First up… the reclusive reaper of Otto, North Carolina… Inion!
Sell, sell, sell, sell! In this era of immediate satisfaction, consumerism has become number one priority in the market due to the fact that everything is attainable by the push of a button. With self-publishing becoming more prevalent, this do-it-yourself mantra has forced authors into wearing a coat of many colors and I believe that the majority of us have been able to transition smoothly. And though I realize that no one can push your work like you can, I never wanted to become a publicist or a literary agent. I wanted to be a writer.
When I first realized my path in life, Mathair pointed out that it seemed destined to be. Stereotypically, writers have a tendency to be introverted and withdrawn from society, finding their only outlet to be the world inside of their books. The romance between the author and their creations is what pulled me in, what captivated me. That connection was seductive and I lusted for it. Much more intimate than the reader, the author had the purest interpretation of the story. It was an exclusive club where the VIP was the one at the keys pounding away. We left the schmoozing to the agents and the publicists, the technicalities were for the publishers and editors, and the legalities to the literary lawyers. They took care of the business while we were left to lead with our hearts. We were left to be… the artist.
But, now we’re spreading ourselves too thin, and have lost sight of the truth behind a story and the meatiness and grit of full bodied characters. And sacrificing the essence of a story, in order to be the next famous author. There can only be so many big hitters that make it to “phenom” status and it’s only because it was the right author with the right story at the right time. The planets must be aligned, the stars in their respective places and karma feeling much more jovial than usual. The writers of ole never cared about salability and do you know why… because it diluted the purity of the story. Instead of thinking with the heart and letting the imagination run wild, new authors are fueled by their pockets and the hopes of fame. It limits a writer when they allow trends to dictate their stories. Y’all have heard me say it time and time again, let the story tell itself. The public knows when they’re being pandered to and when a story has no heart, when it’s merely following the fads.
As for those authors more on fire for the big time than their creations, wannabe celebrities are one dimensional and easily spotted. And in this time of Twilight Saga’s and 50 Shades of fame, millions have used this art form as a get-rich-quick scheme, scribbling down the first idea that sprouts in their head and praying it catapults them into the stratosphere. All with the promise that if they can wield Facebook and Twitter with an iron fist and get more face time on the tube than Taylor Swift’s love life, they’ll be household names. Thereby littering the world of literature with watered down characters, disconnected plots and mediocre writing skills.
Let’s face it, if you walk into this with the hopes of becoming the next Stephanie Meyer or J.K. Rowling, well… don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out. Storytelling is the oldest art form and has been bringing people together since the dawn of time. Let’s not sully it with lofty aspirations and unattainable goals. We have to strip this down and get back to the basics, back to our first love, telling a story. So, am I being naïve? Stubbornly unwilling to progress with the times? Will my ardent idealism hurt my wallet in the end? Or is this new age of fast food capitalism crippling the arts and making way for conmen to cheapen the craft?
And, next the social butterfly with the golden touch… Mathair!
Ah! I hear the sounds of fresh, passionate, young meat. Have you ever noticed it’s always the idealists that keep a foot in the door of progress? *Sorry, baby.* But, I can only imagine a time when the world was dark and lonely cavemen had to beat rocks together to crawl out of the blinding blackness. Only to have one naysayer piss on the flame because they feared the light. So, to give all of you a proper “Springer-style” mother-daughter battle, here’s my view:
In the Stephen King novel, Misery, Paul Sheldon comes face to face with his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. Normally authors are ecstatic for interactions like this, but Annie turns out to be a crazy, psycho freak! She knows everything about him, including his quirky writing rituals and would seem to be a kindhearted individual, until he informs her that his infamous series is coming to an end due to the main character’s death. If you haven’t watched the movie, I’m sorry to spoil it, but I just have one word for all of you: “hobbling”.
Now, that certainly would be a viable excuse to not become so personal over the internet, and I’m sure it’s a universal worry for people that network online, but does that mean we should go back to the days of faceless authors? Hide under our writing desks and dread that moment when we’re asked for our autograph? Hm. Wonder if fears like this is why pennames were invented? LOL. There’s been a few instances where Inion and I have disagreed on things regarding our career and the literary world in general, but we try to work through things and sometimes come to the conclusion that we have to agree to disagree. This happens to be one of them.
