You'll Be in For a Disappointment. Are You Strong Enough to Deal With It?

A while ago, a twitter bud of mine, Resa, had a mini rant.  This is my two cents.

Apparently there’s a rash of people out there that have it completely wrong when creating a novel.  I blame reality television myself where anyone can stretch that thirteen minutes of fame and somehow make it a decade of seasons where people become famous for being themselves.  This seems to have trickled down to the literary ranks the past few years where people think they can write one book, put it on a self-publishing site and all of the sudden become famous because they wrote a book.

            Don’t quit your day jobs kids that will not happen.  And if you don’t have a job and think this will pay the bills I suggest you go to Manpower and get something on the quick because that line of thinking will not do at all.

            Now, I’ve written three or four books, depending on my mood the day I’m asked how many I’ve finished, so I have an idea about writing something and trying to get it published “properly.”  Then finding out nobody in traditional publishing wants your work so you’ll turn to self-publishing because your book will still be out there to be noticed.  This is one way to go and self-publishing is still fairly new.

            Back in the day (2005) I decided to self-publish my collection of stories that contained my first full novel with a print on demand company who these days will remain nameless.  Back then it was call vanity publishing, giving by the traditional publishing companies as an attempt to lessen their value on the public.  But then I wrote another novel, went through the process of trying to get an agent, received plenty of rejection letters and one that wanted my first three chapters.  After I sent my first three chapters then I was rejected.

            Then there was a third novel I put through the same process receiving only half the rejection letters back and the other half of agents just did not bother sending anything at all.  Ever since thing I’ve never finished another novel.  This however was my experience with traditional publishing.

            My experience with self-publishing is much more bleak.  I’ve only sold one copy combined off the three or four books that are out there.  That means the others have sold nothing.  So, no, it is not preordained that you’ll be selling books right away and all of the sudden you become famous.  99.997% of the time it won’t happen.

            And besides, why the hell do you want to be famous.  I know I certainly don’t.  That means I have to deal with scores of fans that know exactly what I look like when I’m in public.  I have a hard time dealing with people as a complete nobody right now, I sure as frack won’t be able to stand it when I’m recognized.  I like the idea of being a recluse instead.  What I truly wish is what I create became famous, that’s the difference.  To look back to at least one book that you know will stand the test of time, smile, and know I created that.  To hell with being famous now, create something from your mind and imagination that will stand the test of time well after you’re gone like countless other authors have in the past.  Three centuries later classrooms are reading your books as required as part of the period like you had to read Shakespeare, Dickens, Mellville, Hawthorne or more contemporary like Huxley or Fitzgerald.  That’s the best kind of fame there; that’s immortality.

            But there’s a lot of hard work that lay from that destination and where you start.  I’m not trying to scare you into not writing, just trying to be a realist in some of what is ahead of you.

            There are some other people who also talk about this and are going through the same pains as I am, only they’re a lot more successful at it:  K.M. Weiland has her website, helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com and she recently released the steampunk fantasy Stormin’.  Briana Mae Morgan is a freelance editor and author.  Her website is brianamaemorgan.com and recently released the novel Blood & Water.  And last but not least is Laura Del who’s website is thefictionwriters.net.  She also wrote the novels Graveyard Shifts & Dueling Moons and the novella “Ghosts Among Men.”  These three ladies also have their blogs within their websites, Laura and Briana also have YouTube channels.  They are also better for the advice than I, since I’m a hell of a lot more jaded from my experiences.  I know well the three float wonderful encouragement back to you and they are very personable, despite being super busy.  Really, I have no idea where they find the energy