Here I am, eating bonbons all day as a sponsored writer.
There’s been lots of talk on my blog lately about money and food blogging. (See post about Adam Roberts and Amy Sherman’s post.)
But one thing people don’t talk about is the privilege of being a food writer, where earning money is a secondary ambition for many – not because they’re hobbyists, but because they don’t have to earn a living.
A story on Salon about obfuscating the circumstances that let us write caused a stir on social media. The writer said her husband sponsored her so she could write novels full-time. Food writers can relate, as many are subsidized too.
I include myself. I quit my job as an editor-in-chief 19 years ago with my husband’s blessing. Now I gross just over of half the salary I made in that position so many years ago. Luckily for me, my husband doesn’t care and subsidizes me. He wants me to be happy in whatever I choose to do.
But I feel guilty. On days when self-doubts are high, I wonder if I am worthy of this privilege. I wonder if my topic is frivolous and I should do something more serious. I ask my husband if he would like to do other work that pays less, where I would support him. He says no. He is happy in his work and I am happy in mine. For balance, I volunteer at a non-profit that helps people much less fortunate than I.
Of course I am grateful too, all the time, for my husband’s generosity and for this opportunity. Yes, I’m lucky to choose my work, to get so much pleasure from it, and to not have to worry about income.
Privilege has other downsides, though. Perhaps we sponsored writers are not good negotiators when it comes to money, because the stakes are low. We’re not trying to make a living, after all. And I suspect we are not taken seriously in our industry, because we are subsidized, and because most of us are women.
If you are a subsidized writer, are you aware of the privilege that comes with it? if you support yourself, do you feel that sponsored writers make it harder for you to have a serious career? Let’s discuss.
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(This modified post was originally published in my free quarterly newsletter. If you’d like news about food writing, sign up here. Also, my essay prompted this response from food writer Maureen C. Berry. Photo courtesy of marin at FreeDigitalDownloads.net)
Supporting myself and my family since my early 20’s as a professional musician for 35 years, and now by teaching pie making workshops, I have always lived outside the box. My blog, along with social media, my website, and email list are all part of the platform I employ to get the information out about my classes. I don’t worry about others being sponsored by their partners or about paid company sponsorship frankly because I don’t have time to put my thoughts and energy there. I am just too busy working! I LOVE my work and believe that with passion, hard work, dedication, and luck, the right opportunities arrive and somehow the bills will continue to get paid. But paid or not, I always take my work seriously.
Well what a generous attitude you have, Kate. I love your spirit.
Thanks Dianne. I used to say that I was a two income family and that I brought in both the incomes. Like Fiona, I guess I was my own sugar daddy!
I remember listening to several food world (PR, photo, writer) professionals) once say on a panel that the reason that they have been so successful is that as single moms there are mouths to feed and fear at times kind be a great motivator. I can TOTALLY relate.
But, it no way do I begrudge anyone who has a sponsor or a patron. Artists have had patrons for centuries and if one came knocking at my door I would gladly open it and listen. If the offer fit with my beliefs and who I am, then I would accept.
And sorry about the typos!
Hey I didn’t even notice them. Will go back to check.
One other thought in the “starving artist” category. It was much easier to for me to make a living as a musician than as a food writer.
Why is that?
As many musicians do I cobbled together a living — soloist, accompanist, coach, teacher, church musician, choir director. I started at a very early age, 15 to be exact, and learned that there seemed to be an unspoken “list” to get on. Once on it, gigs started coming. In each city I moved to, the process had to begin anew. As I grew, so did my skill. I knew my worth and was not afraid to ask for it. Somehow I paid my mortgage, car payment, and put a kid through college. When clients chose to go with someone who charged less or worked for free, many times that came back saying that they had gotten just what they had paid for—Little or NOTHING.
Today, I am once again a cobbler to reinvent myself in the food world. I started by stuffing envelopes to supplement my music income to prepare for my son to be able to go to college. That led to working in food PR and social media during which I launched my pie teaching buiness. This gave me a foothold to get onto that unspoken list. But, after all the expenses for workshops and multi-day events I find that I make much less than I did as musician/teacher when all I had to do was to practice, rehearse, put on a black dress and go to a hall to play a gig. It’s my overhead that has changed immensely in the food world. I do take food writing gigs that fit for me but turn them down when they do not.
