Unpaid 'Shadow Work' as an Author
In economics, shadow work refers to unpaid labor in the form of self service. The term was first used by Ivan Illich, in his 1981 book of the same title.
Highly relevant to being an author today. The unpaid, unseen jobs which are part of the self serve economy required by the media/publishing industry, turn authors into unpaid shadows.
Driving to Officeworks to organize some display posters for an exhibition in which my book is displayed, I heard the ABC talkback radio discussion on ‘Shadow Work’. The paid attendant jobs have gone. The interviewer explained how we now check and pack our own groceries, and fill our cars with petrol. We even use Q codes to process our airline tickets for departures, baggage and seats. Roles have changed or vanished. In many areas, professionals have to key in their own information or reports. As a result, many assistants have lost paid work.
Their roles have been absorbed by others. That's happened in the book world too.
I’ve been a published author since I was 27 and originally the publisher provided a publicist, editor, graphic designer, warehouse and bookseller. Now I do my own social media, plus provide up- to- date, hi- res author photos and bios under media resources on my self-maintained website. Reviews, articles etc are linked to each bookpage.
Authors are expected to contribute a network of media contacts. Much of my e-administration used to be done by assistants in the publishing house. No more. That staff doesn’t exist any longer. Nor are they part of the budget. Those former costs and former wages have vanished.
In the past decade, I realized I was spending an increasing proportion of my time on ‘unpaid shadow work’, rather than doing original writing and some paid jobs were vanishing, not always because of technology.
A bit like today’s mid- list authors. And the decreasing staff in publishing houses. Part-timers. Lack of continuity with long term projects. Only some skills outsourced. Others loaded onto authors.
Admittedly the client self-service for no pay is widespread in other industries too.
Calculating GST for the tax office or doing BAS for small business is the ultimate shadow work for government.
Our local bank has recently closed, replaced by an ATM and no friendly people to answer queries so we do our banking online.
At the supermarket, we scan our groceries and pay by card and carry the bags to our car.
Prior to a country author talk, I fill my car with petrol, check the tyres and wipe the windscreen. The apprentice mechanic doesn't work there anymore. Then I wave my own credit card over the machine.
For online complaints, we often deal with robots. Robotic options on unanswered phone loops of frustration for non- standard queries. Warnings about calls being monitored for quality control , but we wish they were.
How much ‘unpaid shadow work’ is an author expected to do? Some is manuscript admin. which was formerly done by editorial assistants. Others argue that it is just now the required , expanded author role for which we are eventually paid royalties, or not. But after 40 years as an author , I have some basis of comparison and know that the 'shadow' work has increased dramatically.
As assistants in big organisations leave , they are not replaced. Their jobs are just redistributed. Authors are not the only ones expected to do more. Although it does not make commercial sense to have highly skilled and paid professionals in big organisations doing routine work which could have provided an entry level paid job for a lower skilled, young assistant, they have to do it. (Unpaid longterm interns are another political matter.) But those working for a big organisation, get a salary, authors do not. 'Shadow work' is unpaid.
Meanwhile, authors are expected to be techie savvy enough to connect their work digitally. They need multi-skills and although they may acquire these, and use them, their personal priority is to create original work which is saleable.
The self-employed have always 'done the filing' and 'cleaned the toilets' as well as negotiated international deals, but maybe it is not the best use of time and resources. Nor is paid training being provided for young ,beginning workers if the 'hidden shadow work' is done for free.
For a non fiction work, authors may have to source photo permissions or suggest an artbrief for the cover or supply high resolutions copies in Dropboxes. Write the blurb.
Do the running around.
And check there are no potential legal hassles. Fair enough.
At Office Works, I arrange a scan of a bookcover from my USB and get it made into a pull up poster for talks. Organise bookmarks and business cards to be printed.
I coordinate travel and accommodation for an interstate event, plus update the USB and pack my book bag with relevant titles. No guarantee a bookseller will be present at the event.
Update links for some reviews and articles and add photos which have been taken on my phone at each literary event.
Usually I try to promote fellow authors at the same time.
I answer joyful fan mail from a kindergarten whose favourite book is ‘There’s a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Cake.’ I slip in autographed postcards which the publisher has provided or bookmarks I have organized.
Originally an intern or work- experience student ’shadowed’ a professional to learn the job. Now unpaid ‘shadow work’ is the role for the author too.
Self-service for The Book it could be called.
'What percentage of your time do you actually write original work?' asks an earnest interviewer.
'About 20% these days. The rest is shadow work.'
*********************************************************
Hazel Edwards OAM has written over 200 books including her memoir 'Not Just a Piece of Cake: Being an Author' and the useful 'Authorpreneurship;The Business of Creativity' also available as an e-book .There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Cake' is her best loved title. In the process of becoming an audio book is adult mystery 'Celebrant Sleuth :I Do or Die' .
Easy ( and Non-Pirated) access to Hazel Edwards e-books http://ebookalchemy.com.au/ByImprint.php?ImprintID=Hazel%20Edwards … Each title has a link to a detailed page, eg Fake ID - http://ebookalchemy.com.au/TitleDetail.php?recordID=9780987157577 … which then contains direct links to the eBook on Amazon, Apple, Google, Kobo and Booktopia.
Her website has hints for aspiring writers and links to her publishers.
HDR (Higher Degree by Research), at Flinders University, South Australia
5yI don’t know a single HASS Industry or profession not fallen prey to shadow work. How can parents still claim teachers get so many holidays. Don’t they notice the packed carparks after hours as the drive past State schools after 4pm, on weekends anddur8ng holidays? I know Uni Le turners whose hourly pay is over $100 per hour as casuals, forced to do unpaid photocopying, uploading material to course websites, and resources pages not to even mention the ubiquitous exp3 ted meetings, conferences to attend and papers to present, articles to write all outside their actual paid hoursin the labourforce. Has anyone ever transcribed taped interviews? Now they are often filmed and analysed in co outer audio, video and print software apps like Nvivo? As you say Hazel thirty years ago even in secretarial pools we had specialist transcribers with purpose built transcription players complete with foot pedals. Hundreds of pages could be done with minimal OH and S risk by trained typists who became familiar with the detailed areas of research and language encountered. Now all this is left to academics..in their own time. Casuals now even bring their own laptops to plug into networks. And at the same time there is arise in shadow work, and paid work tasks eroding family hours and non-work hours outside the workplace, at work for those who have workspaces there is an increase in what is known as presentism. It is an admin or HR attitude that if your body is not physically present (usually at unnecessary meetings held simply to check boxes re consultancy and democratic decision making!) you are NOT WORKING. This is especially true for those who wish to work from home offices where all workplace utilities are set up and ready to go, even paying for own paper, ink cartridges, Internet connections, electricity, gas, courier usage etc. It is everywhere. Writers just seem to be thought of as working ‘less hard’ when putting in the t8me needed to produce creative work. Our ‘thinking and reflecting time’ has zero outward observable manifestation unlikethe dancer rehearsing in a mirror or at the barre, or a painter sketching in charcoal. The work in our minds is invisible so that is just added to the time allocated shadow work too.
Counsellor
7yThanks, Hazel Edwards, for an insightful post. As a new author I'm still learning the ropes, but it certainly seems like authors spend a lot more time marketing than writing these days.
PhD Candidate at La Trobe University
7ySo so true Hazel.
Editor• Coach • Facilitator • Writer
7yGreat insights Hazel especially from such a well recognised and established author. As an emerging writer is is great to learn about the realities of the job, including the 'shadow work' aspect. Thanks.