Evolve or Die?


First thing this morning I read an article on Huffpost Books titled:  With Traditional Publishing Dies The Passive Writer-Victim by Leonce Gaiter

And now I can't sleep.

I first started writing on an old Mac Powerbook I picked up at a garage sale for thirty bucks.  Back in the wild days when I first started I had little skill and big dreams.  I would pass out face down on the keyboard in the wee hours of the morning after writing garbage that I thought was surely going to land me on the best sellers list.

Years pass, the skill changes, but the dream stays the same.  I will be at home when I get a call from an agent at a major agency.  They will fawn over my manuscript immediately sending me the details of a lucrative contract.  Publishers will be having bid wars over me while I decline six figure offers in lieu of higher royalties.  Signings and book tours with clog my schedule and Charlie Sheen will follow me on Twitter.

Yes, that's right, I was a victim of traditional publishing.  And a part of me is sad to see the dream die.  Even if it is for the better.  In this day and age the publishing world is faced with the same peril as many other antiquated business models, evolve or die.  And in a time when it is easier than ever to get published and start selling, it was about damn time the ball has been thrown into our court.  Now you can write what you want, design it how you want, sell it where you want and all while retaining your profits.  Now the market truly determines what is popular literature, not the suits.  And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.

Welcome to the new way of pursuing art as your dream.  If you're talented and can market yourself, I think you will enjoy your stay.

2 comments:

Anna L. Walls said...

So you say your talent has changed - I hope it has improved. haha

David Mark Brown said...

Totally agree. It is an exciting time to be a writer... If you can kill the dream, chuck the New York Times list, and network with the best of them. It is the last one I ain't so good at!