With the economy being what it is, we’ve seen an increasing number of authors asking for help from their readers. The reasons are many and varied: because of the death of a loved one, because of a spouse losing a job or just because they’ve fallen on hard times.
I can’t decide how I feel about this. On the one hand, I truly feel for these people and the millions of others the world over who have been effected by this recession. Five months ago I lost my job. I worked for a mortgage company and, as I’m sure you can imagine, things within my company became very unstable. I was one of the last employees to be let go and since then it has been a constant struggle. I’m very blessed that my husband’s job is secure (for now), but I was a main contributor to our household income. Not having that extra has really hurt us. We’ve made budget cuts, gotten rid of some excess and we’re doing the best we can.
As the economy continues to tank, more and more of us are struggling to pay bills, buy groceries and keep a roof over our heads. It’s frustrating and scary to not know if you’ll be able to keep the heat on, or your mortgage current. Believe me, I understand the pressures associated with not knowing what to do next. I think it’s wonderful that those who are in a position to do so are helping those who are struggling. I would hate to see anyone lose their home or be unable to feed their children. I hope people who are in a position to offer help can and do.
But should these authors ask us, as readers/fans/bloggers, to help them to keep theirs?
Because on the other hand, I’m not sure I’m entirely comfortable visiting the blog of a favorite author and seeing him/her begging for money. I really do understand that sometimes you don’t have a choice – that all other options have been exhausted and so you set your pride aside and do what needs to be done. But is taking your problems online the answer?
Or maybe it’s the fact that they’re asking that bothers me? Because if I see another author asking on behalf of someone s/he knows, I don’t have a problem with that. I also don’t have a problem with authors raising money for worthy causes (such as Brenda Novak’s diabetes auction or Colleen Gleason asking for donations for CF). I think what I’m uncomfortable with is authors asking for money for personal reasons.
I guess I’m not sure where I stand on the issue. I *do* understand. I was a single mom for many years and it’s a very horrible, scary feeling to not know if you’re going to be able to feed your children or keep a roof over their heads. On the other hand, I’m mildly uncomfortable that authors whose books I enjoy reading are now asking me for money outside of their book sales.
What about you? Do you have an opinion one way or the other? Do you think in this economy anythings goes, or does it bother you when you see authors asking for donations for personal reasons?
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Everything you said I agree with. If an author is holding a charity for a cause such as a cure for a disease, I am all for it.
As for raising money for personal issues, that makes me ncomfortable. I have sympathy for them but when I have people I care about in my life that I see every day and were there to support me in my time of need and they are now trying to make ends meet, I rather help them with a donation.
It makes me uncomfortable to see authors publicly asking for money for personal reasons. I don’t mind it so much when the author’s colleagues ask on that author’s behalf (especially when the author has been ill or has lost a loved one, etc.), but not when the author her/himself is making a personal request.
Charity and fundraisers are one thing. Your son is autistic and you fundraise for autism research…your daughter lost her premature baby so you fundraise for March of Dimes…your neighbor lost his house in the wildfires and you’re trying to help him feed his children…fine. Those are GREAT and worthy causes.
But “I haven’t sold enough books this year and I can’t make my mortgage payment. Can you send me money via PayPal?” is totally inappropriate. If an author wants to send a private email to his/her close friends and colleagues, I don’t have a huge problem with it. I think it’s poor manners, but at least it’s private.
Public begging is gross.
Public begging is gross.
I couldn’t have said it better, Jen.
I love Brenda Novak’s annual diabetes auction. What she does is incredibly admirable and I really admire her for it.
When I see an author asking for money from readers for personal reasons, it disturbs me. On one hand I’m cringing thinking “Don’t you have any pride?” and on the other hand I’m thinking “What makes you so special?”.
I think that authors that ask readers for money on their own behalf are taking advantage of the very people that support them. It really disgusts me.
Good post, Holly.
That is just shocking that authors are doing that!
There is nothing I would love more than to quit my time-consuming and unpleasant job and write full time. That is a huge privilege and a wonderful thing. But Obviously I’d need to know I could support myself down the line for SURE.
I completely agree with you Holly.
Donations/fundraisers for an author’s favorite charity is totally fitting and I commend the authors that do that. But for an author to ask for donations from their readers to say, a paypal account. Nope, not at all appropriate. If the author’s colleagues organize an online auction, fine but to just straight out ask for money…no. If I posted on my blog that I was in financial difficulty and asked for donations from my favorite authors that would not only be totally inappropriate but completely unrealistic. Why should they simply give me money?
