Katie says:

Chris,
Found you after reading your comment in GaryV’s latest post and wanted to leave a few words. While it may be true that current technology is not embracing writers as readily as it is musicians, artists, photographers, etc., one can do more to change it rather than be stifled by it. “Be the change you want to see in the world” is the quote that comes to mind. If the various media aren’t doing what they should be doing for you, change that. Be the one who creates a “Flickr for writers”. We can choose to either be the person that says “Christ, there are NO good Cuban restaurants in Cleveland” or the one that makes that statement invalid by opening their own. To say that “maybe the two worlds were not meant to connect” is to cede to the now in the name of fatalism, and that’s poor-me horseshit, my friend. Everything is meant to connect. Be well, and WRITE. :)

http://gonzogastro.wordpress.com

ChrisClark says:

Thanks for your comment, Katie. “Be the change you want to see in the world” is a fantastic quote, and I’d love to live by it, but I’m so busy trying to bring in money to put food on the table and pay off my mountain of debt (did you see my Hustle 2.0 post?) that I don’t really have much time to work on any of the projects I dream up (like a Flickr for writers).

I guess the other thing that’s hard is taking risks when you’ve got the family to support and all the debt, and….

Yeah, I’m kind of in a poor-me horseshit phase right now. Sorry. I’m hoping to get out of this funk soon.

Katie says:

yup, totally understand the money frustration…..i currently work a full-time gig as a graphic artist while doing tons of freelance on the side, plus maintaining a blog as well, and trying to create a business for myself out of all that. I’m a mom too, so I relate on more levels than you can imagine, and I’m no stranger to debt which is why I freelance so much in addition to the regular job. But I do firmly believe that, in the end, as writers, we write because we need to almost as much as because we want to. We WANT it to be our bread and butter, but if it ain’t, we’ve still gotta write, whether our audience is 5 or 5,000.

ChrisClark says:

You’re so right about needing to. It really is a compulsion. Someone might ask, “Why not give it up, if it causes you this much pain, and if you’re not getting anything monetary out of it?” and the answer to that question is, we don’t write just because we want to. We write because that is who we are.

...something I forgot to mention that Gary mentioned, and this was a big part of why I got off on this tangent: Why should publishers (in Gary’s case TV networks) profit off of my content? I would like to find a way to get my stories out there, to a lot of people, without having to use a middle-man (but still maintaining some sort of editorial quality… that’s the main thing that I think is missing, or that I think the establishment believes is missing, from self-published work).

Wow, I’m getting off on a rant here. Just so glad to have someone to talk to about this right now, especially someone who really does understand what I’m talking about on almost every level.

Katie says:

Ranting is cool (you should read my blog…I know ranting!) as long as it’s constructive. As for the compulsion to write, I understand it on many levels, not just as a writer, but as a cook. When I’ve had the crappiest day of my life and most women would want to order out, I find solace in the kitchen….it’s what I need to do, not because my family must eat, but because I must cook….anyhow, writing and cooking are similar because they are the opening of a vein for others.

But to your point on not wanting others to profit from your content, unfortunately sometimes that’s the sacrifice that many make because they want to succeed that badly. If someone else has the means to market you, you sell a little of yourself to them in order to make money. Otherwise, you can continue to do what you do, keeping 100% of you, but knowing that you may never attain self sufficiency in what you are passionate about.

PS - as a total geek myself, I love Trent R, love Lost, love Apple (after all, I’m a graphic artist!) and love Silent Bob, but I’ve gotta go with Vertigo/DC Comics cuz they did Grant Morrison’s The Invisibles!!

Ann says:

Chris,
First, the required disclaimer that all thoughts in this comment are my own opinion and not those of my employer, colleagues, customers, etc.

OK, now.  Seems to me that you want the following:
1. People to read your work
2. A fair wage for writing that will allow you to write full time.
3. Respect from the literary community.

Traditionally, the role of publisher has been to offer:
1. Editorial guidance
2. Distribution into bookstores (online & b&m;)
3. A monetary advance on sales and royalty payments
4. Promotion/marketing/publicity

In Gary’s keynote, he talked about working hard. I won’t invoke his colorful language. What was it he said (paraphrasing): work all day, come home, kiss the dog, and get to work—8pm - 2am.

If you can figure out a way to take care of the “publisher” functions, you can achieve your goals. You’re creative. You can figure out how to make it happen. It will take hard work, no question.

ChrisClark says:

@Katie - I love DC/Vertigo too, but decided to pick just one company to focus on for the site. I get a lot of flack for my choice from the other comic book geeks at NH Media Makers.

@Ann - Thanks for your thoughts. I’m not opposed to the idea of a traditional publisher, but I have always liked the idea of putting my content out there myself, too (I self-published a comic book when I was fourteen or so, and distributed it at the local comic book store).

You make really good points about the role of a publisher, though, and I think that those are the reasons I would go with a publisher rather than publish myself, because I just don’t have the time to do all of those things well (at least not right now). I am up at 4:15 every morning to get ready for work and not home until 8:30 at night. Maybe someday the schedule will lighten up a bit and I’ll actually be able to do the 8pm to 2am schedule. I would really like that, actually. I can see myself doing really great, really creative things, if only I am able to find the time.

