Writer complains: "We die a quiet death"

Writer Stefanie Gregg and a friend had the idea for an open letter to Prime Minister Markus Söder.

In the interview, she explains what made her do it.

Ottobrunn

- In an open letter entitled "We die a quiet death", a number of writers turned to Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder.

With the request, unbureaucratic and immediately, to provide support for self-employed people.

The signatories include authors such as Friedrich Ani and Max Bronski.

One of the two initiators of the call for help in the name of an entire profession, the writer Stefanie Gregg, lives in Ottobrunn and explains the background.

An answer from the Prime Minister is still pending.

Why does it hit writers so hard?

Unfortunately, it is not in the awareness of the population that writers have a problem.

There are several reasons for this.

Almost nobody knows: the majority of the guild, not the really great ones, but the “big belly” needs the readings.

They represent a large part of the income. This can be between 20 and 50 percent.

The average writer cannot live without them.

Because they receive an advance payment for the book when they are handed in, but then nothing more until the book is finished.

Depending on how much research is required, it can take up to three years.

For example, if it's a great historical novel.

Until then, the readings will keep the authors afloat.

That is now completely eliminated.

But people are reading more now, shouldn't that also reach the writers?

That's true.

30 percent more sales, we should all be happy.

But that's purely a bestseller.

I was just in Munich and hardly saw anyone on the street in the Lockdown Light.

People don't go to the bookstores.

They do not seek advice and do not find out whether there are debutants worth reading.

Incidentally, no debut novel is currently accepted.

So people look at the Spiegel bestseller list and buy online.

The book industry is turning, the publishers are reacting.

You have published 25 percent fewer new publications in the past two months.

Does this mean that young authors fall completely through the cracks?

Completely.

But I do hope that they can still get involved in two to three years.

But if you take a full-time author who has survived for maybe ten years and who writes great books: His existence as a writer is lost.

I am the only one in my circle of friends who is currently writing.

For all others, the dates for the new releases have been postponed.

Partly until July next year.

It could also take longer.

We are not contractually protected.

But state aid should also benefit writers, right?

That's the big question.

The fact is, however, that we received unbureaucratic help of 3,000 euros for three months in the spring.

That sounds like very little when I think of gastronomy.

But for many it was enough to just stay afloat.

But now nothing comes.

Millions were promised by the State Department at the end of October, but there is no program.

We are also being let down by federal politics.

There is November aid with a distribution of 75 percent of the previous year.

In the case of the self-employed, however, 80 percent of sales must have broken down in order for them to receive money.

The authors now mostly miss 50 percent because they are no longer allowed to hold readings.

This means that most authors receive nothing from the November aid from the federal government.

Therefore your letter to Prime Minister Söder ...

Yes.

It arose from a conversation between me and my colleague Angela Eßer.

We talked about colleagues who can no longer pay their rent.

I even know a well-known writer who is affected.

I've just lent money to a writer.

So now we got the idea to write an open letter.

The response was incredible.

Even those who didn't need it answered us and showed their solidarity.

Is there a writers' association that could be donated to?

I'm afraid that doesn't exist at all.

You see, we writers never get such ideas.

But maybe the appeal will also have an effect.

Yes, hopefully the public understands that not only singers and musicians are affected, but us too.

For example, twelve readings for my novel Nebelkinder have been canceled for me. Thousands of euros are at issue that have been lost to me.

Although my book is doing very well right now, I get zero readings.

Actually, the year 2021 should already be a full calendar year.

But nobody is planning.

What is important to me is to help other people.

Fortunately, I am not existentially in danger, but I see it around me.

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