Ashley C. Ford's conversation with Max Linsky on the Longform podcast. At one point (the 19:55 mark, to be exact), he asked her about how much money she makes. And she answered with a total dollar amount and a rough percentage breakdown. Max was shocked, because none of the other 384 writers who have appeared on the show have answered this question so quickly and candidly.
Ashley said she realizes some people will hear her number and judge her as overpaid or underpaid for the work she does. But, she continued, most people just want to know what's possible. They want to know how other people are making it work. She added, "I understand why it's hard for people to talk about it. But rich people are talking about it. They talk about money with each other all the time. They don't want
us talking about money with each other because then we start to put two and two together, and figure out that something in the milk ain't clean."
I happened to listen to Ashley's interview on the day I finalized my 2019 corporate books. (Yes, I'm a one-woman corporation.) When I was on the Longform podcast
years ago, I honestly can't remember Max asking about my income. But I can tell you quite precisely now that I brought in $186,000 last year.
You know I love a pie chart, so here's the breakdown:
Some context: This is my revenue,
not the amount of money that eventually makes it into my pocket. (In other words, this is not equivalent to a pay stub. Taxes and business expenses are real!) I have no one depending on me financially. I live with my partner, who shares household expenses with me, and I get my health insurance through his employer. The "
book advance" slice represents only a partial payment. (The advance is parceled out in four chunks: One when we signed the contract in 2018, one when we turned in the first draft last year, one when the hardcover is published this year, and the final one when the paperback comes out in 2021.)
Going Through It, a limited-run podcast I hosted, coincidentally was produced by Max. "Articles" represents the payment I received for essays, profiles, and features I wrote—far fewer than in previous years, because I was busy with the book. And remember when I
told you at the end of last year that this newsletter was financially important to me in 2019? I wasn't lying. Just look at that fat slice.
A
wise woman once said, "People’s salaries should be public information. Particularly for women and marginalized people, those numbers are really important."
Amen.
