Obviously, I love this.
But it also frames a really significant Q: The difference btwn Xian writers writing out of institutions & salaried positions & those writing as primary source of income.
But it also frames a really significant Q: The difference btwn Xian writers writing out of institutions & salaried positions & those writing as primary source of income.
https://twitter.com/AlanLevinovitz/status/1335687001916444677
Lots to think about, but in my own experience, writing for salary presents unique challenges & has potential to make work more susceptible to whims of marketplace & consumer.
This doesn't have to be bad thing, but I think it's something we need to be more open about in Xian publishing. And it's particularly going to affect female authors who are less likely to be writing from an institution (church or academy).
Working outside institution also has a way of locking writers in a kind of sales silo, isolating them from the kind of community that's essential to developing & testing new ideas.
Please don't take any of this as complaint. I love being able to write, & I love being able to sell what I write. I do think, however, that we can imagine better ways & form more holistic communities around writers, particularly those who serve the church.
If you're a church of any significant size, you might think about potential of creating a writer in residency program. Something as basic as offering office space, access to shared theological library, & community w/ staff could really go a long way to supporting these gifts.
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