Perhaps it is not that food writing doesn’t pay or that it is a male or female thing, perhaps it is that we do not know the art of cutting the deal. I am fortunate that there have been those along the way in other fields that have given me some tips and tricks to raise up my bottom line and I am a very hard worker. I sense that today’s food writing world is different than it was 25 years ago. The pool that editors and advertisers can chose from is much larger thanks to our computer age. There are good food writers out there who ARE wiling to work for FREE so they can get on that unspoken list.
In addition to teaching I do accept food writing gigs when the subject and the contract offered are a fit for me and with very very careful budgeting my income is livable. I hope that more assignments will continue to come, but truthfully I would rather rent a room out in my house to make ends meet than take on an assignment that doesn’t fit me.
OK, I’ll get off my soapbox now. 😉
Not a soapbox at all, but illuminating. You are one of the few people in the comments who works full-time as a food writer and teacher. Like Marge, you are cautioning people who don’t know what they’re worth. Both of you must feel your competing with newer talent that charges too little.
And I’m with you. I won’t take a gig that doesn’t fit me. Sometimes I’m not super interested but it’s a fine fit for my skills, and that has to be good enough.
I worked for 25 years in an executive position in the tech field before stashing my retirement away and now working for peanuts. I have many young “foodies” who envy my job and want to craft a career like they envision I have, but the first thing I ask them is whether they really need to make a living at it or not. Any writing, not just food writing, has always been difficult if you expect it to be your full time income, and most writers I know have other jobs (or other sources of money, as you say). I guess as food writers, however, we should be grateful for any support we get – from paying sponsors or generous and supportive spouses. The best part for me is that by earning so much less than in my corporate job, I actually feel more free to focus on philanthropic efforts. And for that I am thankful every day!
Another person working for peanuts. I get so mad about it sometimes. Do you not Michele? I am the same person who was paid so much more at one time.
But few writers makes a living at it, so what do we expect?
I don’t recall ever doing volunteer work when I was working at a corporate job, so you’re right, this is benefit of self employment.
I suspect the reason we’re not taken seriously is not because there’s a second income, be it a spouse or an inheritance or retirement savings. Nor is it (always) because we’re women (although there’s a little of that.)
I think we’re not taken seriously because we aren’t insisting on being taken seriously. We’re not promoting ourselves like our livelihood depends on it. We might not be networking. We neglect building platforms. Maybe we put a little effort into it when it’s convenient, but I personally would work this gig a whole hell of a lot harder if it was what fed my family. But I’d also be writing something different. Something that pays better. Or not writing at all.
Choice, in any form, is a privilege. So is writing for pay. A precious few make enough money to support themselves and that’s nothing new. If you want to write you find a way. Sometimes it means taking a second job. Sometimes it means living below your means Sometimes it means thanking your spouse for bringing home the locally sourced bacon.
I don’t think I should sit back and pass on assignments because someone else needs the money more and it pisses me off when it happens. Judge me on what I write. Not who I married.
I do agree with you overall, Criss, but many of us have worked hard to build a platform, yet are not taken seriously as writers. We are underpaid, offered the going rate, and often we take it, although the going rate is ridiculous! That, to me, is a definition of privilege. We can afford to do so.
Sometimes I refuse to take the going rate and they choose someone else. I can absorb the loss of income. That, too, is privilege.
Thank you for admitting to your “subsidized” life. It is a privilege to be able to do what you are passionate about, but could you do it without your partner’s support? Many don’t admit to their place of privilege. I appreciate your honesty. 🙂
I don’t think I would do it without a partner. I would be too freaked out about the money. I could not “invest in myself to see what happens.”
The first time I quit a job without having another one lined up was after I was married. My husband helped me make the decision. As a feminist, I was used to taking care of myself, and it was very hard for me.