I’ve been there before, not knowing where I would get gas money to get to work. Or having to make $20 last for 2 weeks until I got paid again. So I can sympathize. But there must be other ways to get funds than begging online.
Next there will be email chains sent out instead of a call to action on blogs and websites.
I guess my biggest issue stems from the fact that I already, in some small part, support the authors. I buy their books, read them, review them here on the site. We’re very small potatoes in the grand scheme of the blogging world, but I’m confident enough in our site to say we have a pretty good reader base and our recommendations actually push sales. Maybe not thousands of sales, but some.
So if I’m doing all that, spending my precious dollars to buy their book, haven’t I already put money toward their house payment?
Yes, I realize the royalties from my one sale aren’t even a drop in the bucket compared to what a mortgage payment is, but…well, I have my own mortgage payment to make and my own bills to pay.
I guess the cynical bitch in me wonders why they don’t have the money to make their house payment to begin with. How do I know the money they’re asking me to Paypal them isn’t really going to go toward a new pair of shoes or a drug habit or..whatever.
The point is, I understand everyone goes through a rough patch now and again. But what’s next? Where does it stop?
I’ve not seen this on the web myself but I’m sure it’s out there and personally I’m mortified for those authors. If you are asking on behalf of someone else or for a charity that’s cool with me but anything else is just not cool. I understand that American’s are having financial issues right now but why would we give them money? Other than buying their books? Again, not cool.
Great topic Holly and you go girl for bringing up this topic… cos I wouldn’t be comfy about it.
Well I agree with everything’s that being said. It makes me uncomfortable to read such posts and I actually ignore them. I mean, if I was really broke and exhausted all the other solutions, yes I would be asking my friends for a loan… However, in this case, I feel that the authors are taking advantages of their “public” figure status.
Ok, I am constantly being accused of being “too nice” by my best friend. So although sometimes I feel uncomfortable, (who wouldn’t, finding out some private problems), I figure if someone is that low to admit it to fans and the public, that means things are bad. Sometimes I don’t think it’s something I want to give money to, but sometimes I do. It depends. Also – you’d think you could ask friends and family, but I think it can be easier to tell complete strangers. Sometimes you just feel too chicken to tell someone you KNOW that things aren’t going well. Anyway, it’s a grey area for sure.
What DOES bug me is when people ask for money for completely frivolous items or there are other obvious ways to pay for the thing themselves and they just don’t want to (I see this on certain forums, and let’s not even go into what people ask for in freecycle!)
I have to agree with what you said in your post, Holly. Reading a post where someone is asking for personal donations to help them out really make me uncomfortable. I may feel bad that they’re in such a dire situation, but there are tons of people facing the same problems and, like you said in your comment, by purchasing their book, I feel I am already contributing to their income. They may not get a lot from the sale, but it’s better than nothing.
Now, I don’t mind seeing posts asking for donations to other causes, but I have issues when it’s for personal donations. It’s just a hard issue to deal with all around.
Hi Holly, thanks for a brave and honest post. Personally, it would make me uncomfortable when authors ask for donations for personal reasons. But I am also thinking that the authors may be in such a serious bind that they feel they have little other options. We all make choices with whom we can help, donate to etc. and I guess if there are readers who are willing to choose these authors then that is their right/decision. It may mean that someone else who may need it as badly (or worse) will go without, but didn’t have the same opportunities to let us know about it…
I am not as active on the blogosphere as most of you here, and to be honest have not encountered this yet. But, it is uncomfortable. I didn’t even like asking people at work to contribute to a going away gift for someone in the office. Personally, I know I couldn’t do it. It makes me wonder though, how desperate do you have to be to make such a request? And as much as I would like to help, everyone is going through some harsh times right now, so why should I give you my money when I have already purchased your book. I think that is support in and of itself.
Holly, I see your point, and it personally does make me uncomfortable. But I think it takes a lot for someone to ask complete strangers for help that I can’t begrudge them the opportunity. If they’re doing it in their own blog/space, and if other people are publicising it for them voluntarily, I really don’t see anything wrong with it. I guess I don’t see publicly asking for help as undignified unless it’s done in an ungracious manner, or if it’s something that a person does all the time. I also don’t consider it begging, particularly if the author has already established a relationship with readers (e.g. a blog) and there’s some trust that the author is genuinely in need. I’ve seen real beggars in my life, and there’s a huge difference.