One of the many reasons, I prefer this “do-it-yourself” movement in the literary world is the fact that writers have complete control over their material. Because of this, the reader has the capability of sharing in the purest form of the author’s vision. Inion says she loves the intimacy between the author and the story, but we must not forget the readers. They are the reason we continue to put pen to paper, the reason we push ourselves harder. We strive to entertain them with our stories, and pray that they embrace it. And, in this world of voyeurism, where reality shows are prominent and monotonous celebrity tweets are like crack to their fans, authors are encouraged to open their lives to readers, divulging every facet of their books.
This would be another positive aspect to my argument. Inion’s right. No one will ever share the same passion or work as hard as the creator of the material that’s being sold. A writer must be savvy, finding ways to promote with giveaways, readings, books signings, Facebook, Twitter all the while juggling a job, school, writing group, book club and blog at the same time. Like any other species, we’ve learned to evolve into modern day computer warriors with a smile that always shining and a guarantee that the story will hold it’s own among the sea of books. It can be a bit overwhelming, but working hard and reaping the benefits has been the “American Dream” since the birth of this country.
I understand that a story should stand on it’s own merit, and there are plenty of great one’s out there. But, they are being tossed by the wayside because authors aren’t willing to put in the work to promote it. There is no longer an option to be the reclusive writer locked away in a cabin diligently writing while avoiding the public, unless you’re willing to sacrifice the marketability of your work, thereby losing most of your readership. Some may look at this as the era of fast food marketing and 60 second attention spans. I, however, see an opportunity, a hand reaching out, promising that if we work hard and persevere, we will succeed. For the first time in the history of publication, authors aren’t puppets on a string.
If you’re looking for another reason, then how about this? What’s positive about being withdrawn from society? As creative individuals we draw inspiration from everything, including the public. I was just watching a movie by the brilliant Diablo Cody called Young Adult. Charlize Theron stars as a ghost writer for a once successful series. To keep the work fresh, she often visits well known teen hang outs and listens to the banter between her demographic, observing their behavior and writing down their youthful colloquialisms.
So, it boils down to this… whether through great writing or great marketing, the times, they are a changin’ and we must adapt or our stories will die out with the old ways. Each of us are now accountable to our readers, answering the questions before they get asked. We take this journey of publication alongside our readers, asking them for supporting hands and faith in stories they haven’t even read yet. And what a support system it has turned out to be.
But… because she is my baby… I have, in Inion’s honor, compiled a list of a few old school writers that found success without a platform to stand on:
Cormac McCarthy; author of The Road and All The Pretty Horses. For many years no one in the literary community even knew what he looked like or where he lived. In on infamous account, he even neglected to show up at a literary banquet held in his honor.
Georgette Heyer; author of more than fifty books. It’s been over ninety years since she published her first novel at the age of seventeen. A story she wrote to entertain her convalescing brother, she was surprised when she sold The Black Moth and it has been able to keep a readership that has crossed four generations. Though she wrote detective fiction and historical novels, she is more commonly known for the ironic comedy in her Regency Romances.
J.D. Salinger gained fame in 1951 for his first novel and it still holds the same controversial charm to this day. The Catcher In The Rye would become one of the most read and studied novels of the twentieth century. After it’s release, Salinger was able to publish a collection of short stories as well as another novel, Franny & Zooey, before retiring from the literary world as well as the public. He moved to New Hampshire and was only seen during his appearances at court to protest the publication of unauthorized biographies and other examinations of his life.
Emily Dickenson is remembered as one of America’s finest poets, but during her lifetime, she was notoriously reclusive and barely left her bedroom, let alone her home. Neighbors reported that they believed her to be eccentric due to the fact that she would speak to them through a closed door when they would come to visit.