See, that kind of gets me. I would love to “invest in myself and see what happens.” And it won’t happen in the foreseeable future, as I’m the primary wage earner. And anyway, we need both of our incomes to make ends meet.
I would love to do much more creative or journalistic writing, or even any kind of food writing. But I don’t have the time or the justification to do it really seriously.
Yep, been there. In fact, years ago I told a friend I wanted to paint after I retired. She asked what was stopping me from painting now, while I worked full-time. So I took some classes and started painting. It didn’t last forever but I got it out of my system. And I produced a few fairly good pieces.
Most food writers are hobbyists, Irena, which means they start because they think it will be fun, and they’re not doing it full-time. Most never move out of that stage.
Dianne, I’ll post my comment here and on your blog too.
I am so glad you brought this up. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, especially after that article you linked to. It caused quite a debate on some of the forums I am on, with some people thinking that the writer was being patronizing. I took something very different from that piece. I believe that the author was being grateful to her partner for being able to support her when she wasn’t making money from her writing, at least not enough to support herself.
I wonder about this myself. I’ve been very lucky in many ways, that I have a husband who makes enough money so that I can follow my dreams. I can say for sure that if I was in a position where I had to work a full time job and make enough money to support myself and my child, that my food writing would be the first casualty. I’ll be honest, it rankles the feminist side of me a little, that I am not able to make a full time living out of food writing (though, if it was just me I was supporting I might be able to), but having a family means that we need the kind of security that my writing, photography and styling just won’t provide.
This is where my husband comes in. His income is what pays the mortgage, pays for the food I write about, the dinner parties I throw, the holidays I get to go on. My income, both from my managing editor job and my food writing, recipe development and styling goes straight to all the luxuries I am (ashamed to say) I am used to, like lunches and dinners out, food photography props, conferences and the like.
The thing is, I don’t know if I have ever said thank you to my husband for basically subsidizing my lifestyle. Sure, we divide our lives pretty evenly in terms of childcare, and chores around the house, and yes, I do the majority of them. But I see this as a small price to pay for the freedom I have to pursue my dreams, which is a rare thing in today’s world.
Does this make me a bad feminist? Hell no. I’ve paid my dues… I’ve worked the four jobs to pay for my university degrees, I’ve paid my share when we were struggling academics together. At this point I refuse to be ashamed to say that my husband subsidizes my lifestyle. If the roles were reversed, I would not resent it one bit, and right now neither does he. It’s called having a good marriage. And perhaps I will not go and give my long-suffering spouse a hug and say a big thank you for being the person he is!
Obviously, I meant *now, and not *not 🙂
Dear Michelle, you are doing good work and you are not a bad feminist. Your husband loves that you are happy, and that is great for a marriage. I will copy here what you said on Facebook after I suggested you work with a non-profit to help girls, to balance things out. You and your mom are awesome and should be celebrated! Here it is:
“I actually already work with a couple of NGOs based in India that promote education and safe workplaces for girls. My mom is a retired teacher in India, and she works with a large group of underprivileged children (mainly in a very deprived Muslim area, where girls are not allowed to study or have to look after large families) and we work together to support many of their organization’s initiatives. Mom would kick my butt if I wasn’t involved haha. My doctoral thesis was on women and social change in India, so it’s a field I am pretty passionate about. I just don’t talk about it much.”
Ah the topic of many a conversation between my partner and I. I have an interesting take on it I guess.
You see we are young-ish and we have small children. 1 needs childcare, and 1 goes to school but would need after school care if I worked outside of the home. My husband is subsidised by me, not the other way around.
I provide childcare that would otherwise be expensive, cook meals, clean the house (occasionally), provide for the needs of our children on a day-to-day basis. He could not go out to work to earn money unless I did this. The cost of providing fulltime childcare for 1 child, part time childcare for another, healthy meals everyday, support at home etc would be far more than I could ever earn in paid employment.
Am I subsidised to be a writer? Not at all, I have 2 full time jobs – running a household, and writing – sometimes one is sacrificed for the benefit of the other. Sometimes my floor is dirty and other times I forgo eating dinner so that I can write some more.
