Comments on: This is Not 0’s and 1’s

By: Work is Good | A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran

Work is Good | A Distant Soil by Colleen Doran — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:37:15 +0000

[…] It’s all just 0′s and 1′s. └ Tags: creator rights, work is good […]

By: Colleen Doran

Colleen Doran — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:07:03 +0000

Harlan’s army did not discover the pirate. Both DC and Marvel were aware of the pirate for some time and spent many months working quietly with the feds behind the scenes.

By: Torsten Adair

Torsten Adair — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:06:55 +0000

There’s another option: post the letter here, write a polite response, and then let us, your loyal minions, comment.

Hmm… isn’t that what Mr. Ellison does? Supposedly his “army” uncovered that file-sharing bozo in Florida after said bozo ignored Harlan’s polite cease-and-desist letter.

By: scribblerworks

scribblerworks — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:34:42 +0000

Actually, I do agree with the “soft word” response. It’s just that I do have a temper. I’ve often written scathing, biting reactions to things … and then deleted them before posting or sending them. The only purpose such things really serve is to alienate people.

But it is annoying when people pounce on you for no good reason.

By: Colleen Doran

Colleen Doran — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:53:29 +0000

Thanks for keeping things in perspective, Miki.

I rarely get mail like that, but now that the website is getting more and more traffic, people are rediscovering the book. Some of them are not pleased with me, some of them are pleased to find me.

In every case, all I have to do is write them a nice letter back, and that defuses the situation. People tend to be pretty understanding when they realize there is a real human being behind the book.

By: Miki

Miki — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:08:10 +0000

I wouldn’t worry too much about 2 letters, but focus more on the thousands of supporters that you do have.
I agree with Scribblerworks – except that rather than reflectiing it, deflect it instead. Compose a very nice letter thanking them for their opinions and suggessting that a donation would be a lot more appreciated.
🙂
I do admire Harlan and love his rants, but I think he has the type of personality that used it as fuel for his creative energies.
I may be wrong but I don’t think that you are that type.
🙂

By: Colleen Doran

Colleen Doran — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:44:51 +0000

BWAHAHAAHAHA

Um…my lawyer?

Jaw dropping horror:

The total cost for computer equipment, repairs (including major recovery back in 2006,) software, training, and 2 website designs, and maintenance adds up to more than $20,000 since 2005.

I pity the young artist trying to get into the market these days without the computer chops, because I would not have a career right now without it.

All the people who enjoy the website wouldn’t have a webcomic without it.

By: VT

VT — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:03:49 +0000

Two irate letters? Nice.

You know, if someone wants me to work on something exclusively for their own pleasure, I call that a commission. And if someone wants to buy my time, as well as dictate how I spend it, that’s not a problem. They just have to pay. For that, my rate’s $300/hour.

I’ll let the reader guess what other professions charge that much.

By: Colleen Doran

Colleen Doran — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:55:41 +0000

Every once in awhile, I sit down and ponder the fact that I worked very hard to make my debt disappear and acquire some savings, and now I have debt and my savings have evaporated. Which makes me like most people in North America.

Art school was a huge expense, and the pro-quality scanner that is a necessity for archiving the work cost $3000. Most of my computer equipment is a gift from the very generous J-. But the software, extra hard drives, and printer cost another $3,000. Satellite installation and hook-up: $1000.

Art school tuition costs came out of my pocket.

Pnuemonia in 2006, and the relapse, and then the bout with whooping cough in 2008.

The two years straight of ridiculous, low-paying gigs.

The relative who ended up having his bank accounts wiped out and was left on the street.

The fraud who stole my cash, and walked off with a load of my art.

I got the art back. Never got the cash.

And yeah, looking back, I could have been a lot less giving to charities and whatnot. That cost me thousands.

The Foundation of A Distant Soil gets my donations from now on.

My public flounce announcement that I was not going to do anymore advocacy work is an acknowledgment, I guess.

By: Colleen Doran

Colleen Doran — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:43:36 +0000

Every once in awhile I think, “What would Harlan do?

He’d leave a smoking crater.

I don’t really think it’s productive to go off on a rant on fans who really don’t understand the situation, but it’s tempting.