Or so I believe. At least as far as crime fiction is concerned. It seems as though you can’t swing a dead body at a fan convention without hitting at least a dozen wannabe writers.
It’s become so overwhelming, that conventions such as Malice Domestic and Bouchercon, the two premier conferences, seem to consist of published writers, unpublished writers, and writers who believe they are published because they paid someone to print their words. Where are the fans? Those that read, and are happy to remain readers?
I found a few. I asked my facebook pals who read mysteries, if they also want to write them, and the ones that replied made it clear they are not people pining away trying to come up with the next Janet Evanovich. I noticed they aren’t people who attend the conventions, though, either. So either my sample group is flawed, or only those fans that flock to the next panel on exotic poisons are bitten with the writing tick. I use tick, because once a tick grabs hold of you, it needs to be pried off, often quite violently, and it does damage as it leaves. I’ve seen many fans turn into wannabes, and the longer they attempt to write the perfect novel, the more the tick swells and drains lifeblood.
I’m describing wanting to write as something horrible. Some may think of Truman Capote, lying about on comfortable sofas with pen and drink in hand, but those who do it, or try to do it, know how hard it can be. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do, and I’ve attempted some off beat things. When a fan also wants to write, it must be tortuous to attend the conventions mingling with successfully published and hopefuls. So why do it, why not stay home writing? I would guess that as a fan they enjoyed hearing experts explain the process. Now that they want to be part of that process, they attend believing that the panels on various topics will help lead them to a successful formula.
But should every one who wants to write, write? A better question, because wanting to write and writing is not the issue—should every fan who wants to write, also believe they should be published? And here’s where the possible removal of the tick factors in. Just because someone wants to write, then puts words on a self correcting blank virtual piece of paper in Word, doesn’t make them a good writer, Good being the most important of words. If not a good writer, it’s unlikely they will be published. And after a certain amount of rejections, the tick may finally be full, and need to be eradicated.
Kicking and clawing is the image I conjure when thinking of some who are unequipped to the handle realization they aren’t the brilliant authors they think themselves to be. Naturally, some never admit to that fact and continue to suffer the tortures of rejection, or worse, delude themselves into thinking they are published, after paying an e-book entrepreneur thus granting them a title the struggling honest writer won’t attain because they know better.
Then there’s another slice of fan/writer—the ones that can and do write well. And strive to be published. And succeed. Or don’t. Doesn’t matter, if one can write, the published aspect will come, hopefully? If not, good is good. Should good writers who haven’t been published by the large outlets go the e-book route? I still believe, no. But that is up to debate more and more. How to separate the delusional from the real writer when e-publishers could care less? Unlike the traditional manner in which books are chosen—there are no gatekeepers—no advance readers who toss a manuscript in one pile or the other after tasting a few chapters. And that is why I am not sold on self-publishing, even for the great writer. The chances that the great writer can be found among the dustbins of e-bookery, have to be remote.
I have a granite countertop theory about writing, be it fan or established, or newbie. It is borrowed from a statement applied to the acting profession, and why I’m so mediocre at writing novels. To be an authentic writer, you MUST write. No, it’s not a silly statement. Naturally if you don’t throw some words together that can be read, you’re not a writer—what I am stating—if you don’t write, you will die. Metaphorically, or perhaps not—the soul may die. You must live, eat, breathe–writing. You must be passionate about the art–achieving published status cannot be a reason you write. The need to be published is not equal to the need to write. Writing isn’t a sideline for a fan. Or a way to have your name on a dust jacket. It is a compulsion, a need, obsession. Normally, these traits aren’t associated with positivism. In the case of the written word, beautiful, meaningful, entertaining results are not normal either, they are extraordinary.
funny that is. Yes everyone wants to write. The question is who is capable to do this in an interesting and reader friendly way. Not a lot of people…
I believe everyone should write and put their thoughts to paper. Whether they are good or bad has no affect on anyone else and so you shouldn’t do anything but encourage “fans” that write. The only reason someone would have a problem with the “fans” writing would be because they feel like their own writing isn’t up to par. Also if you look up successful self publishers you will find out ,if you didn’t already know, that a lot of famous authors were at first self published. Lastly you mentioned e book’s as an easy way for self authors to get their books published, which I would say is just another way to define a good author from a in progress one. Books will always be the defining point on whether an author is worth my money as I only read in physical book format.
I’m not exactly understanding your point. I made no indication that I don’t want people to write, whether they are good or not. I said that sometimes fans of a specific genre, such as crime fiction, become so obsessed with being published, that they don’t write because they have to, like most writers, but because they think they have the right to be published. They push their agenda to an extreme that is annoying to most other writers, published or no. As for self published authors, that’s an entirely different and long subject I’ve addressed before. And I think you are saying you agree with me–that someone who self publishes is an author in progress. But I could be wrong.
I’m not exactly understanding your point. I made no indication that I don’t want people to write, whether they are good or not. I said that sometimes fans of a specific genre, such as crime fiction, become so obsessed with being published, that they don’t write because they have to, like most writers, but because they think they have the right to be published. They push their agenda to an extreme that is annoying to most other writers, published or no. As for self published authors, that’s an entirely different and long subject I’ve addressed before. And I think you are saying you agree with me–that someone who self publishes is an author in progress. But I could be wrong.
