So I stumbled onto this story via social media. (I’m not someone who frequents Reddit, but that’s where this led me.) And I have to say I think ESH. But, at the same time, there is no easy or “correct” answer. Allow me to summarize: a book reviewer (who evidently reads and reviews a lot of books and says they
There’s a semi-popular mode of thought that floats around fairly regularly as a social media post. Basically, it’s a reminder that your job will replace you if you die, so you shouldn’t live for your job because it doesn’t really care about you. The same is true of social media. No one will miss you if you leave. We like
Being ignored wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to you as a kid. It was, one supposes, better than being actively bullied. But with the rise of social media and the emphasis on engagement, being ignored can feel like being buried alive. As I work through a few personal issues, I’ve come to realize that feeling like an outcast—something
This feels like a basic concept, but based on continuing social media arguments, it seems to bear repeating. Creators—writers, artists, etc.—are told many times over to “consider their audience” when creating a work. “Who is this for?” is the standing question. Sometimes, it’s just for the creator. In any case, it should always be for the creator… and then, ideally,
This old chestnut of an argument has recently reared its head again: “Self-published authors aren’t real authors.” (See also: “Self-published books aren’t real books.”) So, of course, let’s go through the debate once more. What this pronouncement almost always boils down to is the idea that, in order for any book or author to be “good,” they must go through–and
One of many, to be sure. But I have to admit, I’m struggling. I love me some Stranger Things, so much so that I wrote a story loosely based on Steve and Eddie (#steddie) that has since become my most popular work. (The sequel is due out in November, so go pre-order “One Night in Wyland High.”) All this to
I have never, to my knowledge, had any of my books stocked in a Barnes & Noble. Not for lack of trying; I have contacted my local bookstores multiple times in hopes they would at least consider putting one of my books in a “local authors” section. (This is true of local indie stores, too.) I usually get very kind
Lately on Twitter, I’ve seen many hopeful authors announcing they’ve finally gotten some kind of request from a query. Though the most excitement stems from “full requests” (meaning an agent has requested to read the full manuscript), even partial requests are a cause for celebration. And… Yeah. I think authors need to embrace even small victories. But I fear, based
I was thinking… Well, I was feeling a little bit irritated, really, about the way a few things had turned out. But that’s neither here nor there, except that these musings brought a certain clarity to me about how the publishing industry has shifted the bulk of the work onto authors. These thoughts came about, as many often do, during
Last night I dreamt about Anne Rice. I don’t normally dream about people who have passed away, so I always take note when I do. In this dream, Anne and I were traveling together—I recall passing a cemetery, in fact—to a school, I think? I remember a school being involved in some way, and there being difficulty about how to