Hello to anyone who may be reading this, my first blog entry. So much has been going on in my life lately, from baffling workplace problems, to philosophical debates on YouTube and forum sites, to researching spiritual as well as significant political changes in the world around me, to struggling with the issue of getting my book published. To say I’m overwhelmed would be an understatement. And here I am beginning a blog, I must be nuts. I probably am; I write fantasy. That’s usually a first clue. lol.
I’ve discovered in recent years several startling facts about the publishing world that have shattered my previous perspective that anyone with talent and a love for their work could easily be published. Looking back, I realize how naive I was! Based on my research and my many exchanges with editors and publishers, as well as published authors, I now see that talent takes a back seat to Lady Luck. The truth is, the publishing world is so bloodthirsty, yet very conservative in its business-minded approach, and now very desperate as book sales go down and we face economic crisis that several factors weigh into whether or not one gets published ahead of talent alone. Editors and agents don’t even trust their own instincts, without a “second opinion.” And by the way, a “second opinion” would be a well-established author or friend of theirs (i.e., inside connection.)
But where the “luck” factor really steps in is where numbers meet themes. You see, publishing houses calculate the sales of novels and genres in the same way that normal business follow the success of their products. This is what gives birth to trends: noticing that dragon books happen to be selling well right now, creates a sudden need for an inflow of books on dragons. In this way, teenagers and untalented writers get books published. Also in this way, mature writers who have written masterful material are turned down—because it’s not what “they are looking for.” So the sad truth is, if you finally do ever manage to get published, it’s more likely to be due to happening to write story with a theme that happens to fit handsomely into a publisher’s sales estimates for the next year. And if your book is expected to sell well, it will be well marketed (if it isn’t, how can people buy what they do not see on the stands?)
Some writers write to sell. These are the salesmen who have a skilful craft for writing, who study the changes in in-genres, and write the same damn thing with “a twist”—that’s the best and smartest way to get published. But not all writers have this option. Some of us write from inspiration—it’s like a spectre that guides us, not the other way around. We cannot write for a particular sub-genre, or popular theme, per se. We have to write wherever our inspiration takes us. In the same way, it is difficult for us to write for a particular magazine. Several print editors had responded kindly when they rejected my stories, telling me that my writing is “very good” or “very intriguing.” But they would add, “...it is not right for our magazine.” Then, they would ask me to send “another story.” This is because every magazine has its own character, style, flavour. And unfortunately, inspired writers can seldom write intentionally for their brand of story writing—we can only write our own.
It is incredibly hard to get a qualified agent to represent you for publication if you are not already published, just as it is hard to get a publisher without professional representation. This catch-22 is often resolved by the short story option. Some writers make for better novelists, some for better short fiction writers. I consider myself a novelist, and so my struggle to master the short story has been a difficult one. In a short work, you do not have the time to detail a fantasy world, explore the individual characters and their relationships, or build eerily towards an explosive climax. Instead, you need to reveal a pocket of story from a world of happenings. Just as much thought and inspiration is required to pull it off successfully, despite the fact that it’s only short and doesn’t offer much financial reward. But, if it makes a name for yourself, it’s more than worth the effort.
The only short story that I have published so far was “The Yellow Stone,” in an e-zine that no longer exists that was called Enchanted Visions. In reading those early stories of mine, I cringe at witnessing the early development in the art form. I have matured as a writer since, as I suppose a writer always does. Somehow, despite the obstacles I’ve listed above, I must manage to get some short stories published. In the working world, time and energy always seem pitted against me. Every story I write is another great hope, another desperate jab at publication. Due to the positive feedback I have been getting, I do believe that I am making progress. The thought of seeing my name in Realms of Fantasy, or my book held firmly in my hands, is enough to keep me going. This is my life’s passion.
I am currently working on the idea of a website where young and struggling writers can show their talent online. We have to get discovered somehow, so why not use the World Wide Web if it is at our fingertips?
