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