And, last but certainly not least, Harper Lee. I will be brief for this particular author, preferring to redirect you to an interview I found online. Although we’ve always been fans of the lady and her wonderful novel, we didn’t know much about her and for good reason. The title of the article is, ironically enough, Harper Lee Breaks Her Silence To Tell Media To Piss Off. http://jezebel.com/5574684/harper-lee-breaks-her-silence-to-tell-media-to-piss-off
Perfect, right? Famously press shy, Lee had published nothing in the fifty years since To Kill A Mockingbird was released. Since 1964, she has given only one interview, which was to The New York Times and was only a few sentences. It was also noted that Lee remained silent, refusing to make a speech when presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007 and an honorary doctorate by Notre Dame University in 2006.
Infamous writers that will go down in history as the best in their field, but could they make it in today’s techno-friendly world? Am I not relying on the material enough? Am I cheapening the craft? Or, am I merely embracing the times, rather than hiding from them? Let us know how you feel, guys. We love hearing from you.
Phil Gayle_For Singles and Couples said:
Good evening ladies,
I have to admit, I find that the reclusive reaper & the social butterfly have both made valid points.
Surely it must be possible to stay true to your art, whilst navigating the various media, to become a known and established author.
I think versatility has to be the key…learning to develop the other strengths needed (foreign to the writer) whilst perfecting the gifts they already possess.
I’m trying to complete my first book but I constantly have to contend with the many distractions (i.e. life) to ensure I focus on producing a great book (even if I do say so myself) and complete it before the year runs out.
I believe in dreaming big and waking up to try to achieve those dreams…I believe the quest to be ‘known’ has to be underpinned with good and proper motives.
However, I acknowledge the fact that one persons good motive is another persons reason to critique and mock.
It was a great post…thanks for giving me, ‘even more’, to think about…as I attempt to produce a masterpiece…lol! 😉
Have a good week.
Inion N. Mathair said:
We’re lucky enough to have two people to juggle these different aspects of the literary world. Mathair likes to think that we balance each other out, and while I have to agree, I still find it hard to see marketing as something that goes hand in hand with our art. We too believe that big dreams require a lot of work and dedication, which is why we push ourselves to network and promote, when all we want to do is write. I’d love to tell you that we found the perfect balance of socializing and writing, but we’re still learning. I’m sure you’ll learn the dance much more gracefully than we did, and perhaps even make up your own steps along the way. From what we can see from your site, you are a wonderfully talented writer and we have no doubt that you will go far in this craziness that we call writing. 🙂
Phil Gayle_For Singles and Couples said:
I agree with your joint philosophy, great that you both are able to create the necessary synergy.
I’m not sure I’m dancing as gracefully as I visualise myself doing so but I humbly accept your compliment…coming from a talent, such as your good self, I regard it as a huge compliment.
Have a great weekend ladies. 🙂
Shakti Ghosal said:
The frankness of your post appeals. You say that you like to do stuff on your own to have better control. In creative pursuits this is a perfectly viable approach. But in areas of marketing and Sales, I am not so sure.
Shakti
Inion N. Mathair said:
Thanks for the comment, Shakti. It is a rather daunting task and one we take with much trepidation, but we figue hard work and passion can overcome those obstacles. 🙂
sheridegrom - From the literary and legislative trenches. said:
I’ve nominated your blog for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award. You may pick the award up at
http://sheridegrom.com/2013/04/17.
Inion N. Mathair said:
Sheri, We have been behind as of late, our book due to launch very soon. So we just got your message and are speechless! Seriously, what an honor coming from you. We accept and can’t thank you enough for your gracious blog award. Once again our friend, many thanks.
Alarna Rose Gray said:
I’m a fence sitter on this one… While I’m going down the self pubbing path, it is not a natural fit and I feel completely lost and demoralised by the marketing side of things. I believe that good writing does require the writer to be distanced a little from society, or at least, to withdraw at times. In some ways, the marketing trends don’t really seem to promote good writing, sadly, and in that sense, I think they are the enemy of the writer. But then, no-one will read it if you don’t get it out there? So what choice to we have?
