i really........ think i need to print this out and put it up somewhere prominent for 2021 (even if it doesn't work because my brain just makes everything wallpaper after about 30 seconds) https://twitter.com/HannahEDaly/status/1335891384222556160

i think the only reason i'm alive this year is that my work burnout has been fighting against my writing burnout has been fighting against my writing promo burnout so they're like uhhhh a three-legged stool that's sort of holding up the rest of me but everything is on fire

i think next year, except for stuff i've already said yes to, my policy is going to have to be

- no, sorry, i can't do it, or
- yes, i will do it if i am compensated

"oh but what if you're compensated with book sales"

yeah uh i don't get numbers on that except once or twice a year so what i need is compensation that i can use to buy groceries and pay the electricity bill, not Vague Future Sales

i've spent literally hundreds of hours this year on stuff that sounded fun/might help sell books but also that's HUNDREDS OF HOURS at the expense of sleep, writing, etc, that i was not offered even minor compensation or an honorarium for,

(i did a reading for one place and they asked for my payment information and i was SHOCKED because all year there was only, more or less, that one single gig that offered anything as compensation for my time.)

"oh but that's how the system works, we all do everything for free, that's community-building"

yes absolutely but it almost killed me to death this year so i am just going to have to say no to it more next year and i guess i will be Shunned From The Community sorry