The Communication Age as it Applies to Writers

I find it astounding the impact the communications age has had on the art and craft of writing.  Twenty years ago, I could not have done the things I am doing now with my writing.

Back in the day, I remember slogging it out, solitary (and desperate) in front of my computer, generating story after story.  And then having to edit and polish stories over and over, and then from there sending them off to a limited number of print magazines or publishing houses ... and then being rejected over and over again. 

I have a box full of perfectly good short stories and three manuscripts of perfectly good novels that have just sat in a corner collecting dust.  Those are the things I composed coming up as an aspiring author that helped me sharpen my skills because I had no choice in the matter.  It was good to go through that process as it made me a better writer, I believe.  And there were a few successes, but those successes only came after considerable effort and only after I passed beyond some "gatekeeper" (read: magazine editor or literary agent). 

But now ... can you hear the theme score from 2001: A Space Oddysey playing in your mind.  Yes!  Now we have entered the communication age.  It is an age that opens all the gates, takes the keys from the gatekeepers, and gives writers free access to go out there and really take a shot on the open market.  Keep in mind, there is some down side to this liberation, such as the really bad writing out there that is reflected in poorly done and unprofessionally presented stories.  But the capitalist pig in me has faith in the market (read: the readers).  The good stuff always rises above, especially when properly and vigorously marketed.

This is never more true than in the age we live in now.  With the technology making it easy to upload and publish as an independent, combined with the ease, reach, and affordability of social media marketing, it is very possible for a talented, professional writer to not only see his work in print, but also have readers discover it, read it, and go viral with it.

I strongly encourage anyone who has a passion to create great stories that they join in on the benefits of the communication age.  Write well!  Publish (traditionally or independently)! And then avail yourself of Facebook fan pages, Twitter feeds, Goodreads, Wattpad, Blogger, Wordpress, Oyster, Inkbok, Stumble Upon It, Etsy, Pinterest, etc., etc., etc.  The time is now for all of you aspiring author's to step out of your comfort zone, think outside the box, and reach deep down (pardon all the sinful clichés), because your time has come right now, right here ... write away!

The Cost of Independence

For years I have written fiction (and some non-fiction) and enjoyed the creative process immensely.  As I have mentioned before, it is like base jumping from Mount Everest without a parachute.  But the traditional publishing industry was always the daunting gauntlet I had to fight through (just like every other writer, poet, screenwright) just to get my stories published. 

I equate the attempt at traditional publishing (even of very short pieces of literature) as trying out for the Olympic team (winter or summer) or auditioning for the leading role in a major Hollywood box office epic.  It is fiercely competitive!  Even when what you have written is well-written and page-turning, it can still be rejected by numerous and varied editors of several magazines and publishing houses.  Depressing?  Mmmm, somewhat, maybe ... not really, really. 

I get it!  I surely do!  Especially now that I have gone over to the "indie" side of things.  Actually, I got it way before I decided to go indie with my stories, but now that I am in the mode of publishing my own pieces, and working with the digital platforms out there, finessing the distribution angle, the marketing involved, and all the editing (that must be done completely "in-house"), oh, yes, now I really understand why the publishing industry is so daunting. 

It's a business.  Pure and simple.  The stories are a product, and the publishers and the editors are acting in the very smart role of being business managers first.  They have to do so, otherwise they lose money, become unprofitable, and go out of business.

Now that I am doing things completely on my own, I see the amount of time and effort and capital that goes into the process of delivering a product (a story) to the market.  I always knew this on the subconscious level, but nothing brings clarity to the situation when confronted with the reality. 

So, I have a great appreciation for the traditional publishing industry.  Still, I am glad I made the move to go independent.  It is not without its additional work, but I love it anyway.  As the owner of a small business, I am already used to producing a product, finding customers, marketing, packaging, distributing, etc.  Hence, the extra things I must do now, time-consuming as they may be, are actually good fun! 

And when it is all done (if it ever really and truly is), I see the fruits of that labor in the form of a quality story that reaches many readers.  It costs considerably, but independence is exhilarating ... almost as exhilarating as base jumping from Mount Everest without a parachute.