Looking back on what Paul was making in the early 60s from off-brand magazines… is more than most periodicals pay today to freelancers. Whew! I wish I could pin a $500 bill on a dear writer friend now.
Paul recalled $1000 for 1000 words or less, a movie review? Incredible. Daily papers now pay in the low three figures if you’re lucky. In my magazine heyday in the 80s/90s, I earned $2-4 per word, depending on size of publication. I was a pro, and a minor cult figure, but I wasn’t even on the top shelf of who NYC pubs recruited. It was just normal.
The thing then though, was you didn’t have to beg individuals to read you, writers busking for individual readers. I could just say, “Oh, it’s on the newsstand, the supermarket aisle, the bookstore… even the doctor office coffee table.” You never felt, as a writer, that you were imposing on anyone to read a magazine or a paper. Maybe you felt apologetic that your books were so expensive, perhaps $9.99! Ha. At least there was the library. There still is the library! I wish my newsletter could be a library offering . . .
DEAR Susan, I loved your article about Krassner. I was huge fan after he spoke at my college.I remember going out to the local shop that sold the Realist, which sadly came out infrequently.
I remember asking Krassner about Pete Townshend pushing Abbie Hoffman off the stage at Woodstock, He used the question to give a great monologue about Abbie.
I got to meet Paul in the 80s; I was visiting Margo in San Francisco and she wanted to introduce me to Paul. He was gracious despite being in a foul mood. Robin Williams was performing in a homecoming event celebrating his success. Paul was upset that he was not invited to see him.
Paul was terrific. When I told him I saw Reagan at the White House Correspondents Dinner, he asked me to tell all the jokes Reagan had made.
But what I remember most of that evening was the sparks that I saw when Paul and Margo looked at each other. Paul brought up several occasions when he was in love with Margo. They talked about how Margo would get dressed like a nun and she and Paul would make out at the SF subway station.
As the evening proceeded. Margo was quiet and just gazed at Paul. I could see Margo had that the look of a woman in love. It was unmistakeable.
It hit me hard that she was still in love with him. But I do not believe Paul felt the same way.
It was one of those evenings with Margo I never forgot.
Warm Regards and thanks very much for keeping Paul’s memory alive.
Hi, Mitchell, I’m so glad you shared these yummy memories. I go by Susie, btw. (I’m not a Susan, but that’s another story!)
I think anyone who’s heard Paul speak just was blown away. He was an incredible speaker, both spontaneous and from his prodigious notes!
A lot of us gazed adoringly at Paul, even when it wasn’t erotic aspiration. I bet Lenny did. He was just so good at realizing who was special, and then making sure you knew how much he respected you.
Looking back on what Paul was making in the early 60s from off-brand magazines… is more than most periodicals pay today to freelancers. Whew! I wish I could pin a $500 bill on a dear writer friend now.
Paul recalled $1000 for 1000 words or less, a movie review? Incredible. Daily papers now pay in the low three figures if you’re lucky. In my magazine heyday in the 80s/90s, I earned $2-4 per word, depending on size of publication. I was a pro, and a minor cult figure, but I wasn’t even on the top shelf of who NYC pubs recruited. It was just normal.
The thing then though, was you didn’t have to beg individuals to read you, writers busking for individual readers. I could just say, “Oh, it’s on the newsstand, the supermarket aisle, the bookstore… even the doctor office coffee table.” You never felt, as a writer, that you were imposing on anyone to read a magazine or a paper. Maybe you felt apologetic that your books were so expensive, perhaps $9.99! Ha. At least there was the library. There still is the library! I wish my newsletter could be a library offering . . .
DEAR Susan, I loved your article about Krassner. I was huge fan after he spoke at my college.I remember going out to the local shop that sold the Realist, which sadly came out infrequently.
I remember asking Krassner about Pete Townshend pushing Abbie Hoffman off the stage at Woodstock, He used the question to give a great monologue about Abbie.
I got to meet Paul in the 80s; I was visiting Margo in San Francisco and she wanted to introduce me to Paul. He was gracious despite being in a foul mood. Robin Williams was performing in a homecoming event celebrating his success. Paul was upset that he was not invited to see him.
Paul was terrific. When I told him I saw Reagan at the White House Correspondents Dinner, he asked me to tell all the jokes Reagan had made.
But what I remember most of that evening was the sparks that I saw when Paul and Margo looked at each other. Paul brought up several occasions when he was in love with Margo. They talked about how Margo would get dressed like a nun and she and Paul would make out at the SF subway station.
As the evening proceeded. Margo was quiet and just gazed at Paul. I could see Margo had that the look of a woman in love. It was unmistakeable.
It hit me hard that she was still in love with him. But I do not believe Paul felt the same way.
It was one of those evenings with Margo I never forgot.
Warm Regards and thanks very much for keeping Paul’s memory alive.
Hi, Mitchell, I’m so glad you shared these yummy memories. I go by Susie, btw. (I’m not a Susan, but that’s another story!)
I think anyone who’s heard Paul speak just was blown away. He was an incredible speaker, both spontaneous and from his prodigious notes!
A lot of us gazed adoringly at Paul, even when it wasn’t erotic aspiration. I bet Lenny did. He was just so good at realizing who was special, and then making sure you knew how much he respected you.