If you’re a freelancer who writes short fiction or creates visual art, or if you’re interested in unique revenue steams, here’s something to consider.
ZenFri, a company based out of Winnipeg, is looking for short stories and artwork for their upcoming anthology, Warpaint. Interested writers and artists can consult the submission guidelines for exact word counts and image specs, but we first we want to draw attention to ZenFri’s compensation model for the publication:
Compensation
At ZenFri we believe in equality among publishers and contributors, therefore we’re committed to compensating the authors and artists whose work we publish. To us your work is as important as our own, which is why every contributor published by ZenFri will be paid an equal share of the revenue as ZenFri itself receives.
Also note the Terms of Submission, which lay out the compensation structure in greater detail. Each contributor to the publication, including ZenFri itself, receives an equal share: “If ZenFri requires multiple parties to manage the publication, distribution and marketing of a publication all those individuals count as one contributor – The Publisher.”
Read on and you’ll discover terms covering the publisher’s communication with contributors and disclosure of sales information: “ZenFri will openly provide information regarding the sales of any publication which includes the Submitter’s work, at least once a month and upon request, until the publication is no longer in print.” (!)
Though the practicalities of producing a publication likely mean it will only work on a small scale, the idea behind Warpaint—that each contributor to a publication deserves an equal share—is heartening. What under-compensated freelancer wouldn’t like to see a journalistic publication give it a try? The next time you contribute a piece to a magazine, journal, or newspaper and sit waiting for your cheque, wouldn’t you like to have a peek at the issue’s sales figures?