Inion N. Mathair said:
You’re not alone, Alarna. We feel the same way. A writer has to be able to slip inside their mind and detach themselves from the world. And, it’s rather bittersweet embracing the self publishing network, seeing that it’s hard for readers to wade through the ebooks to find the gems, but we have to chug along and hope that ou work pushes through. Thanks for commenting. We love hearing from you! 🙂
Coleen Patrick said:
I agree with Ellen about balance. I too love the DIY spirit that is pubbing nowadays, but at the same time I am a shy introvert. I love climbing into my writer cave and getting to create, but on the other hand I make for a terrible sales person. I’ve got a book out there and I’m trying to figure out what works for me–but I also know I need to stretch that comfort zone a bit more. I figure maybe this struggle will help me become a better story creator too, right? 🙂
Love this post ladies!
Inion N. Mathair said:
Thanx, Coleen. It’s quite the struggle 4 me as well. Mathair seems to have a tight grasp on it, but she’s always been such a people person and very good at marketing. It comes with experience, though. I’m sure those like us have to just put ourselves out there and gain the same experience. She told me that I’ll never grow and learn unless I’m willing to step outside my comfort zone. So… fingers crossed… that I don’t make a complete ass of myself. LOL.
Ellen M. Gregg said:
Nicely said, both of you. As in all of life, it’s about finding and striking that balance between what we love to do – write – and what we have to do – a soupçon of marketing – in order to be seen. Probably one of the best marketing devices indie authors – authorpreneurs – have is the ability and desire to write more books. There’s good reason Joe Konrath and Dean Wesley Smith and Kristen Lamb are always urging, pushing, railing for us to keep writing. Write on! 🙂
Inion N. Mathair said:
So true, Ellen. It’s why our partnership works so well. Because we balance each other out. BTW, love Kristen Lamb. She’s always got a treasure trove of golden advice to give writers. Thanks 4 the comment.
jennifermzeiger said:
It’s amazing how setting up a social media presence can take time from the story telling. For me, it’s a matter of self control to make sure I don’t waste time staring at facebook=) But I also agree that the connection to others is incredibly rewarding. Not only do you get a feel for what readers want but you can have a relationship with your readers that before wouldn’t have been possible. I guess I fall somewhere in the middle of the debate=)
Inion N. Mathair said:
Finding middle ground in this, is actually the perfect place to be. So kudos to you, Jennifer! This journey to get The Perfect 7 published has been so wonderful, but we’ve just begun on the second installment and it’s very taxing because the writing bug has bitten us and we’re itching to get the story down. But, given there’s two of us, we’ve come up with a nice routine. Thanx 4 stopping by. 🙂
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Inion N. Mathair said:
Thanks 4 the mention, guys, we’re honored. Love the website!
Arlene said:
Its overwhelming for a newbie like me to even think about self-publishing, marketing, and everything else that comes after the story is written. I know I will likely have to go that route, but for now, my focus is on the story. Just write and when the time comes, I’ll shift my focus (successfully, I hope). Great post! Love to hear both sides of your points of view!
Inion N. Mathair said:
Thanx, Arlene. We’re very new at all of this too and learning as we go along. It’s good that you’re focusing on the story, though. I always tell Inion that if she has the urge to write, not to let anything stop her from doing so. The story should always take priority over anything else. We’re writers after all. 🙂 Thanx 4 commenting. We look forward to reading your book.
sheridegrom - From the literary and legislative trenches. said:
I so want to write and not worry about marketing and all that goes with it. My inner being tells me those days are over but the pressure to be active on social media takes away from the time I want to write. Pouring my heart and soul into the stories I want to write is the purest form of telling a story for me. I cannot afford to allow that part of me to be swallowed up in a frenzy of always being on line.
Inion N. Mathair said:
So true, Sheri. I completely agree. Mathair’s never discouraged me from working on our books, but she always reminds me that our fans and friends are waiting to hear from us and we can’t let them down. So, I guess we balance each other out nicely. She makes me see that I have other responsibilities and that I shouldn’t disregard them. But, I feel the same way as you do. I just want to be able to write and tell our stories. Thanx 4 commenting, Sheri. We love hearing from you. 🙂