[Ipg-smz] Not the greeting I was expecting ...

[Howard M. Cohen]

I see those rushing to the bottom as making it easier for the cream to rise to the top. I was referring to us, the community of writers who love tech, not markets. For me, the most vibrant markets are those who promote real thought leadership, not business-class politics.

From: Ipg-smz <ipg-smz-bounces at netpress.org> On Behalf Of Cameron Laird via Ipg-smz
Sent: Tuesday, November 5, 2019 8:59 AM
To: ipg-smz at netpress.org
Cc: Cameron Laird <claird271 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Ipg-smz] Not the greeting I was expecting ...

I'm open to more inspiration, Howard.

In the meantime, I see considerable "rush to the bottom".  What's an example of a vibrant market you observe?  What outposts are equipped to pay for solid research and illuminating writing?

On Tue, Nov 5, 2019 at 9:14 AM Howard M. Cohen via Ipg-smz <ipg-smz at netpress.org<mailto:ipg-smz at netpress.org>> wrote:
Tom, perhaps you should read some Viktor Frankl. You ask how to "do it" and the answer is to always be developing your network. My postscript on every email is "the more good you do for more people the more good finds its way back around to you." I believe that, and I live by it.

You mention twenty years ago a few times. Perhaps it would serve you more to look forward than back. I see new media channels opening up all around us. You just need to be willing to adapt to changing needs.

To your last snarky comment I can only say that I am a full-time freelancer for ten years following thirty in the IT channel. When I say a vibrant, vital community I'm talking about professionals, not part-timers, hobbyists, or retirees. Not a one in the bunch. I feel badly for how you're feeling about our industry and hope you'd expand your thinking. If it's really as bad as you describe, perhaps its time for a career change. I'm still celebrating mine ten years later.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ipg-smz <ipg-smz-bounces at netpress.org<mailto:ipg-smz-bounces at netpress.org>> On Behalf Of Tom Geller via Ipg-smz
Sent: Tuesday, November 5, 2019 12:21 AM
To: ipg-smz at netpress.org<mailto:ipg-smz at netpress.org>
Cc: Tom Geller <tom at tomgeller.com<mailto:tom at tomgeller.com>>
Subject: Re: [Ipg-smz] Not the greeting I was expecting ...

On 5 Nov 2019, at 08:01, Howard M. Cohen via Ipg-smz <ipg-smz at netpress.org<mailto:ipg-smz at netpress.org>> wrote:

> many of us have changed who we write for

If you write for a vendor, are you a "journalist"? Open for debate, but I'd say "no", and my comments here reflect that. Certainly the consensus answer was "no" twenty years ago.

> Ours is a vibrant and vital community.

Arguing against that:
* Far lower freelance rates, down over 75% from the 1990s.
* Far fewer staff positions, probably down over 90%.
* Far less care and oversight (copyeditors, managing editors, etc.). Again I'd say 75-90% shrinkage.
* Far fewer publications, so less mobility.
* For less exposure from each piece (shorter pieces, in the public eye for only days or hours).
* Far less publication revenue from our work, causing all the above.

I'll grant that it's a "vibrant and vital community" -- of part-timers, hobbyists, and retired folks looking to stay busy (*ahem*). But for only a tiny number is it a profession nowadays.

It's nice work if you can get it. And if you get it, won't you tell me how?

---
Tom Geller  *  Writer & Video/journalist  *  http://tomgeller.com
       Rotterdam, The Netherlands, +31 (0)6 87071468
            Oberlin, Ohio  *  +1-415-317-1805






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