Welcome to another round of the monthly blog hop for neurotic writers--okay--all writers!
Check out some of the other blogs and join us!
Today's question posted to us was what changes would we like to see in the next ten years in the publishing world. This brings up a lot of thinking (it's late, stick with me). Way back in the dark ages, when humankind was discovering the wheel, I was working on my first book.
It didn't have a title, nor do I recall that much about it. I do remember the main character's name, Vaslisha Tor Dain, (which I later stole from myself for the Asarlai Wars space opera series). But I wrote the book. Then set it aside. Years later, I started another book. Back then the only options for publishing were agents and traditional houses in NY. Or vanity press (aka pay someone to print a ton of copies of your book which then sat in your garage).
I read everything I could on writing and publishing, I went to conferences, I met with editors and agents, I kept writing. I'd get closer, but there was always something--my book was too much like another client of of theirs. It was too different. Humor won't sell right now. Etc.
Then I discovered self-publishing and the angels sang and the skies opened. Not an easy path, but I had control over who I hired for cover, editing, formatting, etc. My stories could find folks who never heard of me, but fell in love with the worlds I made up in my head. It was wonderful. And still is.
Those are pretty huge changes we went through. Moving forward, I would love to see indie authors get more respect. Some readers won't read indie because they feel we just throw things up without a care.
The serious ones care. And spend a lot of time, money, and hard work to make it so readers care.
So, I guess that's what I'd like to see change, more acceptance.
Happy IWSG Day!
