The Humors of Self-Publishing Every blog I look at today has posts on the publishing industry. I’m getting real tired of reading them.
A lot of authors are rallying against publishing’s gatekeepers. I can’t help but think they’re doing nothing more than vying to become those same gatekeepers.
Everyone is talking about the future of publishing, but if they know what it is, than how come it’s not making national news?
Nervousness is also creeping in for many authors, while at the same time they’re showing and outward façade of calm. Many authors are losing money right now and they’re lashing out.
Posses of followers and fans are being unleashed to spread the word of their author, and quash any suspected dissent or contradictory words that might cause many of those same authors to stop and think.
Experts are paraded about crying what we should do and what will work. When asked to elaborate they’re nowhere to be found.
All in all it looks like a dreary landscape indeed at the beginning of this Year of Our Lord 2014. That’s self-publishing today, like it or not. Let’s get into each of those points in a bit more detail.
A lot of authors are rallying against publishing’s gatekeepers. I can’t help but think they’re doing nothing more than vying to become those same gatekeepers.
Everyone is talking about the future of publishing, but if they know what it is, than how come it’s not making national news?
Nervousness is also creeping in for many authors, while at the same time they’re showing and outward façade of calm. Many authors are losing money right now and they’re lashing out.
Posses of followers and fans are being unleashed to spread the word of their author, and quash any suspected dissent or contradictory words that might cause many of those same authors to stop and think.
Experts are paraded about crying what we should do and what will work. When asked to elaborate they’re nowhere to be found.
All in all it looks like a dreary landscape indeed at the beginning of this Year of Our Lord 2014. That’s self-publishing today, like it or not. Let’s get into each of those points in a bit more detail.
Gatekeepers
Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss This is a term for those in the publishing industry that choose which books get printed.
There’s a big backlash against these gatekeepers by many big time authors. It seems to me these big time authors are simply supplanting the old gatekeepers with themselves.
I read a lot about unions of authors, author-started publishing houses, and all manner of other things that only point to big name authors becoming just what they’re railing against. Pretty soon it won’t be that editor in New York shooting my manuscript down, but some self-published author that now controls the keys. Viva La Revolución!
There’s a big backlash against these gatekeepers by many big time authors. It seems to me these big time authors are simply supplanting the old gatekeepers with themselves.
I read a lot about unions of authors, author-started publishing houses, and all manner of other things that only point to big name authors becoming just what they’re railing against. Pretty soon it won’t be that editor in New York shooting my manuscript down, but some self-published author that now controls the keys. Viva La Revolución!
Industry Interviews
If I have to see another 7,000 word back-and-forth post between an author and a publishing exec I think I’ll be sick.
Returns on Investment
You're not going to eat that? If a traditional author publishes with A and a self-published author goes with B, then A will get C return and B will get D return.
If I wanted to read about math I wouldn’t have become a writer. Too often lately I’m reading all the joyous highs and lows of what big time authors are making, or how those tens of thousands in sales each month might only become thousands. Jee-whiz!
In China people would always ask how much money you make, but in America I thought it was rather taboo. It certainly seems in vogue to whip out your wad and count it in front of others, usually at the same time you’re telling everyone else the bottom’s dropping out. Interesting, huh?
For many the bottom isn’t dropping out, they’re seeing gains each month. Perhaps the bottom that’s dropping out is nothing more than newer authors eating away at old publishing ceilings.
If I wanted to read about math I wouldn’t have become a writer. Too often lately I’m reading all the joyous highs and lows of what big time authors are making, or how those tens of thousands in sales each month might only become thousands. Jee-whiz!
In China people would always ask how much money you make, but in America I thought it was rather taboo. It certainly seems in vogue to whip out your wad and count it in front of others, usually at the same time you’re telling everyone else the bottom’s dropping out. Interesting, huh?
For many the bottom isn’t dropping out, they’re seeing gains each month. Perhaps the bottom that’s dropping out is nothing more than newer authors eating away at old publishing ceilings.
Posses
To Serve and Protect Big time authors often have posses of fans and followers that rush to do their bidding.
Usually these are other authors trying to hitch on to something big, hoping it’ll help them. In return they’ll do favors.
This could be anything to writing reviews for the author’s latest offering to publicly shaming others that challenge their chosen one’s authority. I’m getting mighty tired of these hit crews that go out and about.
Although watching them spend hours trying to destroy instead of trying to create is kind of humorous. Like children breaking down opposing towers of blocks in frustration, perhaps these posses would just do better to find a new spot in the playroom to frolic.
Usually these are other authors trying to hitch on to something big, hoping it’ll help them. In return they’ll do favors.
This could be anything to writing reviews for the author’s latest offering to publicly shaming others that challenge their chosen one’s authority. I’m getting mighty tired of these hit crews that go out and about.
Although watching them spend hours trying to destroy instead of trying to create is kind of humorous. Like children breaking down opposing towers of blocks in frustration, perhaps these posses would just do better to find a new spot in the playroom to frolic.
Future
Close. Not shit...tea leaves! If everyone knows the future of publishing than why haven’t I heard about it on the evening news?
Think about it – how many ‘future’ articles have you seen recently. Yeah, I know it’s only January, but everyone seems to be pointing at the sky as if it’s about to give way.
One of the reasons I got a history degree was so I could study the past to figure out what’ll happen in the future. It just seemed liked a much better approach than blindly guessing and speculating on what we don’t know.
Too few use the past to highlight what’s happening now. Well, that would take work instead of just guesswork.
Think about it – how many ‘future’ articles have you seen recently. Yeah, I know it’s only January, but everyone seems to be pointing at the sky as if it’s about to give way.
One of the reasons I got a history degree was so I could study the past to figure out what’ll happen in the future. It just seemed liked a much better approach than blindly guessing and speculating on what we don’t know.
Too few use the past to highlight what’s happening now. Well, that would take work instead of just guesswork.
Lawyers
Unthinking Machines...Must...Devour...Now! Does anyone really enjoy posts about, or written by, lawyers?
Social Media Experts
Speaks for itself Have you ever read a guest blog post by a social media expert?
I’ve seen 2 in the past 2 months and both of these experts didn’t reply to comments on their post.
What kind of social media or marketing expert is that, and do you want to take their advice?
Those are just a few things I’ve noticed in the past couple of weeks. Could it just be me? You betcha! But I have a feeling some of you are seeing the same things and feeling the same way.
Feel free to flay my skin from my body and roast it over your fires of discontent if you feel otherwise. But I’m not too far off the mark, am I?
I’ve seen 2 in the past 2 months and both of these experts didn’t reply to comments on their post.
What kind of social media or marketing expert is that, and do you want to take their advice?
Those are just a few things I’ve noticed in the past couple of weeks. Could it just be me? You betcha! But I have a feeling some of you are seeing the same things and feeling the same way.
Feel free to flay my skin from my body and roast it over your fires of discontent if you feel otherwise. But I’m not too far off the mark, am I?
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