Traditionally publishing has been survival of the most persistent. There have always been writers who sold quickly, but most traditionally published writers struggled for years, sometimes decades, with rejections and self doubt. When they were finally published, they had already proved their worth.
Things have changed.
These days, anybody with a completed manuscript—no matter the length, the genre, or the quality—can become a published author and be sold by Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other places. Good thing? Bad thing? I say it’s both.
The good. Previously published books that would probably only be available in used bookstores, if at all. Today they’re enjoying new life as freshly released ebooks, and these books have the potential shelf life of forever. Also in the good category are those writers who write hard to classify books. Books that publishers and bookstores would have a hard time shelving, inspirational erotica, for instance, or science fiction, mystery, romantic horror. Also, there is a place for books that only appeal to a small segment of the population, red headed dog lovers from Alaska, for instance. This gives readers more choice. Choice is good.
The bad. I remember when I finished my first novel-length manuscript. Like everybody else, I thought I’d written a masterpiece. I had written another “masterpiece” and started a third before I had the guts to submit. By then, I’d collected a pile of rejections for short stories. Still, having my “baby” that I’d worked and revised repeatedly over years rejected hurt. Really hurt. If today’s easy publishing had been available then, would I have published my “masterpiece”? Probably. Would I be embarrassed now? Yes. Would I be as good a writer without the struggle? No. Absolutely not.
Today’s easy, and much more accepted, self-publishing will produce some real masterpieces, and some “masterpieces” that might have a lot of potential, but not the seasoning. Like a recipe without the spices. Maybe not horrible, but not nearly as good as it could be. And maybe word has gotten around that those books are not that good. That writer will have a hard time convincing people that their newly published books really are masterpieces. Like any technology, self-publishing can be used for good or bad.
In the end, readers decide who becomes bestsellers, who are one book wonders, and who are writers who may not attract a huge audience, but are consistent sellers. The face of publishing has changed, but its heart continues to beat inside each and every reader.
Have a great week!
Cheryel
www.cheryelhutton.com
Step Into The Mists with our adventurous band of award-winning authors to otherworlds of paranormal, SF, fantasy and speculative romance. Nervous? Don't be. The creatures that live here are friendly. Most of the time... This blog is for age 18 and over only.
5 comments:
I agree the ease for anyone to find a publisher can be both good and bad, good as it give voice to stories that might have been lost beyond the iron wall of traditional publishing, bad because its opens the door for a lot of crap to be published too. Lets just hope the two balance each other out.
I think that if all rejections were meaningful, fewer people would jump to the conclusion that self-publishing is the only way. Of course it's also the fault of author mills who foster the idea that "no one gets your dream". Between the lack of proper feedback and predatory publishers, the mythology that just completing a book makes it a masterpiece will persist and fewer people will cease to work to approve.
All that said, I'm still glad that indie pub is losing it's stigma under the rules of professional edits and professional cover art. The more of it's stigma it loses, the more epubs will cease to splashed with that same stigma.
~X
I think that just completing a manuscript is an *accomplishment* that relatively few people achieve. That doesn't mean the material is a masterpiece, or even ready for public consumption!
Forget the seasoning, what about the marketing? Hard as it is to get noticed in a bookstore, it's even harder as an indie unknown. I have nothing but respect for folks like Amanda Hocking who make it work. In fact, I'm awed.
Jean Marie,
Marketing is another thing entirely and as I've mentioned before, it's what separates the indie pubbed from the self-pubbed. There's a sense of professionalism and determination that has swept the indie pub masses and I have nothing but respect and admiration for what's been done on the marketing side of things. (As may have already been noticed in an email or two *wink*)
~X
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