Internet Authors have feelings too

You've written a novel? Sure, you want to get ityour nerve endings near the surface. On the other
published. That's easy, if you're a robot. On the otherhand, in order to get your book into print, you need the
hand, if you're a human being with genuine feelings,thick skin of an elephant and the blinkered vision of a
then you're going to stumble, fall, and eventually behobbled horse. An interesting combination, and darn
totally defeated by the humiliation of rejection thatdifficult to find.
seems to be the norm being handed out by TraditionalAha, you say. That's why the publishing industry
Publishers. That's enough. If you want another way, tryinvented agents. These days, The Agent is the perfect
Internet Publishing. It works.foil, the line of defence between publisher and
Everybody knows what the dream looks like. First, youpublished. It's perfect - for publishers. They don't have
write a book. Next, you send it off to a nationallyto talk to aspiring authors much anymore. They can
known publisher. Finally, you are rewarded with arely on agents filtering out the bad stuff, (as they see
contract for an enormous amount of money, you areit), so that they only get to open the goodies, the
interviewed on television, recognised in the street, andsure-fire winners. For the writer, however, it's no
feted wherever you go. It's all wonderful.improvement at all. There's still a person they have to
Ah, but I missed a bit out. At Stage Two - sendingwrite a letter to; submit their proposal to; send their
books off to publishers - there's the small matter ofmanuscript to; and - yes, you guessed it - a person
waiting a few years and wasting a fortune onthey get all the rejection letters from. Yes, back at the
postage. There's a series of rejections that you havewriting desk, from that limited perspective, things
to receive before you finally, eventually, inevitably, hithaven't become better at all. Getting published is still a
that 'jackpot'. That's usual. It happened to J K Rowling,bitch. Sometimes, maybe even a lot of times, it doesn't
why shouldn't it happen to you too? Yes, just as Tomeven happen at all.
Cruise is the only famous actor in the world whoNo wonder that today's authors are turning to the
actually passed his first audition, the rocky road tointernet. This is a place where you can find an on-line
getting your book published includes the ritual humiliationpublisher; sign up with a print-on-demand service; and
of being turned down, time after time, over and overget your book out and ready to read. What's the
again, crushingly and repeatedly. Most of the 'names' inreward? Good feelings. When you get that envelope
the world of writing have had to put up with that stuff,delivered to your door and rip it open to find it's a real,
so why not you? In fact, most 'established' authorslive novel - with your name on it - there's no better
probably think it's good for you. Why not? Just asfeeling in the world. It's a sense of achievement; a
experienced doctors think it's Okay for Junior Doctorsfeeling of triumph; something about justification; and
to work unholy hours and wear themselves out doingsuddenly all those long dark nights wrestling with words
night shifts during their first tours of responsibility, soon a page seem worthwhile.
authors and publishers seem to agree that the hurdlesBetter than that, and maybe best of all, is a euphoria
that pre-publishing throws up are somehow there towhich says, 'I've seen the future. I know what it's like to
stiffen the sinews and make for a better person. Yes,be a writer'. When you've got that warmth in your
well, that's their excuse, trying to explain a nonsensicalheart, it's a lot easier - a real lot easier - to take the
system that actually wastes talent and stranglesicicles of rejection. Which is what you're still going to
initiative.get. Don't fool yourself, the vast majority of people
It might work too, but for one thing. Writers havewho write books never live to see a single dime fall
feelings. Hmm, hard to believe, I know, but a necessaryinto their hands. The publishing industry lives with that
and powerful qualification for being able to write stuffugly thought, but survives on the hopes of a million
about people is knowing something about them - andoptimists. Fine, let's try and live with that, as authors,
the way they tick. I think it's called 'empathy'. It means(and let Traditional Publishers try and live with it too,
having a line into the human heart. Basically, it meansand get to sleep at night,) but why not make the
authors can sometimes be downright sensitive. Goodjourney a little easier to bear? Go to the internet first.
qualification for knocking out that book, but disaster forThat's where you can find a publishing deal - easily. Not
trying to get published. Now there's a dilemma. In orderwith a million dollar price tag attached, of course, but
to concoct a story that might actually be believable,you get the same simple feeling of success, and yes,
you have to be a little bit open, perhaps even fragile,it's still the greatest feeling in the world.