It's a grey, rainy, Saturday, and I've spent a few hours blog-jumping around the web which has quite a few thoughts chasing through my brain. The Left Coast Crime Convention posts are interesting. I can't imagine myself at a convention surrounded by all those people. Or worse yet, walking up to a writer I admire and saying hello. That's just not in me, heck, I barely leave comments on the blogs I read. I was always the chubby little girl sitting in the corner with her ears tuned to catch every conversation within hearing distance. In truth, I'm still that little girl, always listening, still afraid of crowds, living in my own little world.
On Rara-Avis they've been discussing the NY vs small press publishers a bit. James Lee Burke got his start with a small press but as soon as NY called, he was gone. I see this with a lot of novelist out there. They're so eager to be published they'll jump on the first boat that passes by. I think what irks me, is when the call comes from the bigger boat, they jump again. Whatever happened to loyalty, to staying at the dance with the date who brought you? When a writer actually gets to a point where they could make that small press some money, they leave. Yeah, I get the prestige that comes with the big fancy publisher, the buffing of the fingernails on your lapels, but what about the little guy who stuck with you when you were nobody? What's in it for him to keep publishing unknowns if they're just going to leave?
And I've been thinking about writing today and my place in the scheme of things. I think writing is one of the few things you can do in life that leaves you both depressed and exhilarated at the same time. In some ways, I like being a nearly unknown writer. I can write stories that please me, if they don't work, that's okay because there's no one out there waiting with bated breath for my next "masterpiece". Being nearly unknown also drops the occasional email in my inbox from an editor looking for a story or a reader who has just read and enjoyed one. So I go tapping along wondering if my writing will actually take me anywhere and yet, still excited that an editor or reader noticed my efforts.
I know, there's not much rhyme nor reason to this post, just some rainy day thoughts that were crowding through my brain. What about you? Where does your mind travel to on rainy days?
5 comments:
Not much of anywhere as of late. Had to readjust my blogging shcedule because I was starting to get burned out.
But when it does go somewhere, it usually goes to whatever story I'm currently working on. And sometimes, I let the rainy weather (especially this weekend) influence my writing just enough to make whatever passage I writing, poignant.
Depressed and exhilarated at the same time? That's a two for one offer!!!
It's kinda natural that a published writer is going to distance them-self from the "scene". Or at least put up a few barriers.
I follow a few novelists that clamp down while they're writing. AFTER they publish a book they want to talk, and are full of ideas and schemes and quizzes, but before that point they post three times a year or so.
Doesn't matter to me. I'm the same with music. I don't care about the blood type of the bass player, I only care about the band.
If anything, tweeting or blogging is going to spoil my experience so I should just stay ignorant of my idols' world view. They rarely impress.
In my field, if you work a normal job, you get clients that like you and want to talk to you. Years later, I've moved on and am dealing with work involving hundreds of thousands of dollars at a time, but those same customers are asking for me. The equivalent is the scene writer that gets a deal and has to figure out what to do with his close fans...
Me, I've never refused a call from an old customer, but I've re-directed a LOT of new ones to my colleagues.
My default position is that if a writer is writing, then they're doing the right thing. If they're promoting then they're just engaging their devious heads and probably being a bit TOO clever...
I really can't fault a writer for jumping to a large press if the opportunity presents itself, even though I tend to be more of a fan of the smaller, independent houses. If your goal is to make a living as a writer, and a large publishing house offers you a contract with some good guaranteed money, it would be hard to walk away from. Loyalty to the small press is honorable, but one must remember that if your book doesn't sell, they will drop you just as fast. Bigger houses potentially offer better marketing budgets, better distribution, etc. It would be hard to say no to that opportunity.
I don't think it necessarily has to do with wanting to be famous either. I think what it comes down to is putting food on the table and paying the mortgage. It's not like there are that many authors out there who are fabulously wealthy anyway, relatively speaking.
Sometimes that jump from small publisher to large can still help the little guy publisher. There can be a contract buyout. There can be ownership of the early work if a writer does strike it big.
I think a writer really only needs to be loyal to him/herself. As long as the writer holds up their end of the bargain contractually, what they do for improving their career is their business.
Rainy days are good for getting into your stories, G!
Yes, a two for one, Anton. When I finish a story I'm thrilled, but at the same time I'm sure the story is just pure crap that no one will want. It would be nice if writers could just write, but the new economics force them to make appearances and "sell themselves".
You're right that a writer needs to think of themself and what's best for them, Chris. But I worry about those small presses. When they're good at picking great books, they generally get swallowed up by some big corporation who drops the niche the small press has created and publishes the same old same old that they always have. Bleak House was just bought out and I'm wondering what will happen to the writers under that umbrella if they can't perform to a major house standard. Every good small press that closes down means one less place for getting those niche book printed and out into the world. There's no real solution to the problem because the world boils every thing down to the dollars.
I hear you about small presses being swallowed up. It sucks how it is all just "business."
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