want art to survive, we must come together and speak the same language. We may all have bills to pay but in the end, self-respect is the key to a better future in the industry.

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Cendrine Marrouat (http://www.cendrinemarrouat.com) is a writer, published author and translator living in Canada. She is the Winnipeg Spirituality Examiner & Winnipeg Art Examiner. If you are an independent artist (author, band, musician, painter etc.) living in Winnipeg or Manitoba, she would love to hear from you. She also accepts books and CDs for reviews. Contact her at info@cendrinemarrouat.com.