tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post8748010827841489324..comments2023-04-10T06:42:44.471-04:00Comments on Literary Snippets: In Defense of Indie WritersGary Gauthierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01939746775173387425noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-39250232188782167112012-07-24T16:21:05.636-04:002012-07-24T16:21:05.636-04:00Cast me as a GC Tweenie. I’d love to be a career w...Cast me as a GC Tweenie. I’d love to be a career writer --my goal. Like Patty, I’ve wanted to write since I was a child, but in the 1st grade a substitute teacher gave me an F on my very first story (bad punctuation, poor spelling, and no mention of content. Catholic school.) My dreams were crushed for a very long time and it will take a lot more than worrying about the type of publishing format my book will take before I let that happen again.<br /><br />I think traditional and electronic publishing are similar to when the car was first introduced last century. People swore by horses and they proved superior to the automobile until the kinks were finally worked out. But look, people still own horses today. Granted, not even a drop in a bucket compared to those who own cars –yet something magical happens when we hear about ancient dead sea scrolls being discovered and see the yellow parchment unraveled to reveal long held secrets.<br /><br />I think that whatever works for a person, whatever camp they feel more comfortable in, they should go for it. For me, following my gut instinct is what will determine what camp I end up in –and I believe in the best of both worlds. <br /><br />For now, I hope to be picked up because like Elizabeth, I don’t necessarily enjoy dealing with all the fine details of creating a platform, promotion, and marketing. However, I’m willing to do the work (and I realize that is becoming a necessity with many publishers.)<br /><br />Thank you, Gary, for this great article, for the Twitter connection, and for reminding us that nothing is in black or white –thank heaven for glorious color!Carole Avilahttp://www.caroleavila.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-9240963496244968802012-07-24T14:09:31.511-04:002012-07-24T14:09:31.511-04:00Gary, I like that you've offered definitions f...Gary, I like that you've offered definitions for different writer "types." I imagine most writers you get on the site quickly see themselves in one category. That's great, and if they don't yet find that they're in the Career Writer category, your definition (pretty well nailing it) is either a nice nudge or a wake-up call. The fact is, if any writer is not always trying to learn more about story technique, using various characterization modes (or inventing new ones — good ones), or using a different technique for each novel, then that writer is likely only and ever-shall-be an aspirational writer. Not that that is bad, but it isn't and never shall be the best writing available.MarkBeyerhttp://www.bibliogrind.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-8108926631324884442012-07-23T05:51:30.775-04:002012-07-23T05:51:30.775-04:00You approached this topic well, Gary. Great post. ...You approached this topic well, Gary. Great post. :)David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-53930678692171851332012-07-22T15:22:41.611-04:002012-07-22T15:22:41.611-04:00Gary, I thought I'd was following the other bl...Gary, I thought I'd was following the other blog you contribute to, but I guess not. Please, what is it? It's the on on meeting goals. <br />I tried to join or follow you, but my email is not acceptable and I don't use fb much. <br />I am interested in the publishing house you are with. Would you give me the address for that too?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-75031154848598064332012-07-14T02:53:07.436-04:002012-07-14T02:53:07.436-04:00Hi Gary - 'liked your post. You address aspiri...Hi Gary - 'liked your post. You address aspiring writers in a paragraph, and I assume CWs have the option of traditional or indy publishing (or the best chance at having said options :). I am curious as to your thoughts regarding the GW (which happens to be what I consider myself :)?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-22650483441617302452012-07-12T12:32:55.329-04:002012-07-12T12:32:55.329-04:00Another good post, Gary. I think I'm like Jay,...Another good post, Gary. I think I'm like Jay, somewhere between GW and CW. I have self-published one book, and it's been great fun. I've spoken at schools, and have it on Kindle, and it jump-started me into blogging and doing FB and Twitter.<br /><br />All of that said, it's a lot of work to be your own publisher. I still would like to get commercially published and let editors and agents work out a lot of that stuff so I can keep working on my next book, and my next, and my next. I'm not out to make a lot of money; I just want kids to read my books while I happily work on the next one.<br /><br />On the other hand, I know a lot of people really like all the PR work. So I agree with you, that there is no ONE kind of writer. The beauty of digital publishing is that now there is room for everybody.Elizabeth Varadan, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01708206753256682635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-63685740036439962562012-07-12T09:12:56.899-04:002012-07-12T09:12:56.899-04:00Thanks for the excellent and much-needed post!
I&...Thanks for the excellent and much-needed post!<br /><br />I'm with Jay. I see myself as somewhere between a "Good Writer" and a "Career Writer". In the past 24 months, I've published five novels and one novella that I'd written during the last ten years. I'd done the traditional submission route, had two agents, and was sick and tired of the nonsense.<br /><br />My decision to self-publish was the best decision I ever made. Big Publishing had me convinced that I was a talent-challenged idiot. Putting my books on Kindle and Nook proved to me that there are thousands of readers who like my writing enough to pay for it and become return buyers.Chicki Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01866110558880351017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-49484821620289590232012-07-12T00:30:59.937-04:002012-07-12T00:30:59.937-04:00Jay I agree with you- there are good and bad to be...Jay I agree with you- there are good and bad to be found in all modes of publishing. Great band analogy. It seems to me like a bigger accomplishment as a writer and a reader to connect with a really good Indie - feels more like it's yours, just like that band you're listening to and love but hasn't caught on to the masses yet is your band- once they get famous and watered down to cater to the big crowds they lose something. <br /><br />I would love to be a GCW- I guess that's what many of us aim for. I have wanted to write since fifth grade but never had the confidence to do it outside of an academic setting. It's taken over 35 years of procrastination for me to finally give it a go. If I can make connections and express myself honestly in traditional publishing I will be pleasantly surprise. I am willing to go the indie route if it means I can develop and reach an audience- great topic Gary!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-24119731444263561072012-07-11T15:31:06.255-04:002012-07-11T15:31:06.255-04:00Thanks for starting the conversation, Jay. I agree...Thanks for starting the conversation, Jay. I agree with you that some write for the joy of sharing a story.Gary Gauthierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01939746775173387425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3175408984069796542.post-73847447702392202732012-07-11T15:09:37.822-04:002012-07-11T15:09:37.822-04:00I see myself as somewhere between a "Good Wri...I see myself as somewhere between a "Good Writer" and a "Career Writer". I feel I am more a GW than a CW.<br />I think of indie-writers much the same as indie-bands. I have heard some great ones and I have heard some miserable ones. Just as I have read some horrible ones and some great ones.<br />Getting signed to a huge publishing house or record label is not a guarantee the product produced is great. The converse is also true... Not being accepted to a big publishing house or label is not necessarily indicative of poor quality.<br />Besides, you can get indie books for $3 or less. For that price, I have downloaded a lot of books. And I have not finished several because the quality was not there. But sometimes - Well, sometimes I find a great book by some person who writes for the simple joy of sharing a story. I'll gladly keep slogging through the bad ones to find the gems. I say buy all the indie stuff you can afford!Jay Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17351350505138046726noreply@blogger.com