He's Still Mad, He's Still Not Gonna Take It, And He Has Food For Thought

Cliff burns wrote another interesting post, this time at his Redroom Blog. I do not have the experience he has with the publishing system, but what he vehemently writes about in this blog is the norm from all the research I've done on the publishing world. In fact, I've been reading a lot of author "success" stories about the much desired CALL and I've noticed its often after years of languishing in limbo (or is it hell?).

Now, don't get me wrong. It took years for me to find my writing voice and feel comfortable with the work I was producing. I learned how to construct a plot, how to develop characters, and how to write good, solid dialog while writing novels that will never see the light of day (they're stored away in a closet somewhere). I learned a lot from those novels and I sometimes think of them fondly, but they were my training ground. I can understand the role of an agent and editor to new writers trying to get into the business, but...

I'm READY and EAGER to jump forward with my writing. I'm completely dedicated to turning out good work that readers can enjoy and doing it on a regular basis. I'm learning how to handle a daily work schedule and a nightly writing schedule without going completely insane. What Cliff wrote really resounded with me because I did decide to self publish because my readers want As The World Dies now. Is it fair for them to wait while I spend 6 months or more querying to agents then maybe waiting years before I find a publisher? I have to say a definite no!

The resources are available to me to make a good product and get a book out that I can feel proud of and that the readers can enjoy. This is the age of the new media. It's impacting on the record and movie industries. The publishing industry is just beginning to feel this wave about to crash down on them.

Sure there are crappy independent films and music, but there is also a wealth of wonderful works that people discover through the new media. As a member of the Goth scene, I've witnessed how many of the artists in that genre have been using the new media to reach their small, but dedicated audience.

I am going to try the traditional route for another book because, hell, why not? Might as well have a comparison of experiences between the traditional route and self publishing, right? I'm not putting all my eggs (novels) in that one basket (traditional or self publishing) and I have many more ideas that I'm dying to write. Am I counting out traditional publishing? No, I'm open to see what it offers, but at the same time I'm going to do my best for my readers and my own writing.

Cliff Burns is very right about the chances of a writer getting published from what I have read about the publishing world. Trying to get published is like "buying a lottery ticket". I've been known to buy a lottery ticket once and awhile just to try my luck. But then I go to my day job and earn a paycheck.

That is what I am doing now. Earning a paycheck by self-publishing on my own terms and trying out the lottery by sending one manuscript through the traditional route.

Now lets see which pays off.

P.S. So Dark The Night is definitely worth downloading and reading.