Yup, I agree too. Charity stuff is fine, absolutely! The other stuff…well, it makes me uncomfortable. I feel bad for the person but still it seems so very inappropriate.
I do have to agree somewhat on what you say Holly. Times are hard for everyone.
But I think it’s about time we all start to help everyone we can. This recession is going to make all of us swallow are pride and reach out to people we may have not had wanted to do before.
Sometimes asking for help is very hard and it may have been hard for this author to even ask her fans for help, maybe she can’t support the rest of her family and needs help. I don’t know.
It may seem selfish, but we all need a helping hand someday.
I’ve also struggled with this issue. Using one’s name and talents to raise money for a cause strikes me as totally appropriate. Raising money for personal reasons is…icky.
Unless. We don’t typically think of authors as entrepreneurs and writing as a business, but both are true. If an author needs money, post a couple of short stories and a paypal button for freeware/shareware (people have raised amazing sums in such ways). Trickier to pull off (and perhaps not possible, but I bet variations of this theme *are*) would be selling rights to the work, a la David Bowie. Auction autographed sets, marketing collateral, whatever. In other words, it’s a business and if I am to be paying money to a private “company” then I do expect something in return other than good feelings.
There are so many people hurting all over. It’s unfortunate that we’re even having this discussion.
I have to agree with you. The times I have spread the word was because someone other than the author has contacted me and asked if I would mind doing so. I don’t have a problem with that. But to have an author doing so her or himself totally puts me off.
With the economy being such as it is, it’s hard to have to turn down anyone’s request for help because there are just too many people in the same, or worse, situation. But if I can, I’m going to try and help those who I personally know, and those who try to help themselves first before asking for help. I have a friend who lost her job and she’s been trying for months to find work. She has no one to rely on, and during the cold winter months, she says she’s huddled under a blanket with one small lamp on for heat and light. She never once asked for anything, but she’s struggling. I can’t help everyone, but if I can help just one person, it’s going to be her because I’ve seen how difficult it’s been for her and how hard she’s tried to find another job.
Life is hard for everybody. Every body. There is no one I know who hasn’t been impacted in some way by the economy.
Consequently, I don’t see an author’s particular financial issue any greater or more important than anyone else’s.
Unless it’s for an organized charity I don’t feel it’s appropriate for anyone to ask for money for personal reasons. I just don’t. The only exception I’ve made for that is helping a family bury a loved one.
Hopefully, I don’t sound like a Hard Hearted Hannah because that certainly is not my intention nor how I live my life.
I’m uncomfortable with it too – and I agree Holly – I support them by buying their books.
On top of that my son works in the auto parts industry and has been and is on a rotating layoff schedule. He doesn’t know from week to week if he will be working or not. I’ve had to help him out considerable lately and never know when I’ll have to again.
My heart really does go out to those who need help – but with limited resources, I’m going to help my son.
Pretty much what you said Holly. It crosses that line for me when the person in need does the “asking.” If it’s their writer friends setting up an auction on their behalf? Fine. If they’re raising money to support a cause (cancer, diabetes, CF, March of Dimes etc.), I’m fine with that too. But to go on your blog and say, “I’m broke, send money?” That makes me a tad uncomfortable – especially when everybody seems to be hurting right now.
My Man read the latest unemployment stats to me this morning. All I’m saying on that matter is holy effing sh*t. Dayum.
With regard to authors requesting donations – I haven’t observed it myself but I’m not really sure that I feel all that comfortable about it. I’m guessing though that they have exhausted all other options?
A TV news bulletin just stated that unemployment is the highest it has been in the US for 20 years (and I don’t live in the US). I just hope for everyone’s sake that the world’s leaders can set us on a path out of this economic crisis.
Thank you Holly for a very honest and thought-provoking post. I wish you and your family all the best!
I agree with everything you said, 100%.
I have seen the author asking for help to save her house and it puts a bad taste in my mouth.
Excellent, thoughtful post, Holly. Hats off for your honesty.
I agree. It makes me terribly uncomfortable. I’m sorry for anyone’s struggle, but sometimes bad things happen and we lose a home, a loved one, a job, our health, but we have to persevere, dig down to find that inner strength, and move forward with dignity.
Man writers make shit, fyi. Just sayin’.
I hate that we’re all in a money crisis, and I’m right there with everyone else, but as an author, I’d prefer people just buy my books. That’s one way to keep the employment coming! In any case, I can’t imagine asking for a handout other than that!
