My writing career started long before the self-publishing revolution: the only way you could wind up in print was if a publisher was willing to pay you for it.
This was almost impossible to achieve; but after innumerable shoot-downs, I finally did. And here’s what happened next.
There are many self-published books whose authors deserve to be paid, who shouldn’t have to pay the publisher. That really makes me growl. And there are books published and paid for by publishers who must have lost their minds and who deserve to lose their money, too.
“Oh, if only I had the time, I’d write a novel, too!” Like anyone can do it. Like it takes no skill, no study, no experience, and certainly nothing like hard work.
Grrr…!
You didn’t mention, that it was all typed on a typewriter (probably a manual), not a keyboard plugged into the Word Program on a computer.
I could not have written a single book on a manual typewriter, although I learned on one.
All my books in the 20th century were written on a manual typewriter.
You are NOT self published, and definitely have earned your stripes as an author.
Back in the day, self published, self distributed music was scorned as the mark of an amateur, but that has certainly changed. 50 years ago, major artists did concert tours to promote their albums, and made most of their money from publication rights to the songs (including the album filler songs that no one listened to) and they made money from airplay. These days, you record an album to promote concert tours and make money from concert tickets and the outrageously expensive merchandise sold at concert venues, such as T shirts, etc.
I had an offer, of sorts, to record an album, but I didn’t trust the person making the offer and, being in my early 20s at the time, I felt that I needed to mature more as a player, before committing anything to vinyl.
What has amazed me, is how rude people can be when it comes to the subject of creative works. I think it reduces to jealousy, and many cases. A person who has never created anything will insult a work, somehow forgetting that they have never done anything creative, themselves.
Making money from any artistic endeavor is an accomplishment in its own right. Sadly, these days, many artistic endeavors pay very poorly, if at all. As far as music is concerned, in recent years, I’ve come to prefer to play benefits and community events, just because there’s less hassle, and I make my living herding 1s and 0s along network paths.
You have some great books, Lee and much to take pride in.
Thank you! So many people think it’s sooooo easy!
It’s nothing but easy.
Things have really changed in the writing process during the last 20 years. Back in 2000, for corrections in my manuscript I had to place the changes in my paper manuscript, and send it through the mail to the publisher. It had to go back and forth through the mail a number of times.
They got to know me pretty well at the post office.