How A Maverick Maintains Their Sanity

"Success" Is Vastly Over-Rated Do People Know That You Write?

How A Maverick Maintains Their Sanity

I blog about Reading, Writing, and Publishing. And, I'm a maverick when I read, write, and publish.

There's way too much "advice", on just about any topic, on the Internet.

I made a big mistake and read too much of it…

Back in August, I wrote the post, Too Much Advice Can Be Dangerous, that included a link to literary agent Rachelle Gardner's post listing 33 other people's posts about marketing and promoting books. In my post, I said:

"I've already spent over a year reading and digesting advice from more sources than I can remember; but, I will read through all those posts. Even though I know enough from my previous studies that I won't find much new. Even though most of the advice will be things I can't or won't do. Even though much of that advice will contradict itself. Still, I will read them."

Well, I won't be reading them because, like the title of the post that quote is from, Too Much Advice Can Be Dangerous.

As I was scanning various other blogs for a clue to what to write about today, I was reminded of Joe Konrath.

He's one of very few people whose advice I never pass-up checking out.

Another is Joel Friedlander, who I've mentioned often in this blog.

And then, there's Cory Doctorow; also mentioned much in this blog.

So, what about this Konrath guy. Why do I like his advice?

Back to the post that made me decide what to write about today, by Konrath: The Tsunami of Crap.

I want to put a few excerpts here from that post because it will help you see the kind of advice this struggling, maverick author loves—it helps me maintain my sanity in today's BiblioFrenzy.

Take it away, Joe:

"Some people believe the ease of self-publishing means that millions of wannabe writers will flood the market with their crummy ebooks, and the good authors will get lost in the morass, and then family values will go unprotected and the economy will collapse and the world will crash into the sun and puppies and kittens by the truckload will die horrible, screaming deaths."

"So readers aren't the ones perpetuating this stupid myth that the crap will destroy the world. It's the writers–specifically the legacy writers–who keep trotting this one out."

"These authors fear loss of income, and are envious of the ease in which indies can self-publish and the money they can earn. But saying that out loud would make them look petty. So instead, they cloak their fear and envy in a poorly constructed argument that says their real intent is protecting readers from crap."

"Newsflash: there has always been crap, and always will be crap. Get over it."

That's Joe :-)

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