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.

The "Write" Setup

In order to produce creatively the setup is the key. If you have the ideas without the setup then you only have the ideas. I have worked like this before, it's frustrating. In order to maximize on your space it you should focus on five important aspects;

1. Privacy - Whether you work better in public or private the best way to maximize your creative output is to reduce distractions. Probably not a good idea to have that Playstation 3 in your office where you work. Also family, they need to know when it is your time to write. It can be as simple as a closed door or as complex as a monthly time schedule on your fridge. At any rate they need to know what times to leave you alone.
2. Research - Your references should be right at your finger tips. Dictionaries, The Elements of Style, hell even old copies of writers digest. I have turned a large portion of my office into a working library. That way if I have anything from pharmacological texts to the Encyclopedia Britannica right behind me. The internet does wonders for the consolidation of information but just remember if that connection goes down you will be screwed.
3. Comfort - The majority of your time will probably be spent hunched over hunting and pecking away at a keyboard. Your chair should be comfortable. Your monitor should relieve eye strain. Your keyboard shouldn't cause any discomfort to your wrist. But most of these factors vary from person to person so a lot of this one is down to personal choice.
4. Organization - Every office is messy. I am not talking about overall cleanliness. Hear I am referring to your writing. There are times when I have had up to thirty documents open spread out over two computers. You must have a good filing system in order to keep track of current projects. You don't want to end up editing the same manuscript four or five times because you forgot what folder you saved it to.
5. You - This is the most important aspect of your writing space; you. It must be tailored to your needs and wants. Everybody is different so go crazy. If you work best at a desk behind your living room couch while your family is home then go for it. If you work best in solitude try that. Decorate and then redecorate. If you start to suffer from writers block move your desk to another wall. Get attached to your office, its an essential part of you as a writer.

Writing is Deleting

When your egg timer goes off and it's time to stop writing for the day don't stop just yet. Read through the pages of what you wrote and find your favorite part. Look for the sentence, paragraph. page or chapter that screams masterpiece. Read and reread that one part as many times as it takes for you to feel fantastic about being its creator. Embrace your inner megalomaniac. Done yet? Okay now highlight and delete that part. Now read what you wrote, does it stand alone? If not make it. You should be able to remove any part of your story and still have a story. And don't forget the words of Faulkner; "Kill your darlings."