For me, it’s not about being subsidised; it’s about being supported. We all need support. Writers who have more support tend to do better. So we walk on dirty floors and eat cereal for supper sometimes. 😉
Caitriona, I love this answer! Thank you. You are neither subsidized nor privileged. You are doing your work equally with your husband. I would like to get to this mindset, but it’s going to take some time.
Agreed! Thank you for this thoughtful response!
This struck a chord with me Dianne – because I struggle with this dilemma every day. I am a doubly-subsidised writer – both by my husband, and also by myself. My husband subsidises my writing by allowing me the freedom to divide up my working life as I see fit. But I also subsidise myself, as I suspect many writers do, with a second job. For two weeks out of every four I work as a senior medical specialist in a public hospital ER: hard, stressful work which I earn an ample wage. In the other two weeks I work as a writer, where I put in the same number of hours, effort and heartache, and earn peanuts. My writing colleagues think I have it made, because I am, in essence, my own sugar daddy, and my own safety net. My medical colleagues also think I have it made, because I have a vital creative life outside of medicine that keeps me sane. I worry that by continuing to have a financial safety net I’m not forced out of my comfort zone enough to become a great writer.
But maybe we should ask – do writers write better when they’re poor and hungry? Or well-fed and happy? Are food writers paid enough? Popular myth would have us believe the best writing comes from a place of misery and struggle, but perhaps the best food writing actually comes from a place of happiness, comfort, and a full belly. Where the money comes from is a personal decision for all of us. I write because I love to, but I accept that sometimes it comes at a moral cost.
Thank you for being so honest about your situation and opening up the dialogue about writing and income.
Hah. You are your own sugar daddy. That’s hilarious! And smart, Fiona.
Re your question, I think the answer is “it depends.” Maybe so much food writing is perky, dull and full of the need to attain perfection is because we don’t suffer enough! On the other hand, if I put on my Bhuddist hat, I remember that “suffering is optional.” But honestly, just to consider questions like this means we have the privilege to do so.
A friend sent me this link today after reading my post. You might enjoy it:
http://www.salon.com/2014/03/30/the_real_secret_to_making_it_as_a_writer_be_fabulously_wealthy_before_you_even_start/
I am a food writer married to a food writer, and to make a living, we work incredibly long hours– far more than our lawyer, doctor, editor and other more traditionally employed friends.
I do not pass judgement on whether a colleague supports herself with her work. Frankly, it is none of my business. I do care, however, if she is willing to work for a far lower wage than is fair, and it brings down the market value for the rest of us.
Whether or not money is the primary motivation, I would say to anyone that it is important to remember the wage you are paid is a reflection of how your client values you, and you should be negotiating for your maximum value– not your need.
Doing so allows you to truly understand your value in the marketplace, rather than just being the “cheaper source” of content.
In the words of Molly Malone in Ulysses: Yes yes yes! I’m constantly amazed by how much I have to push newer writers to ask for what they are worth. Or to even think about money at all.
Absolutely Marge. A screenwriter (I think it was Lawrence Kasdan) once said, “Being a writer is like having homework for the rest of your life.” I am always working, whether I am sitting in front of my computer, baking in the kitchen, or having dinner with friends at a restaurant. Part of it is the 24/7 “always connected” lifestyle, which these days, is part of the nature of working on the internet.
I know a number of people that support themselves by food writing, and others that live with a spouse/partner, that allows them to do their job, or hobby. But I think that’s true in just about any position. Medical students do residencies with long hours, as do lawyers and people in other “traditional” jobs, and they’ often supported in some ways by their other half. (Which is why in certain places, when couples get divorced, stay-at-home spouses often are entitled to a portion of the income the other one has gained while they were together.)
But I have to say that the people I know who are successful, however you define success, got there because they worked hard, no matter what privileges they did or didn’t have.
Aha! Our first male commenter. Thank you David, for chiming in.
