Posts tagged ‘writers’
THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITERS
I don’t need to tell writers, or readers for that matter, that for publishing ‘the times they are a changen’’. I’m trying to keep up but not always succeeding, especially in my mindset concerning social media. In this piece I will truly show my age.
In the past, that is my past, writers seemed to be more elusive than they are in today’s world of publishing. They would publish, perhaps appear for a short time in public, and then return to pursuing their craft.
In today’s environment of constant communication and media exposure, if a writer is not constantly tuned into social media and making the public aware of their every thought through tweets, Facebook, blogs (such as the one you are reading now) and websites, they will fall by the wayside. Granted, once you are well established as a writer those avenues to the public are less important. But even those lucky authors who dare to turn their back to social media are at risk of losing their access to the public.
My mind wanders along these avenues of thought. My fellow writers: What do you think?
STRUGGLING TO GET IT WRITE: SELF-PUBLISHING, AN INTRODUCTION
It is said that we all have a book within us. I don’t know who said it, and if no one has, I just did. However, it has never been said, to my knowledge, that we all have a GOOD book within us. What follows is my own take on self-publishing with more episodes to follow. As always, feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Writing is an ego driven endeavor. To put your words out there and know that someone will pay money to read them is quite a stretch. But many of us do just that and bruise our egos along the way. Who among us truly thinks their ability to put words together isn’t worth shit, but I’m going to do it and reveal my shit to the world. In the not too distant past the only available avenue a writer could take, other than the traditional route of, agent-editor-publisher was lovingly referred to as the vanity press.
The end result of association with a vanity press was usually hundreds of books moldering away in a basement or attic and the author thousands of dollars poorer. Now we have a much better, cheaper option – the wonderful world of self-publishing. For an excellent in-depth look at self-publishing I refer you to the May/June 2012 issue of Writer’s Digest providing an overview on the topic. In a later piece I will offer some of the information from that issue and update the information contained in this issue for, in this day and age, 2012 is distant history.
Self-publishing, in conjunction with print-on-demand allows the writer to bring his work directly to the reading public without encountering the messy world of agents and publishers. I know many out there have taken the agent and or publisher route and have shed blood, sweat and tears with no results. Been there, done that. That’s why the vast majority of my work remains unpublished. I’ll get to my personal experiences and the reason I still beat my head against a stone wall in a later piece. Many of those who have put the effort and see no other avenue to present their work to the public other than to self-publish. Here, the decision to self-publish has merit. You’ve paid your dues with nothing to show for it; give it a shot.
There is another form of exposure providing a means to present your work, your thoughts, poetry, and stories, to the world. If you’ve gotten this far you’re participating in that medium now – the blog. Of course you won’t make any money unless your ego permits you to go hat-in-hand to those wanting to read the beauty of your words. Enough of that.
I have met one author, in my opinion, who has a healthy approach to self-publishing. She established a reputation through the traditional route of agent and publisher. Only after her reputation was established did she begin to self-publish. For now the public knew the value of her work, work accepted by the industry, and she could approach that public directly.
With the above in mind, I’m sure you see that self-publishing is a complicated and convoluted topic. It is a medium offering a new publishing opportunity, and each year hundreds of thousands of people employ it. It can yield great success, but to those that it has you could probably count using your fingers and toes, and perhaps not even need to take off your shoes.
Yet with all the uncertainty and rejection and no matter how you bear that twisted cross we call the writing addiction, you know you have no choice but to endure and hope for the
MOTHER NATURE BRINGS CONFLICT AND WORRIES
It was late Thursday afternoon May, 22 when the skies darkened and all hell broke loose. I knew we were in for a good one, for the thunder were not individual claps but a constant roar. The roar was soon followed by wind, rain, and unusual for around here, hail. I took a few pictures to record the event.
More upsetting though, as a writer, is that we are all at the mercy of the weather, and the misfortunes of life. With floods, tornadoes and the like becoming more and more common while our entire life’s work, all those words sprung from our brain that we hold so precious, are also at the mercy of the weather, and more.
I recall that some time ago Toni Morrison’s house caught fire. Her original manuscripts, her precious work lost. Have any of you writers thought about what you would do if disaster came knocking at your door?
THE STRUGGLE TO GET IT WRITE: A NEW SERIES
Is that a clever use of the homophone, or what?
In this new series, I hope to engage writers who follow my blog or anyone else who has an interest in the art of writing, about questions and problems I’m having about my writing and observations I have made in my reading of work by successful writers.
Recently, I’ve run into some new kind of block. It’s not writer’s block; to be honest I don’t know what the hell kind of block it is. Leave it to me to be on the forefront of a new problem for writers. But I’m having a real problem getting my butt to sit down and write. Story ideas, no problem there. I’m constantly taking notes on what my bizarre brain produces, but that’s about as far as it gets.
I’ll discuss some specific problems and some writing insights in the pieces that follow, and if any of you out there can lend advice, I’m all ears.
WALT’S OBSERVATIONS
WALT’S OBSERVATIONS
ON
RETIREMENT
This piece is meant for those poor souls that are compelled to write.
As reported recently on my blog, my wife, Joni, and I went on a cruise last January. The experience, much to my surprise, was most enjoyable. At my age, it is wonderful to have all your needs met, even some you didn’t know existed (all legal of course). However, this reflection is more about the people I encountered and my thoughts, contrasting my mindset and that of those wonderful people at a similar stage in our lives.
Joni and I joined a large group while taking the cruise, including my sister, Shirley and her husband Matt. They now live in South Carolina in an over 55 retirement community and were joined by about eight or nine other couples from the same community. I had the opportunity to talk to most of them and those feelings generated are the source of this article.
All retired, the exuded the joy of life. They had all worked hard and now it was time to enjoy the fruits of their labor. In the many conversations I shared with them, I came to appreciate the image of retirement, having time to relish the simple things that life now offered whether it be gardening, walking or spending time with grandchildren.
As I listened to them I reflected on my life. I have always been one to pursue a goal and that drive offers no peace. I envy those who, in retirement, can put aside their past efforts and enjoy their twilight years.
I am reminded of the legend of Sisyphus, doomed to role a stone up a hill only to have it fall down the opposite side where he must again begin his effort. There is no end to his toil.
Those retirees I encountered have defied Sisyphus, for the most part. Some still work part-time, victims of the current economy. But for the most part, they have rolled the stone of their careers to the summit and now enjoy the gentle coast downward in retirement. They have reached the point where the repetition of failure no longer exists. They are at peace with their life and the world.
But for us writers, the scenario is different. I am one of your legions and share the Sisyphus of the written word with you. You and I will never retire. For to retire to us would mean we have ceased to think, to imagine. We roll the rock of our creation up a slippery slope only to have, for many of us, have it roll down in rejection and lack of appreciation. We are compelled to continue this effort to the end.
Fellow writers, these are my observations. God help us all.
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