The life of a freelance scholar with no affiliation
to a university is, to say the very least, a considerable challenge. There are no state subventions for writers, even those
with a proven track record. And contrary to commonly held beliefs, there are normally no advances with a publishing contract
for academic work, nor are royalties triggered until a considerable number of copies of the work in question have been sold.
For many years of critically acclaimed work on the John Marsh Journals, I have to show not an income, but a substantial personal
loss, while Catch & Glee Culture has made a miniscule profit, thanks entirely to the award of a Leverhulme Foundation
fellowship. Even allowing for this, it is work that would not have been possible without the help of a generous patron who
is sadly no longer living.
It is therefore now my intention to seek new patrons or sponsors to support my ongoing work on Marsh and future projects.
It is my intention that such support will take one of two forms: a} commercial sponsorship in the form of advertising on Early
Music World and b} personal patronage. The latter will qualify for special recognition in all major publications, starting
with the John Marsh Journals, Vol 2, due later in 2012 or 2013. Prime individual patrons will qualify for a signed copy
of the book.
In the first instance, I would ask any organisation or individual interested in the possibility of patronage to contact
me at info@earlymusicworld.com I look forward to hearing from anyone who thinks he or she may be in a position to help.