So you are in the camp that hard work will make you successful. Yes, that is a factor. But there are others. In your case, you were an early adopter, you write beautifully, you’re a gorgeous photographer, your recipes are fabulous, you understand tech and marketing, and you’re a white male. That last one has to count for something!
I don’t think hard work is the route to success, though. If it were, all the poor people in this country who work 2 or 3 jobs and rely on food stamps to get through the month would be wildly successful.
What about the thread of this post? Do you think you are privileged?
Hi Dianne: If you have electricity and plumbing, you are privileged in the world. It’s hard to quantify it. Success is dependent on a lot of things. Some people have a head-start (Paris Hilton…although “success” in that case is a somewhat dubious moniker…), and others, Steve Jobs for example, was smart and worked hard. There are people that work multiple jobs, and don’t succeed, and others do. Actress Hilary Swank lived in a car with her mother and Brad Pritt worked at El Pollo Loco. Privilege is relative and the fact that some people succeed and others don’t depends on a lot of things, not just having certain advantages.
I have to say, I just don’t think this is a white male dominated field, or that being male is necessarily an advantage as a food writer. More women than men READ food writing, for one thing, which means that perhaps a female voice is one they might more closely identify with. That, of course, is pure conjecture on my part, and clearly David is a glaring example of when that does not hold true.
There are many industries in which I believe males have an advantage, but this is not one of them. I just don’t think there is gender inequality here.
There are advantages to being male in our society no matter what industry. While food writing is dominated by women, these issues still exist. As to whether being male is an advantage in food writing, I still think so. There are fewer men, but it is easier for them to excel due to these values.
What values do men possess that make them excel at being food writers? Or editors, cooks, bloggers, cookbook authors, or television stars? To me, it seems like most of these fields are female dominated.
(Not meaning to be picky because we’re pals : ) but I’ve primarily worked with, and for, women all my life. And am happy to have spent most of my professional life with people who are talented, regardless of their gender.)
Hey, you can be picky. I’m enjoying this exchange.
Men have the same talents as women. Societal stereotypes make them more valuable and powerful, which is one reason why they do so well in our female-dominated industry.
I’ve worked for men most of my career, which is why I became self-employed 19 years ago. See http://msmagazine.com/blog/2014/03/26/before-workplace-harassment-had-a-name/
After reading the Salon piece and its comments, I realized one thing. Whether a person is sponsored or not, sometimes writing success comes from simply knowing the right people. I know some of my success, this does not mean monetary, came from plenty of influential people. As cliche as it is, I was in the right place at the right time. And producing good/great writing takes time, especially if there is no Iowa/Ivy degree attached to the writer.
The feminist angle in the Salon comments surprised me. Not that I hadn’t considered it. I know enough women who think that having a husband support her creative side is a step back. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Yet I’m still surprised. Why do women toss the feminist card into the fray? Because a woman decides to pursue her dreams to write a novel, a cookbook, a chapbook or whatever while her husband or partner wants to support her is a bad thing?
Lastly, thanks for including the link to my essay. As you know, I appreciate you, but it doesn’t hurt to mention it again does it?
I think I’ll go hug my husband and the dog.
Success occurs at birth, I think. Being born white and male is already a step up. It helps you be in the right place at the right time for later, as you say. Look at who is at the top, when it comes to food writing. The proportion of men is way too high, considering that it is mostly done by women. Food bloggers are the exception.
No it’s not a bad thing to have a husband support you. It’s just difficult to accept. I supported myself for 33 years until I married, and it was hard to give myself the luxury of stepping back and figuring out what I wanted. That was a huge privilege in itself, to have a husband support my decision to do so.
Yep, your partner gets lots of hugs and so does mine! Thanks Maureen.
I don’t know. When I think of who are the most successful/well-known and highly regarded food writers, I think of MFK Fisher, Elizabeth David, Jane Grigson, Mimi Sheraton, Madhur Jaffrey, Laurie Colwin, and Ruth Reichl. When it comes to top-selling cookbook authors, there are Julia Child, Ina Garten, Alice Waters, Dorie Greenspan, Ree Drummond, Alice Medrich, Mollie Katzen, Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso, and Martha Stewart. If you look at the top 25 best-selling cookbooks of all time, most are written by women. So to me, it seems like women are (justly) enjoying a good deal of success as food writers cookbook authors, and as you mentioned, food bloggers. And many are at the top of those fields.
