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| Hearsay: |
Just like Wayne Rooney, he earned global fame as an outrageously gifted young tearaway, became a magnet for controversy as he matured, and secured a transfer to a leading Manchester institution. But until yesterday no one suspected that Martin Amis earned more per hour lecturing at the University of Manchester than England’s finest footballer does playing up front for United.
The celebrated author, who once wrote that “weapons are like money; no one knows the meaning of enough”, is contracted at just under £3,000 per hour to teach creative writing at the university. His £80,000 salary obliges him to work a distinctly achievable total of 28 hours a year.
In contrast, Rooney makes £50,000 per week — far more than Amis in real terms. But the footballer trains for 30 hours a week, meaning that his hourly rate is 50 per cent lower than the novelist’s.
Amis strongly defended his pay deal yesterday. “It’s very much Manchester University’s decision to make and I abide by it,” he told The Times. “This is really an invidious conversation. Who’s to say I wouldn’t earn less money anywhere else?
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January 28th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Bravo, Martin Amis. If any writer comes on here with a sour face and something to say, step outside. It’s time writers earned what they are worth, or what the market will bear. No more $.50/word. Get up! Stand up! Okay, I’m going back to my edits.
January 28th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Yeah, that’s amazing. He’s so dreamy. But I’ve had a rough morning so let’s take it outside anyway.
January 28th, 2008 at 10:40 am
Hey Kathryn, should we talk to Rye about our salaries???
January 28th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
They mention that Rooney spends 30 hrs a week training, but not how many hours a week Amis spends reading and writing. Apparently standing up in front of a class is the only “work” he does. In a way it’s heartening to know that a ceebrity author can compete finacially with a celebrity sportsman.
I perceive some clever PR and marketing behind the whole Manchester University/Amis association. The university heads must have said something like, “Let’s refuse to renew Terry Eagleton’s contract, offer his salary and part of our promotions budget to a celebrity author. Eagleton and his friends can be counted on to get het up and lob a low blow at celebrity author. While literary world focuses on celebrity author controversy, the words “University of Manchester” will multiply exponentially throughout media. Then we’ll just sit back and watch next year’s admissions applications and parental dough roll in.”
January 28th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Yeah, the comparison’s decidedly unbalanced; how much Rooney makes per hour of playing time is more analogous. Right now, I’ve got ‘em both beat, since I’m making $423/week for doing absolutely nothing, which works out to an infinite hourly wage.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Martin Amis may not be my favourite writer, but I respect him.
Mostly because many years ago I saw him on TV unleash a withering torrent of scorn upon David Letterman, who meekly called for a commercial break.
January 29th, 2008 at 2:52 am
Jesus balls, that’s a heapin’ helpin’ of spondulicks.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:45 am
But check out the latest interview, as discussed in the Lit Saloon, in which he drivels on about the Muslim threat in his usual way, and mentions that he doesn’t read his creative writing students’ ‘creative’ work.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:56 am
I am a student at the University of Manchester and would like to add that the 28hours work he does per year is only on an MA creative writing course, in a role that doesnt include any kind of marking on his part. Basically he is paid 80,000 a year from a University millions of pounds in debt to sit happy and spout his egoism. The university had to let go around 650 members of staff last year due to finances and renowned scholars, actually beneficial to teaching!!such as Terry Eagleton and Sheila Rowbotham have not had their contracts renewed. Martin Amis at the University is a massive joke and very unpopular with students.
May 14th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Oh no! Eagleton has been googling himself again.