I got kind of an idea in the shower earlier; something along the lines of Kickstarter, but specifically for projects for me to do. Maybe focusing on translations.
It could be a site listing some projects, or maybe a single project, or maybe it could be done taking requests for suitable projects; and it would list some amount of money I would need to earn to make the project feasible to do: like say I listed, just for example, The Count of Monte Cristo as a translation I could do, and I might want $1500 to make a translation of it. People could donate whatever amount they wanted, and once the money is raised and the work done, I could give everyone who donated money an eBook version of the text, and then do a POD printed version for anyone else who wanted to buy those and just sell them though the usual means. But this would possibly allow stuff to get translated that I know won't sell easily; or else it could ensure I get upfront payment for translation work, depending how it's gone about. If I were taking requests I'd have to ensure only public domain things be requested, and that the texts are available someplace that I have access to.
I am starting to think that what I need to succeed in life is patronage, though. I KNOW I do things that are interesting and useful, but only in limited ways that will never be able to generate large enough amounts of money to make them possible to do as money-makers; the exception is if I can get some kind of patronage. Even the way I'm living right now wouldn't be terrible, except that so far as it's been done it's not with an understanding that I'm here to translate and research, and that's me earning my keep -- rather the assumption is always that I should find a real job or real income and move away on my own soon, which is why I'm always unhappy and unsuccessful, because I don't see any way that will ever manage to be. (For really, even normal people are having so much trouble finding jobs and earning living wages now, that they're occupying Wall Street, etc. The world has no hope for me.)
It could be a site listing some projects, or maybe a single project, or maybe it could be done taking requests for suitable projects; and it would list some amount of money I would need to earn to make the project feasible to do: like say I listed, just for example, The Count of Monte Cristo as a translation I could do, and I might want $1500 to make a translation of it. People could donate whatever amount they wanted, and once the money is raised and the work done, I could give everyone who donated money an eBook version of the text, and then do a POD printed version for anyone else who wanted to buy those and just sell them though the usual means. But this would possibly allow stuff to get translated that I know won't sell easily; or else it could ensure I get upfront payment for translation work, depending how it's gone about. If I were taking requests I'd have to ensure only public domain things be requested, and that the texts are available someplace that I have access to.
I am starting to think that what I need to succeed in life is patronage, though. I KNOW I do things that are interesting and useful, but only in limited ways that will never be able to generate large enough amounts of money to make them possible to do as money-makers; the exception is if I can get some kind of patronage. Even the way I'm living right now wouldn't be terrible, except that so far as it's been done it's not with an understanding that I'm here to translate and research, and that's me earning my keep -- rather the assumption is always that I should find a real job or real income and move away on my own soon, which is why I'm always unhappy and unsuccessful, because I don't see any way that will ever manage to be. (For really, even normal people are having so much trouble finding jobs and earning living wages now, that they're occupying Wall Street, etc. The world has no hope for me.)