Excellent list of amazing, successful women. You got me there. If you look at traditional media — who is at the helm of food magazines, big newspaper food sections and websites, who wins the Beard awards, who are the big restaurant reviewers, who writes the big chef books, it is mostly men. Perhaps the route to success for women in our business is to be self employed!
Dianne, I think most of the big food magazines have women at the helm. The two larges circ ones do: Food Network and Every Day with Rachael Ray.
Dianne: Twenty years ago, I left a high-paying corporate job with all the perks, listened to my heart, and started writing gluten-free cookbooks. At the time, people thought I was crazy and I wondered about that myself! But somehow I knew I was doing the right thing… for me and my readers. Food writing is not always lucrative from a monetary perspective, but knowing that I have helped people eat (despite their food sensitivities) is very rewarding and I feel privileged to be able to do this without having to measure my success from a monetary standpoint. And, yes our family has other sources of income to support us so I am a very fortunate woman and can focus on doing what I love. Thanks, Dianne, as always, yours was a very insightful topic today.
Wow! I love your books and they have been very inspiring and useful in my teaching. Thank you for so generously giving to the gluten free community.
You had big ovaries, Carol. I would not have had the guts to do that on my own. But maybe you had a partner or family money, so it didn’t seem so scary. And look at all the satisfaction that decision has created for you! Being grateful about it is another key to happiness.
Interesting thread. This morning my very supportive husband and I had this very conversation about the price of being sponsored. I earn and contribute to the family purse, but I am not the main breadwinner.
I used to be a highly paid project manager. I left to set up my own baking company which I ran for about 10 years, It didn’t make a lot of money, but it was a great experience and one which gave me a foothold in the food industry and a book deal for my first baking book. I wasn’t self sufficient throughout this period, but I worked really hard to keep it going. I successfully sold the business 12 years ago and although the money from the sale of the company wasn’t vast,it was a good amount which helped us to start our family, find a bigger house and allowed me to have time off with my two girls.
I’ve been working freelance in the food business over the last 7 years, doing a bit of writing,product development and mainly teaching gluten free baking. I love my work and I do feel privileged to be able to do what I do.
Today the issue got a bit heated. I was discussing with my sponsor husband why I was thinking about turning down a possible contract. I explained I didn’t like the way I was being treated, I wasn’t being paid a lot and I didn’t like being used as mouthpiece for a company which didn’t appreciate or value what I could bring to the table. I resented having to tow the line, suck up and do what most people in gainful employment do, get on with the job as a means to an ends.
How does this compare to what I do?……was his response.
I tried to explain to my patron, that although he carries the main financial burden, I carry our collective conscience. Why do we both have to feel like we are selling out? Why can’t one of us, say ‘NO’.
Not really sure who won the argument, as my spouse is now on route to the Caribbean on a work paid trip, staying in a luxury five star resort. I’m at home looking after the children, entertaining them, feeding them and their friends, endlessly tidying up and doing a bit of work in between laundry, washing up etc. You get the picture.
I think I pay the price for my independence. I don’t expect my husband to support me indefinitely, but for the time being I feel that part of the deal should be to allow me to work and write in a way that doesn’t make me compromise my principles. His work has it’s frustrations and difficulties but the difference is he is well remunerated, he is respected and acknowledged as an expert in his field. I too have great experience in my field but my experience doesn’t mean I get paid well or that companies value what I do. And that just about says it all.
I guess we will always have these kinds of conversations. My husband has had long periods of unemployment where I have been the breadwinner, which is kind of funny. During those times he has turned down work and I saw that as his privilege. I support him and he supports me.
I don’t think you are paying a price. You are privileged enough to not take work you don’t want. That is a situation that would make anyone grateful. Some people have the philosophy that they should take all work offered, but you don’t and that is fine because your family can afford to do so. More power to you.
