I recently read an angry diatribe tearing into indie publishers,
suggesting that the only reason they don't publish traditionally is that
their work doesn't cut it, they suck, they need editing and more
education yadda yadda yadda.
There were probably some decent
points in there, but I couldn't get to them through all the angry
yelling. I'm a lover, not a fighter, so bitter rants generally turn me
away.
It made me question once again why I do this, why I am an indie author and I came up with these reasons:
1) I don't play well with others. I really don't, I am charming and
funny and friendly, but since kindergarten it has been noted that I
prefer to do things on my own. I have published non fiction the
traditional way, and that was barely tolerable, but necessary. All that
'peer reviewed journal' and 'academically acceptable publishing house'
stuff. This is, for lack of a better word, my art. And I want to do it
alone.
2) I love love love the indie community. Love it! I have
met and read about some of the most amazing pioneering spirits,
everything from commercial success stories to those who are just
overjoyed to have finally written a book for the sake of writing. It's
an incredible community and one that I am so pleased to find myself in.
3) I love love love the readers I've met...even those who don't like my
writing...yes, I'm quietly glaring at you now. Kidding.
I just love that I've met people who will read my work, either of the
two novels I've published so far, or Slutburbia...or just my daily
mental meanderings here or on my blog. I love interacting with people,
and I love the power of social media, the instant connection and the
satisfaction of touching people's lives in any way.
and finally
4) I fucking love writing. Fucking love it! Even when my ego has taken a
hit from some one star review and I'm whining gently to myself about
how I should have stuck with archaeology or go back into city planning, I
give myself a mental slap upside the head and remember that no matter
what the world thinks, I wrote a fucking book! Wait, scrap that, I wrote
TWO fucking books! Then the intrepid spirit in me high fives myself,
flips the haters the bird and yells "I've sold more book than you,
bitches" and sprays gravel as I burn out of the driveway...wait, I don't
even know where that little fantasy is going. The gist of it is
that even when I'm down about writing, I'm still up about doing it.
So there you have it. I'll continue to throw my non fiction to the
publishing wolves and squeeze it out the cattle chute of conformity, but
my fiction will come at you directly from me...I'll keep tossing it
into the river of text that keeps flowing from the interwebz and see
what floats.
Oh yeah go buy my books.
PS
Not suggesting that traditional publishing isn't an awesome means of
getting your work out there, I don't want to tread on anybody's choices.
