If course that isn't really true, but since it's now so much easier to get published than it ever has been, a lot of people who would have never even attempted to write a book have decided to write and publish on Kindle or Smashwords or some other easy way.
I suppose they all think they'll be like the few authors who are making a lot of money this way. No one can make any money though unless people buy the books.
Back in the dark ages, when I first started out, you had to have you whole book completed. In that time period there were no computers or copy machines. To make sure you had a copy of the book you were writing, the only recourse was to make a copy of each page with carbon paper.
One your book was done you sent the who thing in a box along with a cover letter, a synopsis and another Self-Addressed and Stamped box if you wanted the manuscript back--and of course you did. If the publisher didn't want it, you sure didn't want to have to type the whole daggone thing over again. Of course after about 5 rejections, the manuscript had to be retyped anyway because it smelled of cigarette smoke and probably attracted some coffee stains along the way.
Believe me, unless you were totally dedicated to wanting to be a published author, you didn't go through all this work.
Maybe it's just too easy today to put a bunch of works together and send it off to Kindle or some other similar spot and call yourself a published author.
Oh yes, we've all heard readers complain about lame plots, undeveloped characters, stiff dialogue, lack of setting, poorly formatted and edited books filled with typos, but that doesn't seem to stop anyone. Books are being $2.99, 1.99, .99 and free. That means a lot of readers are seeking only the bargain books. Is this going to mean anything to the major publishers, who climbed on this e-publishing bandwagon late and are charging far more for their e-books?
To make this personal, I'm with small independent publishers because I don't want to learn how to format books or pay someone to do it for me. I don't want to create a book cover or the back page. My publishers have much better cover artists than I'll ever be--and both of them let me give input in what I'd like to see in a cover. And both publishers edit my books before they become public.
Yes, everyone gets their cut before I get my paltry sum. Sometimes I laugh when I receive my royalty statements--better than crying. I do far better getting my books at a discount and selling them at book and craft fairs and speaking events.
This might bring up the question if you're not making a lot of money and there's so much competition, why are you doing it? The main answer is because I can't stop writing. If no one published my work, I know I'd just keep right on going. It's rather like an addiction.
You also might ask, are you reading too? The answer is yes. I always have a book by my bed, one on the dining room table and of course, the book I'm reading on my Kindle.
Any one agree with me--or have a different take?
Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com/
Tuesday 7 February 2012
Seems Like Everyone is Writing and No One is Reading
Posted on 01:58 by Unknown
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