Imagine You're A Carpenter...

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Imagine you're a carpenter...

You've spent years honing your skills.

Not only do you know the concept of framing a solid house, you have done it time and again.

You have learned the intricacies of trim work...how to cope window and door casings and baseboards so that all of your joints are tight. If it can be done with wood, you can do it.

You decide to build a house.

There are some skills that fall outside your area of expertise, such as masonry, plumbing, heating and air, electrical work, and painting, but fortunately you know people who are good at those things. Some of them even agree to help you out for less money than they would like to get paid, but they like you, and they would rather be working on something than not. Even so, there is money that has to be spent in order to get the house built. Money that comes out of your pocket.

After all the working and worrying (and no small amount of spending) is done, you finally have a beautiful house. You are proud of the work you have done, and appreciative of the others who helped you complete the project.

Along come people who say “Nice house” and then expect to live in it...for free.

After all, it's already built. Why shouldn't they move in? They like the house. In their minds, it belongs to them. If they compensated you for it, you might be able to build another one, but all of the love and labor you invested in that house is not even a consideration.

Okay.

Now imagine you're a songwriter….