Another random Sunday thingie…

So on Twitter, I saw a link to this LJ article by Nick Mamatas. This writer he's highlighting apparently feels his book was doomed by Racefail '09. If you don't know what that is, a discussion came up that the fantasy genre had failed to embrace racial diversity and was, in fact, mighty white. Which is true. (And is still true, BTW. And saying "more POC need to write" is ignoring that white writers fail to represent ANY racial diversity in their fantasy writing. Good guys are white, and bad guys have dark skin, even if sometimes that skin is green or grey.)

But what is not true are this guy's claims that the discussion, and one article in particular, doomed the sales of his one book.

Now at this point, you'd think I couldn't call out other writers for crazy breakdowns. After all, I have a bout of blog crazy about once a month. But the thing is, you never see me make claims that anyone is holding me down or keeping me from the market. Sure, I'd like to see more reader involvement, but that's actually a separate issue to my problems with marketing, promotions, and market targeting. All these issues are my problems to sort out. I will come to y'all and ask for ideas, and when you come up with something that sounds worth a shot, I'm going to try and use what you give me. If it doesn't work, it doesn't mean your idea was bad. It just means I didn't use it for best effect.

The number one cause for my lack of success is me. No one else. I don't blame readers who read the blurbs and walk away. Either the story wasn't for them, or I didn't make a good enough blurb. There is no option C where this turns into the readers holding me down. At least, there isn't in my book. In the books of other crazy writers, this is a valid excuse for a lack of success.

What I'm saying is, yes, I get frustrated with my efforts. But even if I rant and ramble about my issues, I hope y'all understand that I don't blame you for your lack of interest. If I can't hook you on the pitch, that's my fault.

In conclusion, I want to say how there are some good people writing to me about promotion ideas for Peter the Wolf. I had Tara volunteer to take on typo duty for another critique before I go into final proofing session. Because of her, there's going to be a LOT less problems with the book.

I really could not keep going without people like Tara, Tanya, Wendy, Widdershins, Becka, Preston, and Andrew. Their support has pulled me out of depressions and kept me going. They've offered help and support in so many different ways.

Yeah, I'd love to have more success and recognition, but that still requires that I stumble across the right ad pitched to the right people. I'm not there yet. But the fans I have now are awesome people, and I want y'all to understand: if my stuff flops, it's my fault, not yours. I may rant a lot, but I'm never going to shift blame that belongs on my shoulders. I love you people too much to pull a dick move like that. (And, for clarity, this is also true of the readers who feel I'm "entitled" by asking for help. Maybe you talk smack about me, but it's hardly holding me down for you to voice your opinions.)

Right…off to do my workout. See you tonight with my new best friend, Agent Orange.