Calculating my worth

This festival wants a price estimate which includes my travel expenses so I can read there.

Wow.

A definite corner I have turned.

I sent a conservative number though I think I'm priceless [;-)] 'cause I didn't want them to say "we can't afford you."

Ha!

Anyway, this is a sign that I need to get a bit more knowledgeable about the business end and negotiation.

When I was performing comedy and producing my own shows, I didn't know all the options available to me, like asking for a % of the bar sales so I lost money for me and my comedy buddies by only taking the what was made at the door.

And the same thing with the bears. I used to make them for the fire department to give to children who were involved in accidents. My business received the bid, mainly because I could produce a almost-completely child-proof bear (embroidered eyes and a fur nose not plastic) but I had a hard time deciding on a price in regards to what my time was worth.

I have worked for $35 hour and I have worked for the federal minimum. When I worked for the Smithsonian as a field researcher, it was more like $60/hour and once the cable company paid me as a comedienne $60 for ten minutes of material, which would calculate to $360 an hour.

I can imagine a six-figure book deal. Sometimes, I envision a million-dollar one (heh, heh) but in reality, it's hard to calculate. How, really, do you put a number on what you share?