Buzz
by John Wolf
In the aftermath of all the chatter about Amazon's forward attitude of pushing self-pulished authors off the table or pay a toll, not much has changed. The troll is still under the bridge. I saw the Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, on the Martha Steward show, hawking his Kindle reader, which is doing well. The rich get richer. At the same time, the blogs seem to be softening on independent authors peddling their books. Much less sarcastic remarks are the norm now.
I think enough quality reads have come from the independent writers movement that many heads have turned. Then compare the massive amount of political books from the candidates and all their coattail followers. Every hack newscaster to the polished regular has a new book out. Books that the major publishers in New York cherish. I say fine. It keeps them focused on dribble. These books are only viable for a few months. Most every thought in them can be heard on the nightly news. I don't feel these are anything special and should really be set in the columns of newspapers (but that readership is off!). It's tough for the regulars.
Out here in the hinterland, us indies will survive. The biggest threat and the best opportunities come from the same source - quality through editing. After revising has run its course, these pesky little misused words, and grammar gremlins are what keeps the albatross circling over self-publishing. If there was ever a red flag waving over writing clubs, this is it.
What I propose to all you clubbers out there is to include a rigorous learning effort to develop editing skills within the group. Lay off the reading of each other's chapters for a while and get into an in depth discussion of books like these:
- Self-Editing for Fiction Writers - Renni Browne and Dave King
- The First Five Pages - Noah Lukemna
- Spunk & Bite - Arthur Plotnik
When someone finishes a manuscript, make copies and provide it to at least two enthusiastic readers stoked with this new knowledge. After all, editing should become a writer's priority. Sacrifice the time and do the best job you can. You also get to read the competition's work. It can only make you a better writer and you do a real service for your friends in the group. They, of course, must do the same for you.
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HOT TIP: Check out this article that reveals Amazon taking on the New York major publishers: click here
Put down the M&Ms, the potato chips, and look your group in the eyes and stand tall on this concept. Is your writing a joke? Is all this effort a pastime, a hobby? If not, then this is one of the prices of being a real author that will get the attention of agents, which is the next step.
Your query letters will be based on confidence in your manuscript. Instead of launching the Kitty Hawk, you'll be putting an SR-71 in flight.
I'm not advocating avoiding professional editing services. They are the Cadillacs of editing, but if you are the one without the sales to support such a budget, at least you're driving a solid vehicle off the lot. When the money comes in, use the professionals, by all means. If you're stinky rich now, why are you reading this? Call the best in town tonight.
It's hard to realize, especially when you are fairly new at writing or haven't stepped out into the real world and been burned, to see that your writing is a brain imprint, and when you read your manuscript, trying to edit carefully, your brain skips over the errors. It thinks it's helping you. It's like the overly caring mother. You get spoiled. Get real and wake up to the fact that you are the last person that should be editing your manuscript for errors.
Trying to put a story together that has momentum, style, effective plot, and sweeping emotional themes for your characters is tough enough, and maybe I sound like a finger-wagging old man . . . wait. That would describe me perfectly. What I would like to see is independently published authors open up fiction and non-fiction windows to provide the public with fresh air. The corporate suit approach of computer analyzed target markets that focus books selected for stores is the Big Brother approach to society. You read 1984. Do you want to live it?
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John Wolf keeps the kennels clean at the Fox&Quill Hunting Club |
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