The proper business model

One of these days I am going to be inundated with rejection letters (and hopefully and acceptance or two). Most of my stories, with the exception of the flash piece I sent shroud has been out two months or longer. In fact of the 12 pieces I have out in submission land right now seven have been out for 100 days or longer. Not looking good. I wonder if many of those markets are still in existence. All I know is that their website's are still up.

Also, has anyone noticed the number of new markets on Duotrope.com today. Most of you might go, 'no, I didn't notice any new markets on Duotrope today.' That is because there are none. NONE! I think that many new markets aren't getting out of the development phase and those that are going are on life-support right now, thanks to a cash infusion from their editors. Ask any editor and they will tell you that you can't make money on subscribers. It is all about the advertisers and right now no one is putting their money into magazine advertising. Well, I exaggerate a little bit. People are putting their money into advertising, but not as much as they used to and they want to make sure they get their money's worth. After all would you spend $30 of your ad budget to reach 100 people ($.30/ person) or would you spend $200 to reach 1500 people ($.13/person). Exactly. Especially if you were looking at the same target audience.

I guess the reason for this post is that I am looking at this as something I like to do, but it is still a business. You almost have to, unless you aren't planning on subbing any of your work or just to the FTL markets (nothing wrong with them, they have to pay their bills too) I would like to aspire a little more than that and get paid for my words. I am not planning on retiring on my income from writing, mostly I like to entertain and being on stage and in front of a camera scares me. Even the lowliest screen actor gets compensated to supplement his main income of waiting tables.

I don't even have the table waiting option to keep me in spare change to support the magazines and publishers I want to support. It is a vicious cycle.

Am I alone in this line of thought, Are we to look at this as a business or are we supposed to be happy that anyone would want to read what we write in the first place and leave it at that? I don't want to come across as greedy, I'm not. If I wanted to make money I would have gotten an MBA or a teaching certificate or a degree that people would actually want to hire me with. As it is, I hold a BFA with an emphasis in Creative Writing. I am pretty much screwed. I have an art degree and I can't hardly draw stick figures. At least if a restaurant opens close to me I have good table manners.