Ann says:

OK, then, may I be slightly provocative?

What have you done to attract the attention of a publisher? Have you sent out work and had it rejected? Were there suggestions to make it better? Have you engaged the person giving you the criticism?  Do you have an agent? Have you reached out to agents for representation?

If you did get a publishing deal today, chances are the advance would not be enough to allow you to quit your job. How would you find the time to promote your book? Publishers do some promotion on behalf of authors, but in this day and age, much of the onus is on the author.

In the short term, have you started building a contact list for the day that your book is published? Networking, reaching out to other writers? (I know you have done some of this).

I guess what I’m saying—you’re never going to have the time unless you make it. Even if a publishing contract magically dropped on your doorstep tomorrow, you would need to put in the time—lots of time. The writing comes first, but there are things that you can be doing now to set yourself up for success. Don’t rely on someone else to make your success for you—you need to create it on your own.

ChrisClark says:

Definitely! Be provocative!

To answer some of your questions:

- I sent out an earlier version of the MS to an agent last fall. He rejected it with a nice comment about my use of setting, but without any other comments. I immediately saw some problems, once I looked at it after the rejection, and that’s when I set to work on the draft I’m still working on now.

- I haven’t sent the novel out to publishers or agents, other than that one person. It’s been ages since I’ve sent a short story out to magazines, but I don’t really have any that are ready anymore. It’s been all novel, all the time for the past five years or so.

- Good point about the advance. I’ve never hoped that it would allow me to quit my job (well, maybe in my wildest dreams). But I do hope that it’ll allow me to cut back on my second job (teaching), which would then, hopefully, allow me some more time for promoting the darned thing.

- I have done some networking, at places like PodCamp, NH Media Makers, and Boston Media Makers. I regularly attend events put on at Lesley University, where I did my MFA (and where I now teach). I’m still in somewhat regular contact with the writers I studied under there (Michael Lowenthal, Tony Eprile, Steven Cramer, and others) And I have spoken about the book with some folks at the ALSC (Association of Literary Scholars and Critics), where I work full-time.

What I’m wondering is: what more could I be doing? Is there a way, when I don’t have short fiction to send out, to get my name out there as a fiction writer, and not just as the owner of a geeky Website (though I love to be known as the owner of this site)? I’m still trying to sell copies of the book I self-published a few years ago, over at www.echristopherclark.com, and I’m thinking about selling stories from that book a la carte with an iTunes-like pricing model (probably through Lulu.com), but I’m not sure what else I should be doing at the moment, besides finishing the darned book.

Ann says:

OK—yes, finish the darned book.

While you are finishing the book, do a lot of research on agents. Make a list of 10-20 agents that are *right for the project*. This information should be available in publications like Writer’s Market, Literary Marketplace, and also in the dedication pages of books that are similar in style and tone to your novel.

Learn how to write a query letter. Learn what agents want—a number of agents have blogs and there are other online resources to learn how to pitch an agent. Learn their specialties, their requirements, their pet peeves. Learn about exclusives vs. multiple submissions, and the entire process.  Check Mediabistro—they often have courses on things like this. There are also writers conference where agents or editors will critique. Do some research, and know exactly what you need to do.

It’s the agent you need to sell. They’ll worry about the publisher—you worry about the agent.

Do those things. Do them well. Then when the novel is finished and ready to go out into the world, you’ll be prepared.

Of course, nothing at all will progress unless you have a finished book to send out. You are totally in control of what happens until it gets into the agents’ hands. 

There. Pep talk over. :)

Aisha says:

Hey Im a 1977 too( LOL).
Im new to your space. I seen your utter.
Im sorry that it sucks to be a writer, especially because Im trying to get into writing, but have yet to figure out who I am as a writer.

But Im also happy to hear that their is a writing family.

Yes, people are lazy, this is the time we are in. They dont want to take the time to read, and I totally feel what you are saying about going and living in a cave, but there has to be a way.

Thats what the family that I hear you talk about is for. To come together.

Like I said Im new, put how about podcasting, or doing a short audio snip of your stories, as a teaser, and link it to what has to be read, or offer an audio version.

Im a book worm and I love to read, but there are time I just read for info, not for entertainment.

I dont think I ever read fiction on the net. Its not relaxing, it just seems odd.

Those who really love to read will concur, I hope.

anywho thats my two cents.

Aisha

ChrisClark says:

@Ann - Thank you for the pep talk. This has been an amazing conversation for me and has gotten me through a very rough week. I’m not getting nearly as much writing done this weekend as I should (I have nearly 30 papers left to grade and two classes to plan) but I’m now looking at other times during the week that I can get writing done (and start working on some of the other things you mention). That’s because our conversation has gotten me that much more excited about getting the book done.

@Aisha - Thanks for adding your thoughts to this conversation. To answer your question: I have thought about doing podcasts of stories/chapters and may do that in the near future. In the meantime, I do have video clips of me reading and discussing some stories at http://www.echristopherclark.com/ecc/topic/C7/