Marsha brings up a good point – selling cover flats, bonus e-books, etc. I have no problem with an author selling up an eBay store to sell autographed books and other cool collectibles.
But “I have a few small items up for sale” is totally different from “Please donate money via PayPal so I can buy school clothes for my kids”.
Yeah, asking for help is hard to do, but being able to over come your pride enough to do it does not make it right.
Just like having the right to ask for help does not make it moral.
Of, course, morals are subjective to each and every person.
Helping out a friend is one thing. Asking for help from a friend is one thing. Asking strangers when you need to pay the mortgage is a whole other ball park.
You didn’t see Nora Roberts asking for hand outs when that fire happened.
I haven’t seen this but I agree completely. I have to be honest and say I’m not loving being hit up for money from any number of sources.
I have a friend with a son who has autism so I help when his mother is doing charity events.
Bob’s family has 3 brothers with diabetes so I give to diabetes.
I have a friend who’s Mom will soon pass from Lung Cancer so I give to the Cancer society.
We can only do what we can. I can’t give money to everyone. If I can help then I do what I can. I don’t know that I could ask people for money because I need it for myself. Could I ask my friends or family? Yes. But it would be painful and it would be paid back as soon as possible.
The idea that someone could ask strangers for money without any expectations – yuck.
Cindys
I honestly don’t understand why it’s such a big deal that someone is asking for help. If it makes me uncomfortable, I just don’t do anything. But I find it very hard to pass judgment on someone who does ask for help. I don’t see this as a right vs wrong issue and certainly NOT an issue of morals. There’s nothing immoral about asking for help unless you don’t actually need it.
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Wow, I scarce know where to begin, and am even hesitant to comment. First, let me be clear Sharon Cullars never asked for a dime. When I learned of her situation, I was horrified at the notion of ANYONE losing their home, and wanted to help. Like most everyone else, my family has struggled in these difficult economic times, which is probably why I had such a visceral reaction.
Frankly, it never occurred to me that there are people who would think that someone asking for help on someone’s behalf is disgusting or somehow demeaning. I’m not sure when it became shameful or ‘gross’ to ask for help. Certainly, had it occurred to me that doing so would expose Sharon to degradation or allegations of ‘grossness,’ I never would have asked. It pains me greatly that I have brought this to someone that I don’t think deserves it and has already been to hell and back.
So, to anyone I offended with my request, I most sincerely apologize. If you like, email me personally and just have at me like a piñata if you find it necessary. If you need to be disgusted with someone, please be disgusted with me, after all, I’m the one who did the asking, not Sharon. In particular, I apologize to Sharon. It hurts me deeply that in my attempt to help, I’ve managed to bring shame and ridicule upon her.
And, let me be clear, there is no fraud. The foreclosure is real, I have seen the documents with my own eyes and have enough legal experience to recognize authentic foreclosure documents when I see them.
I’d use the exact same words Rosie did. It’s not appropriate. Period. Particularly when maybe one out of five in the population you’re polling for money has been impacted just as if not more negatively than you have.
Very interesting to find so many who agree. Seems like we all did the same thing–simply ignored it.
Roslyn,
I can’t speak on behalf of Holly or Rowena, but my beliefs/comments about this issue are in no way directed toward you or Sharon Cullars or her situation.
Awhile back, the community rallied around Jo Leigh when (I think) her husband unexpectedly passed away. I thought it was really wonderful how so many people came together to help her.
There’s a very fine line in this situation. It isn’t too clear where that line is when it comes to asking for money for personal reasons.
I come from fan communities where there has been more than one case of someone begging for money and then turning out to be a fraud of some kind. So I’m pretty cautious when it comes to folks begging. I find paypal buttons on websites and I have seen this – usually self-published authors but I’ve seen a publishing company recently with a donations button – unprofessional.
I noticed there was a spate of begging for this and that author last year. I take these on a case by case basis. For instance if someone is going to lose their home – well you didn’t just wake up one day and get papers saying you were going to lose your home. You stopped paying your bills for so long that your bank decided to forclose on you.
So my question becomes What are you doing to earn money? Are you doing freelance work? Are you selling stories on your site? Are you teaching online classes? If all I see is you with a begging post then you’re not going to get a dime from me. Sorry. We all have it hard but some of us get off our asses and do something other than beg.
I don’t have a problem with official charity auctions run by authors.