Thanks, Dianne, as always, for your candor.
I, too, feel privileged to be a food writer, but not because I’m subsidized. I feel privileged because I enjoy what I do.
Could I make more doing something else? Of course. But money and happy aren’t the same thing.
Indeed. This is another reason to feel privileged. I know a few people who complain about their jobs all the time. That is not my problem!
Thank you, Dianne, for leading us into this spirited, introspective dialogue. I consider myself privileged, lucky and determined. I feel very lucky that my husband and I share the same values (do what you love and try to make the world a little better place.) We have both always been self-employed, almost equal earners and therefore respect each other’s freedom and choices. 30+ years ago, we met as actors, determined to change the world through theater. Since we couldn’t make a living from acting, we broadened our skills.
I studied to be a sign language interpreter and he became a drama therapist. After writing a book about Deaf culture and traveling the country teaching interpreters about intercultural communication, I realized how narrowly focused many Americans are on the subject of culture, when I got responses like, ” My American cultural values? Don’t have any, I’m just ‘normal’.” That got me so incensed, I decided I needed to educate the general public about culture and realized that food, food ways, and immigrants’ food stories offered a non-threatening pulpit to sneak in the cultural info wrapped in the fascinating world of food. Luckily, I could earn most of my living through interpreting, while developing the writing skills.
Meanwhile, my husband developed a process called “Healing the Wounds of History” in which he uses drama therapy techniques to encourage “enemies” to come together and work through the trans-generational transmission of trauma. At times, I resented the time this took away from “us.” But I couldn’t say no, because he allowed me my time to pursue my food and culture writing. Recently, his growing renown in his field, has led to numerous invitations to fascinating cities like Kyoto, Istanbul and Hong Kong and now I accompany him and get to write about the food and culture.
So I’m lucky again, but it wouldn’t have happened if we weren’t each determined to follow our hearts and generous enough to let the other do the same.
Anyone whose main stressors do not revolve around direct immediate daily needs for survival is privileged in some way. The ability to even have this conversation is a sign of privilege. One can feel guilty about it, or do something with it to make the world a better place. I think the better question to ask is, why is food writing needed in this world? In the light of so many other tangible needs (hunger, disease, humanitarian needs, etc.), is my food writing important? Is my writing/blogging/etc. the best use of my privilege, talents, and resources? If one can’t come up with a satisfying answer to those questions, then maybe some changes need to be made.
Yes indeed, it is a sign of privilege to even have this conversation. I do wonder why only women are having it, though. Do men not think of food writing as a privilege?
As to why people need food writing, because they love to read a good story, live vicariously, be transported, and imagine the world as a sensuous place. Also because they love to feed themselves and others, and express themselves creatively through cooking and baking.
Is it important work? For most, it’s a satisfying hobby. It is not necessarily their best use of privilege, talents and resources, but it is what they are called to do and what makes them happy.
I doubt that I am making the world a better place with my food writing. I am making it better for myself because I enjoy it.
Another interesting topic for discussion, Dianne. Thank you. I, too, feel privileged to be a food writer. Long story short, my ‘career’ began in 1993 when a newspaper editor liked something I wrote… he offered me a weekly column and said he would make me into ‘a star’. I was working part time at the time. In a government department in the mornings and as a PR consultant in the afternoons, so I wrote in my spare time. In the ten years that followed, I wrote my articles with gusto, never missing a deadline, despite the fact that my ‘salary’ was peanuts. I didn’t care, I loved it! That said, one thing led to another and I was offered a weekly radio segment on the local ABC here, and then I was ‘headhunted’ to the role of promotions manager of a fresh produce market AND co-ownership of a cooking school and cookware store! Heaven. For ten years, I worked my rear end off… truly! Running a hugely successful program of events at the cooking school, coordinating and writing all the programs, running the markets and all the promotions involved with that. And writing in my spare time. Burned out, I ended up going back to the sanity of a 9-5 government job. And my writing went onto the back burner for five long years. In 2011, I launched (Bizzy Lizzy’s) Good Things, my blog, and having retired in 2013, I’ve concentrated on building it up. No money (or very little) there, as many will know, but I am passionate about it nonetheless. ‘Things’ continue to come my way – PAID writing and PR gigs, which help. The CEO of a media company asked me recently ‘What drives you to write…’ I think he was expecting me to say $$$. He was surprised when I told him I am not in it for the money. Quite simply, I do what I do because I’m a writer, a cook, a traveller.
