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author, desire, dream, fiction, goal, hope, need, publishing, Reader, story, want, words, Writing
I want to be published. I really want to be published. I talk about it. I dream about it. I fantasize about it. I hope, pray, and wish on stars for it. Below is what I wrote in the small notebook I carry in my purse:
“It is 2:49 pm on Wednesday, 21 April, 2010 and as I sit in a McDonald’s Playland full of squealing children I feel certain I will be a published author.”
Yes, I want to be published. I don’t care about fame, in fact I’d just as soon not have that. Money would be nice, but that’s not my motivation. I want validation. I want to know that all the time I spend writing has a better purpose than avoidance of housework. I want my words to mean something to someone besides me.
I have no illusions of grandeur. I’m fully aware that nothing I write is important. It has no power to change the world. It will never be studied in a classroom. Yet it could transport readers into a time, place, or circumstance other than their own for a while, and there is worth in that. To see through another’s eyes, feel through another’s heart, think through another’s mind has purpose. I want someone to experience this through my words. I want to share the stories given to me.
I want to be published.
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You have got to love a woman that knows what she wants! Good luck, Linda.
Thank you, Trista.
I want that for you too! I do wish there was a way for people to get published that are truly talented ( like you). Instead we get these “authors” who do have a clue! You hang in there for us!
Hanging strong, Duke.
And thank you for blogging a link to my post.
No Problem!
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“I’m fully aware that nothing I write is important. It has no power to change the world.” Okay, fiction may not change the world in a true meaningful-let’s-save-the-planet kind of thing BUT a good book can change someone’s life. I will give you a perfect example: Me – I had a bad childhood, long story…but I discovered my father’s book collection. It was his books (science fiction and horror) that made me forget my other troubles, but they did more than that. They instilled in me the love of literature but also planted the seed that would one day become my own novel. All it takes is one person to be touched by your story and who knows where that may lead.
If that were to happen with something I wrote, Alannah, it would be worth far more to me than money or fame. Thank you for sharing.
This post could have been “out of my mind”
I feel exactly the same way. You’re words have already transported me!
Thank you, Candi. What’s the status with Jaded? I’m looking forward to saying, “I knew her when.”
I agree with you, Linda, on the fame part and I know I’m never going to get rich, but there is that validation that we crave for our work, to know that someone else thinks it is worthy of publication, and to have others reading our words.
You will get there. I’m certain of it.
Oh, and I’ve been meaning to say, I really love your new profile pic.
Thank you for the vote of confidence, Laura. I know you understand what I want.
I’m tempted to say that any activity aimed at avoiding housework is admirable but that’s not what we’re here for, is it? Some people seem really not to care about the opinions of others but for most of us, validation is exactly what we’re after so good on you for drilling down to what you want and getting after it. You write, we’ll read!
Well, Suzanne, here’s hoping you do get to read … and I hope you won’t regret it.
“To see through another’s eyes, feel through another’s heart, think through another’s mind has purpose.”
That is important, that is what’s studied in classrooms and that can change the world. It might not be your motivation for writing or seeking publication but your words, all of our words, can do that.
Thank you for taking the time to comment, Kerryn. I hope my words can make a change for someone, even if it’s only a small one. Many authors’ words have certainly enriched my life.
Go for it, Linda. I read all the comments you received looking for a thread. This is what I noticed. Those that want it badly enough persist and those that persist accomplish! I knew I was write when I said you were going to be published.
From your mouth to the Publishing God’s ears, Carol!
I love your reasons for wanting to be published. I feel the same way. I think you have an honest and interesting blog. I am now a follower. Thanks for visiting my NouveauWriter blog!
Thank you for your kind words and the follow, Laura.
“Publishing” and “sharing” are two different things. Which is it that you want? You don’t want fame. You’re iffy about the money. You just want validation. You want to share the stories given to you. This is a recipe for self-publishing if I ever saw one.
I think you might like to read Michelle Davison Argyle’s articles on Self-pubbing: http://literarylab.blogspot.com/2010/08/do-you-want-to-jump-fence-part-1-of-why.html See if what she says, and what she has done, resonate with you and your writing goals.
Good point, Merrilee. I follow Michelle and have talked to her privately about her venture. It’s true I want to share, but I’d like to share with more than ten people, hence my goal of traditional publication. I don’t have nearly the platform Michelle has. I don’t know what her current sales totals are, but I would guess that mine would be, at most, one tenth of hers. So, though it may come to self-publishing, I’d like to give traditional a real shot first.
Like Merrilee, its seems some self-publishing option would fill your needs. [Mine too: I just want to entertain that likes the kind of stories I want to tell.]
I would not recommend hard-copy self-publishing to anyone who was not already wealthy.
But there should be a way to get vetted, approved, or at least first-reader recommended works out to a wide audience. A share-ware form of self-publishing: anyone can read it free. If they really like it, they can kick back some money to the author.
If there is not already, I think, in this day of iPads and Kindles, there soon will be.
oops, first line should read:
“Like Merrilee, its seems to me that some form…”
I am not opposed to self-publishing, Paul, and I know its popularity is growing, but like I said to Merrilee, I’d like my work to be read by more than ten people. At this point, I truly don’t see that happening for me with self-pub. But I have other reasons.
For one, I’ve been reading a lot about the technical experience of self-pub. It sounds like a LOT of work. I’m confident I could learn how to format my ms for each e-reader, design my cover, etc. but to be honest, I’d rather spend my time writing.
No matter which option I decide to go for, as of today, my novel isn’t ready anyway. So …
But that’s what I am advocating, Linda:
Not self-publishing, where you pay a lot and work hard to reach a few people…
Not traditional publishing, where you have million-to-one odds of being one of the few past the gate keepers — to reach a few thousand people.
Instead: a new electronic form of publishing that potentially reaches millions, with little to no effort on the part of the writer for marketing or formatting.
I don’t think it farfetched at all. I bet we will have it five years.
And yesterday’s update to Apple’s $99 Pages — very simple word processing and page design software — added an instant export to the standard ebook format…
I wasn’t aware there is a “standard” ebook format. From what I’ve read, though some readers use the same format (pdf?) the format for Kindle is different from Nook, which is different from … That said, I’m sure programs to simplify converting to each of the popular formats either already exist or will soon.
Sorry I misunderstood, Paul. I’m still not ready to give up paper books, but this scenario sounds great. However, it sounds to me that you are describing the next generation of “traditional” publishing. I have a hard time conceiving how you could “potentially reach[s] millions” without some big marketing money behind it and that, in my opinion, denotes gate keeping.
I have been thinking about this quandry. There must be an answer on how to get past the blocks that the establishment has in place to prevent talented witers to get their works out.
Some see this as a benefit of self-publishing, Duke.
I found this site. Maybe this will help. http://www.newpages.com/
Thanks for sharing the link, Duke.
You said it well regarding the value of fiction and what drives us: “… transport[ing] readers into a time, place, or circumstance other than their own for a while …”
Thank you, Cathryn.
http://www.scribd.com/ might be worth looking at as well.
I gotta say that I love, love, love my iPad and know that electronic publishing is really expanding.
Thanks for the link, Natasha. Have you decided to self-pub?
There is something to be said for not dealing with the establishment.
Love it! Yes yes and yes.
That transportation is the amazing thing about literature – to be a part of it, to contribute to it…..ahhhhh
Thank you, Jennifer.