Ms. Holcomb,
I’m not sure if you actually read this entire post or if you’re just going off the post at Karen’s, but I never once said it was disgusting or demeaning to ask for help on behalf of someone else. I even said, quite plainly, “Because if I see another author asking on behalf of someone s/he knows, I don’t have a problem with that.”, in the body of my original post. And funnily enough, I had you and Sharon Cullers in mind when I wrote that. I thought it was very admirable of you to stand up for your friend and ask others to help her. Kudos to you.
What I find distasteful is the number of authors currently complaining because they aren’t making any money as authors and want me to donate money to them because of it. Well, I’m sorry, but no. I’m not going to donate my money – of which I have very little extra right now – to pay your bills (“your” being used in a general sense in this case).
Also, I would like to point out that this post was directed at readers. As a reader, I become very uncomfortable when I visit the blog of an author I respect and see a request for donations via Paypal for whatever reason. I already “support” that author by purchasing her books.
As a reader, I wondered if I was the only reader who felt this way and therefore asked.
Holly – you aren’t the only reader or person to feel like this. You were very clear that it’s ‘an author asking for money for THEMSELVES’
I haven’t come across this but I was honest and said it would make me uncomfortable. Like I said above, there are people here in my real life that need me and the charities I give to are thoroughly checked out by me and my husband. We do check how much of our money goes to the people in need. That’s important to us. So we give consciously.
Does it make us bad people that we check to see where the money we are donating is going? That we know we only have so much to give and we want every penny we give to count? Why give to an organization that keeps 30 to 50% of the money donated when there are organizations that use as little as 12% for their overhead?
As to a single person on the internet asking for money for themselves. I wish I could be the rosy glassed person who didn’t look for the ‘take’.
Course if I was that type of person I guess I would have collected those lottery winnings from the UK, or helped that deposed King who has a bunch of money in a foreign bank account that could be partially mine with just a little altruistic help.
How dare we be honest about our discomfort in seeing a single person make a public plea for money on the internet. I wish the person no ill will. I don’t e-mail them telling them to take it down. I see it, get uncomfortable and leave. I’m not proud that I feel that way, I wish I didn’t but it’s my honest response and sometimes that’s all we have to give to each other.
CindyS
I can’t really make the connection, so someone please explain to me what difference it makes who is doing the asking?
If I’m in need of help, then why is it more acceptable for someone to ask on my behalf? Why is it begging if I ask, but charity if someone else asks if the purpose is still the same?
So, if I need the help and there’s no one to ask for it, am I less deserving of the assistance because I don’t have a representative?
And how in the world do you get “uncomfortable” when you see someone asking for help. The fact that someone is losing their home and they need something makes YOU uncomfortable? What in the world?
pserendipity,
I can’t help but think that you’re deliberately misunderstanding.
It’s not the asking for help that makes “us” uncomfortable. It’s the forum in which they’re asking for that help. If you read the entire post, I’m sure you would have understood that. The whole point of this post was to discuss authors using their “celebrity” and going directly to their readers to ask for help. That is what’s uncomfortable, not the fact that they actually have to ask for help.
Umm, nope. Last time I checked my reading and comprehension was up to par. And I take much disrespect at you speaking to me as if I’m some kind of idiot. You don’t know me, so speaking about what I do deliberately should be the last thing that you do.
I read the entire post, and all of the comments. I never thought that anyone was saying that the fact that they actually HAD to ask for help was making them uncomfortable. And STILL I don’t understand how the forum in which the help is requested makes a difference. So, because they are authors, in the public eye, who enjoy some kind of “celebrity” then they shouldn’t ask for help on their own behalves, but only for other people?
So, I ask again, why would it make YOU uncomfortable that someone who is a celebrity goes directly to their readers to ask for help? And, the question you deliberately avoided, what difference does it make whose asking?
And, the question you deliberately avoided, what difference does it make whose asking?
If you had actually read my comments above, I never said that I agree with someone asking on behalf of an author. I said that I think it’s okay for author to raise money for causes.
At the risk of sounding repetitive, the reason I feel uncomfortable with an author coming to me directly is because I already support them by buying their books. That doesn’t detract from the fact that they may need help, but almost everyone could use help these days (as Holly originally stated).
Now I can’t help but think you’redeliberately ignoring the point of this whole post.
I’m late to this party but great post Holly, I feel exactly the same way that you do on this topic as well as a whole lot of people in this very thread.
Great discussion ladies.
For me, those personal calls for help through their professional writing sites/email loops and all those things are inappropriate.