Beer writing as a job

I was slightly surprised, but not shocked, by Boak & Bailey's announcement that they have reverted to amateur status. As far as beer writing is concerned.

Though I totally understand why they took the decision. The simple truth is: there's bugger all money in writing about beer. Even if you're lucky enough to get commissioned to write articles and books. They pay crap. And the opportunities are few.

Boak & Bailey's two books are quality works. Not stuff you knock out in a week-long speed binge. Something requiring serious research. And that what takes time. Banging out a couple of thousand words a day is a doddle. If you already have all the source material assembled.

Who can afford to take a couple of months off work for a project that might pay the equivalent of a few weeks pay? I never could have. Which is why I did a lot of my writing at work. Mostly when I didn't have any "real" work to do. (But not always. I'm such a bad person.) Few have such luxury.

Which lead onto the question, why do I self publish? Partly for the control. I can write exactly the books I want to write. No matter how unfashionable or commercially unviable. Then there's the calm of working without external deadlines. But there's also a financial aspect.

"Let's Brew!" is basically an expansion pack of recipes for my "proper" book, "The Home Brewer's Guide to Vintage Beer". It's earnt me almost as much money as I was paid for Vintage Beer. And will continue to earn me money in the future. Unlike the other book. For which I'm never likely to garner any royalties.

That's why I don't bother pitching book ideas to publishers. I'm unlikely to make much money, and someone else will have control of my words. What's the point in that?

Now I'm retired, my time is my own. And I can continue to churn out my commercially suicidal books. But I'm just lucky.

It's the beer world's loss that Boak & Bailey made a very financially sensible decision. However sad it might be.