John Degen: Celebrating Authors, Protecting Creativity

“Art feeds the soul” is true, and it’s also incomplete. When we treat creative work as something above commerce, we end up normalizing unpaid labor, weak bargaining power, and policies that make it harder to build a life as an author. We sit down with John Deegan, CEO of the Writers Union of Canada and chair of the International Authors Forum, to get honest about what it takes to sustain professional cultural work and why the creative economy needs clearer, braver language about money. We dig into the myths that keep creators stuck, including the idea that paying artists conflicts with the public interest. John offers a simple, vivid way to think about copyright law: it’s a fence around a beautiful meadow. The fence isn’t there to stop access; it’s there to set boundaries, signal ownership, and encourage respectful use. We also talk about the pressure to work for free, why “profit” is often the wrong word for what creators need, and how a mix of markets and public support can keep books, music, and art thriving. Then we zoom out to the global view and the future. From international book fairs to reading traditions, John shares what he’s learned from author communities worldwide and why he believes books endure through every “publishing is doomed” prediction, including the newest wave of artificial intelligence and synthetic content. We close with a practical model that balances access and payment: Canada’s Public Lending Right system and why it could matter far beyond Canada. If you care about authors’ rights, fair copyright, and the future of creativity in the age of AI, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review telling us what fair support for creators should look like. Send us Fan Mail Check out "Protection for the Inventive Mind" – available now on Amazon in print and Kindle formats. The views and opinions expressed (by the host and guest(s)) in this podcast are strictly their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the entities with which they may be affiliated. This podcast should in no way be construed as promoting or criticizing any particular government policy, institutional position, private interest or commercial entity. Any content provided is for informational and educational purposes only.