[From the Archive] The Brighter Side
From a while back. Happy Good Friday & Easter Weekend. Need to go work on a book review.
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Publishing is a brutal industry. No matter what writers do, someone isn’t going to be happy. We’ve seen a rash of “People Behaving Badly†lately. Last week I talked about the author behaving badly when it came to a bad review. There’s been more this week.
There’s been a backlash to a poor self-published author who, we hope to all that’s Good and Fluffy, is just a clueless person. The ridicule alone has been brutal. I feel for the guy, I do. He was sucked into self-publishing and now has to take his lumps. Peter David took it on the chin this week, too, when he gave fans what he thought they wanted. And this is always going to happen.
Writing and publishing is always going to be a “darned if you do; darned if you don’t†industry. So why do it? Why set yourself up for massive amounts of rejection, bad reviews, and fan/professional ridicule? It has to go beyond the fundamental need to put words on paper, right?
Right. Why do we do it? Because after all the rejection, reviews, backlashes, etc., the publishing industry comes together to help. Over the last year, in the midst of the major publishing houses restructuring, Google trying to rip off writers, and all the economic crap – there have been MANY out-pourings of compassion and support. Writers and editors have had other writers, editors and publishers come out of the woodwork to help save homes and cover health care costs.
The most recent event coming up is in Central Texas. Aaron Allston, author and all around good guy, recent had unexpected heart surgery during his last book tour, and like many authors doesn’t have health insurance. So FACT, the fan organization in Central Texas, is doing an auction for him. Those of us writers who also don’t have a lot of money ourselves are donating items to the auction to help raise money to help him out.
Personally, I’m donating a pre-publication manuscript of the Redheads of the Apocalpyse sequel. I have no idea if anyone is going to want it or not, but it’s something I – with the consent and permission of the publisher and other 3 Redheads – can do for someone who’s been there for us.
What’s in it for me? Because lets face it, no one does anything without an ulterior motive, right? Not a thing – except “Golden Rule†points. I’m doing until another what I hope would be done for me in need. That’s why we write, because when it comes down to it, writers get the short end of all the sticks, and if we don’t look out for each other, we all go down.