Typewriter Poetry Busking vs Event Gigging: The Pros and Cons of Each
by zoe branch, director of sales, ars poetica
*text in italics added for clarity by the editor
if you are a typewriter poet, you likely know…
that the art form can be mapped onto many different contexts. you can write officially - gigging - at weddings, baby showers, birthday parties, award ceremonies, and more; and you can write poems unofficially - busking - in parks, at farmers markets, online, really anywhere you decide to set up a table end chair and type.
for the most part, these two avenues resemble each other entirely: you're writing poetry, on the spot, on a typewriter, for people you don't know. it's good to know the difference, though, if you want to engage in both.
gigging
as a gigging poet with ars poetica, you have a certain amount of luxuries. you never have to talk money or negotiate, make concrete decisions about things like location or time, or endure anything exceedingly uncomfortable (think shifting weather, bathroom access, etc). you get all the details and simply follow instructions, and you get your $150 an hour whether you write 5 poems or 50. if something weird happens at the gig, there are people behind you to back you up, protect you, and prioritize your well-being. you are supposed to be there and so have a certain level of prestige and are given a certain level of respect.
these are all amazing things for the working writer. of course, (if you don’t also participate in running the business or seeking out gig leads) you also don't have a lot of control over how often a gig comes your way; when one does, you're probably happy and grateful. when one doesn't, you need to be working on other streams of income, likely-a full-time job or a collage of creative endeavors. in this way, it's not a consistent stream of income, and is uncontrollable and unreliable as a means to make a full-time living.
busking
when you go out busking, truly anything could happen. you could make your gig rate (or more), you could make literally nothing, and you could make anything between those two extremes.
this is also unpredictable and unreliable- but you do have control over how often you can go out and busk, (with no need to navigate professional “sales” or “business development”) which raises the likelihood that you make more. (again, if you don’t want to have to bother with the “office job” stuff) there is a ceiling to this, of course: if you went out 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, your brain would slowly wear away to nothing and your body would seize and you would start to question the shape of reality. my recommendation is to do it no more than 3-4 times per week, for 3-4 hours at a time. more than that and the burnout clock starts to tick.
so: you're your own boss, you show up when you want, where you want - ideally in an outdoor area with high foot traffic. that's great. within this, there are a lot of potential pitfalls: weather, local laws about busking (if you can find them - good luck) local police who might make you leave even if what you're doing is legal (arguing with the cops rarely ends how you want it to), mental blocks (if you can always decide when to go, you can last-minute also decide not to go), and other buskers. people who make their living street busking, whether poets or musicians or statue impersonators, can be territorial about their turf; it makes sense: finding a good spot can be all the difference between success and failure in this game.
if you' re new to a space, don't be surprised if someone approaches you and tells you that they usually set up there. if this happens, apologize and ask if you can come when they don't, or if they have any other local recommendations. busking is a community that defers to seniority, but people are usually willing to share if you' re polite, respectful, and aware enough not to step on toes. this is an important part of the unofficial street laws and politics, and if you don't abide, the community might have a chilly and ungenerous attitude toward you.
better to work together, in my opinion.
you're also going to have to be more straightforward and comfortable talking about money (directly with a poem recipient, which you don’t have to do and shouldn’t do at a gig) - I vary between telling people it’s pay-what-you-want or it's a suggested donation of anywhere between $5 and $20. it depends on my mood, my financial needs, the trend of the day (if everyone is paying me $1, I'll probably start saying "suggested donation or to shift that), and my location. it depends on the person I'm talking to, reading their body language and interest level. being able to gauge these payment-related pieces in real time is a huge part of busking that is not present when gigging: for some people, this isn't a ton of extra effort; for others, it might be exhausting.
when you' re busking, you' re hustling for your money in a way you don’t when you gig. how much you make is directly correlated with how busy you are; taking breaks to eat, pee, stand up, etc make a dent in your earnings. this can be intense and draining; if you're not busy, you can feel a bit like a zoo animal on display - everyone staring and photographing, no one approaching. when you are busy, you can be flat out writing for hours, with no break. this can be extremely lucrative. it also is never guaranteed. another thing to consider is your gear. you'll need a portable table and chair, a portable enough typewriter, and a bag to carry it all in that hopefully isn't a backpack - I think I may have permanent back damage from carrying around all my items this way my first year and a half. I recommend investing in good equipment and something with wheels. you'll thank yourself later.
In conclusion, on busking and gigging and their relationship with ars poetica
you can busk when you want, where you want, and can make a lot or a little. either way, it's good marketing, and you can direct people to your personal page (a great example is Elle’s here) as well as ars poetica‘s; if a gig request comes through and the person mentions that they met you while busking, you'lI get a referral commission on the gig as well.
this way, the two ecosystems can overlap and coexist, and you can reap the rewards of your time spent on the street in more ways than the immediate cash paid to you. (it is important to also remember that if you are represented by ars poetica, it’s customary and requested that you not book yourselves for your own professional typewriter poetry performance gigs. if you’re interested, AP can train you up on the official sales side!)
I am a huge advocate for typewriter poetry busking
I originally am a busker and came to gigging second; both are valuable to me for different reasons and have changed my life in different ways. this is by no means an exhaustive list of the pros and cons of either paradigm; just a broad overview to give you an idea of what to expect, look out for, and not panic about if it doesn’t go perfectly the first few times either way. especially in the busking world, what's best is trying again and again, taking a breath, trying to leave expectations at home and just having fun with whatever might happen.
it could really be anything, so a willingness to embrace the flow is paramount.
email zoe: zoe@arspoetica.us for more info about getting a typewriter poet to gig at your event