Great story, Liz. Because of our privilege, we don’t have to work just because we need the money. That doesn’t mean we won’t work hard and take ourselves seriously, just that we can choose based on our interests and passions. We are fortunate indeed.
Hi Diane, Yup my food blogging is subsidized by our families other sources of income too. And don’t know how I’d do it without the support of a loving husband who encourages me to follow my dream. I feel very privileged to be able to do what I love.
Nice that you understand your situation this way, Susan. We are indeed lucky.
Dianne,
I live an extremely privileged life. My wife’s work has us move in between Canada and Asia every 3 years or so. When I am in Canada I HAVE to work in order for us to maintain a lifestyle (primarily living an urban lifestyle). I have taken chef jobs that have work hours that allow me to raise my kids with my wife and not just leave the majority of it to her (ie. if I worked nights in a restaurant). But, I have not been completely satisfied with these jobs as they tend to be less challenging and there is little room for upward mobility.
On the other hand, when we are in Asia, primarily due to the countries we chose and cost of living there I do NOT have to work for money. This allows me to spend even more time with the family but it also gives me the opportunity to travel and investigate different food cultures. I have sacrificed a stable, long term career in Canada by supporting my wife and her work of moving overseas (luckily this is something I enjoy doing). In turn she supports me in trying to transition to writing or doing other food focused projects, that only until recently brought in money equivalent to my salary at home. We are a team and support each other with what we do. I think it is important that you share the same definition of success. It makes things easier for both. I chose this profession to feed my soul not my bank account. Had it been the other way around I would have switched long ago.
I think this happens in many relationships and with many different professions. I am positive this is the case for many people who teach yoga. So it is not limited to just writing.
We are about to embark on a new journey where my wife is taking a break from her job to feed her soul and re-energize. So clearly our definition for success is more about well being than the amount in our bank account or material items.
So yes, I am a man who is privileged in so many different ways but mainly it’s because of the fantastic woman I am married to.
Cameron, this is a beautiful testimonial to your wife and your partnership. Thank you for being so honest. I like that you are secure enough to make your career secondary to your wife’s. That is an unusual role for husbands in our culture. Also that you are aware of your privilege to choose what you want to do, even if it means some sacrifices.
And yes, I understand that you are not in it for the money. In a way that’s great because you would be disappointed if so.
Moving to the states will be an exciting new chapter for you both. I want to meet your wife!
Thank you for writing this! I’ve worked my whole life, in probably 60+ different jobs. Five years ago my husband agreed to subsidize my writing career, and we’ve never looked back. We budgeted, cut out a few things, rearranged, and are both happier than we’ve ever been. I’ve been able to follow my dream of being a writer, of food, but also other things, including becoming a podcaster! My podcast, Edacious – Food Talk for Gluttons premiered at #7 in the iTunes food category in February, a result of over one year of study, planning, and implementation. I could never have done it without his support. For the longest time I felt guilty of my privilege, until I met so many others working together doing the same. Following their dreams, living their most actualized life. Thank you for validating I made the right decision 🙂
How wonderful, Jenee. The issue for me is that you are aware of your privilege, that you know you are very fortunate. Looks like this career move has worked out well for you. Congratulations!
Hi Pete, thanks for the post. This is obviously a topic of interest for you, and I would love to have your thoughts on my blog, especially because you are a guy. Only one man commented so far, and some of us, in the comments, are wondering about the male perspective, or whether there is one!
I did not see a place to comment, so I’ll put my comment here. The issue for me is not about how much one makes as a person of privilege, but whether they are are aware of the fact that they don’t have to make much — or that they can choose to make nothing. Few people enjoy this type of situation, unless they are hobbyists.