I recently read a literary opinion piece. I wanted to share it with you, because I was literally "checkered", pun intended, when I learned that there are banks that pay "writers" to write and finish a book. The article in question wrote it Alberto Olmos en "The confidential", and you can read it here.
The worst of all is that apparently it has been done for several years! And as he rightly says, when they offer you money before starting a book and you have to finish it, it is quite a "hassle" to do so ... Where is the art of writing a book for the hobby of doing it? Where is the literary creation on the part of the writer who must give the best of himself to get it to be sold and liked by the readers?
Yes, it is true, that there are very few writers who make a living solely from this work, and that the benefits that a book can give you from its sale, as long as it works well, is between 1.000 and 10.000 euros, very far from the up to 50.000 euros that is offered in these scholarships (the amount varies according to the bank or body that belongs to), but where is the risk of literary creation? What's more, when you start a book you don't even know if you will finish it; however, with this scholarship you are obliged to complete it. And, once written, what pleasure do you get from said book if you have already been paid for it before doing it? Who tells you that this book is good and that you have talent as a writer? The worst of all, and more logical on the other hand, is that the bank gives you the money as a scholarship, and if for any reason you do not finish the book, you must return that amount. Quite a chore! More responsibility, less credibility as a writer, less literary creation, and less artistic pleasure.
If someone sees the advantage of this type of creative project (and that is not the money itself), tell me, please.
That they give you a literary creation grant does not guarantee that your book will be good; It also does not mean that you are a talented writer or writer; it does not mean, unfortunately, that literature or reading is encouraged among young people. Let's be serious! Writing is an art, not an obligation or something mechanical.