In keeping with today’s discoveries on the new medium of publishing, and while I realize that I am a latecomer to this feast, there seems to be such an open road ahead for writers.
Please bear with my reflections that have been well-studied and published by others, I am sure, but are generally new for me, and since there still is no end destination determined, my initial responses are not totally out of line or useless musings. (I think and hope, anyway.)
While the scenario is one of enlightenment as new voices are heard on the internet that would never have the chance under the book system of publishing, it raises several questions as to the benefit of the progression. While there are many reasons that writers seek publication, two of the main ones are for ego—not a bad thing, but seen as having something to say by way of beliefs or entertainment, and encompassing the need to see one’s name in print; and for money—also not a bad thing, as one would wish to at least have the ability and freedom to make a living at something one is good at and enjoys doing that publication would grant. While the former is matched by website design to rival and go beyond the flyleaf of the author’s photo and short bio, the latter factor of compensation is just not there. Viewing and reading is as yet, free. Satisfaction is maintained for the author, then, of just getting his thoughts out to the public and seeing his name out there.
Interestingly, the same “best seller’s list” is appearing on the internet. The “must-reads” are the links that show up on everyone’s weblog. But do they in fact gain any more from it than the unknown writer who has a simple little journal in grey and burgundy for example? I have linked many of the biggies myself to Spinning, but that is because they are often a source of good writing as well as a wealth of information for the unknown writer. Politics does come into play insofar as WHO you’re linking to, but I think that once the system is understood and the glow has worn off to reveal the créme de la créme, the list is trimmed and added to according to its value as a stimulating source of information rather than just a name to hitch one’s wagon to for recognition. Maybe the game must be played to ride in on someone else’s coattails, but without the carrot of monetary compensation, what’s the purpose?
This train of thought hasn’t ended, just pulled into the station to unload and load new passengers of ideas.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
The “game” is pretty subjective, isn’t it? One man’s gold is another’s dust.
In a way it is, but what I’m seeing is the same control that exists in the large publishing houses coming to happen on the internet as well. The so-called “top” weblogs are already in place, and would be considered the “best-sellers” of the publishing world. So a form of hierarchy is forming already. This has nothing to do with just subjectively selecting your own links on a personal like basis, which is really the best way to do it, including those that may happen to be the top logs as well just because you like them or find a benefit in reading them and sharing them. They’re not top-rated for nothing, and there’s no reason to avoid them just so you won’t look like a groupie or a name-dropper.