Money should flow to the writer, right?

There's an old saying among writers. It's heard so often it has become a cliche.

"Money should flow to the writer."

Of course this old saying was and is a natural reaction to vanity publishing in particular and self publishing in general.

It's also a saying I agree with. Money should flow to the writer. If you're paying to be published, you're probably being taken advantage of.

However, the times are changing, and writers are often the first to accuse print publishers of sticking with old business models and old ways of thought.

So shouldn't writers also be considering new business models and ways of thought?

With today's digital technology, more and more writers are turning to self publishing. Indie writers abound, at least compared to a decade ago, or even just a few years ago.

And one a writer has self-published their work, they are not just a writer. They have also become a publisher.

Remember, publishers are the ones who are supposed to pay for things. And since writers are becoming publishers, it's natural they should sometimes open their checkbooks a little.

I am not advocating that writers go out and spend a bunch of money on being published or for promotions or for anything else. There are tons of scams out there, after all.

But I am suggesting maybe writers shouldn't always be so stingy with their money.

The key is to spend one's money wisely. Because there are ways, often cheap, a writer can promote ones own work with just a few dollars.

But I still don't think they should pay to get published. And they should be careful how and where they spend their dollars, and to what amounts.