Why publishing is bad for writers
Publishing bruises the author’s ego. It breaks down the thin skin protecting little words like “artist” and “genius” and stomps them into the dirt. It turns what is inside to the outside through monetization and public autopsy. If writing is the act of catharsis, publishing is flagellation. Confession meets self-dissection. The postmortem is the first indication that the author is likely not as good as he thinks he is. And needs a chainsaw to get through his edits. And had better be ready to shake his ass like nobody’s business, especially if he expects to sell this damn book to somebody outside of his mom and Facebook friends list.
Publishing exposes the author to mediocrity. It is the cold black reality that the best intentions do not mean anything if nobody gives a crap about the story. It is the risk of failure. It is the management of expectations. Everything about this should be terrifying, because there is no proven formula to fall back on. All the easy cheat books and Sparknotes will not help the author now. Yes, he can write a novel in thirty days. No, that does not mean he should try to sell it. If he is looking for fame and fortune, he should have gone into politics.
Publishing is the truth that there are not enough hours in a day. It is the shortage of greedy hands to slap hot books into. There will never be enough book signings or blog tours, interviews or mailing lists. There will never be a pole long enough to work this book quite the way the author wants to. He can only shake his ass for so long before the Amazon rankings and bestseller lists move on to the next best thing. If he is good, he can write something else, strap back in and do it all again. If he is expecting this ride to last forever, well. Never quit your day job.
Publishing is an ongoing experiment. It is a continuing story. Maybe it is a car wreck in slow motion. There are no quick fixes or short cuts; just new adaptations, strategies, ways of survival.
So why try to get published?
I will get back to you on that one.