Thanks for posting that, Spencer.
My take on this is that one of the marks of the general health of a people is how willing they are to encourage creative expression at vocational and avocational levels. Performative and plastic arts, textual expression, these are the ways that we create a record that goes beyond mere facts and figures of the stuff of our lives. They create the dimensional portraits that pass on the substance of who we really are or were. They reveal the truth of what we stand for and what we value.
Whenever anyone takes the tack that the arts should be left to the professionals, the first question that comes to my mind is: “What are you afraid of?”
Jas, I think you are misunderstanding my point. “But should every one who wants to write, write? A better question, because wanting to write and writing is not the issue—should every fan who wants to write, also believe they should be published?” I’m not discouraging individuals to write–I’m fed up with those who think they are accomplished authors just because they paid someone to print their words out and now call themselves published writers. It’s an attitude found in the mystery field–other areas are not my specialty. I’m the last person in the world to discourage expressing oneself artistically. Almost my entire life has been spent in the ‘performative’ arts. “Then there’s another slice of fan/writer—the ones that can and do write well. And strive to be published. And succeed. Or don’t. Doesn’t matter, if one can write, the published aspect will come, hopefully? If not, good is good. ”
How do you equate these statements with discouraging amateurs to write, or wanting only professionals be allowed to express their artistic bents? Every author was unpublished at some point. Every actor, unemployed. Every painter unappreciated, sometimes until after death. My point is that there are individuals who in this particular genre that want to bypass the usual honing of skills, rejection letters, learning curve, and skip to a name on the cover of a book. Will there be some exceptions–people who self publish and are great? Sure. Most will pay to have their ‘expressions’ on paper, which then confuses the hell out of readers who want to find, yes, a professionally rendered piece of work, not someone’s ego run amuck. I suppose I should have titled the article–should every one be published? Every human has the right and freedom to express themselves creatively–but not everyone will win a role in a play, have a one man show of their art, in other words, there are standards for the arts, and there should be. “You must be passionate about the art–achieving published status cannot be a reason you write. The need to be published is not equal to the need to write. Writing isn’t a sideline for a fan. Or a way to have your name on a dust jacket. It is a compulsion, a need, obsession. Normally, these traits aren’t associated with positivism. In the case of the written word, beautiful, meaningful, entertaining results are not normal either, they are extraordinary.”As to being afraid of something, the only thing that remotely frightens me is paying hard earned money for someone’s personal need to have words on paper–only to find that far from –”reveal the truth of what we stand for and what we value” it’s a mishmash of amateurish plot, characterization and a waste of my money. It this makes me someone who is discouraging “creative expression at vocation and avocational levels” it will come as a surprise to a hell of a lot of my published and so far, unpublished writer friends, who hold the same values.
I’m not familiar with the mystery genre or its fans, so I’ll take your word for it that people adopt such an attitude. Of course that weird kind of entitlement can be found in any discipline.
This isn’t intended as a criticism so much as an illustration of my probably not understanding the way the market works. I can’t get too annoyed by people demanding to jump their place in line, so to speak, because I figure the field is fairly self-selecting. If you’re good, you’re good. It may take some people longer than others to find their audience and do well on a professional level, but it will happen. Hacks will slip in, They always do.
This whole discussion brings to mind a long forgotten incident that occurred many years ago at Memphis State University. John Updike visited the campus to read from his latest book. After he had finished, he settled at a table to sign books and chat with students and faculty. I was about twenty-odd people back and found it surprising that it would take so long just to get a book signed. It was then that I noticed people were pushing manuscripts, telling him all about their ambitions and asking a thousand questions about getting published. When I finally got to the table I handed him my sad little paperback copy of “The Carpentered Hen” and said, “Hi.” He sighed and waited for me to say more. When I didn’t, he asked me my name, which I told him and then wearily asked, “What’s your claim to fame?”
“My, uh…Hmm. I don’t have one, ” I said, “I just do what I do.”
Being incredibly young, I wasn’t quite sure why he was so amused by that.
“Would you stand here for just a couple of minutes?” he asked. “The breather would be nice.”
And then we talked about movies while he occasionally smiled and nodded at the line of eager fans. A minute or two more and some impatient noises from someone in the English department and I moved on and someone else came to the table with a stack of Rabbit books.
My point (other than I really missed yours) is that I can see in rethinking this, how the divide becomes one of not simply enjoying what people do, but feeling compelled to take on that enterprise as their own. It used to amuse me how many people would absolutely have to take an anthropology class whenever and Indiana Jones movie would come out, or how many people at least start (but never finish) training to be chefs or any other line of work simply because it has some currency in pop culture at the moment. So the fact that some fans are so deeply invested that they cannot discern the divide between actor and audience should not come as a surprise at all.
Jas, that’s a great story! And so true, I think, of all public professions. I used to study with Sandy Dennis–an actress who won an Oscar-(I only add that info, because the older I get, the less people recognize her name, lol) and once when she was leaving the theatre after a performance with Cher, of all people, mobs were waiting. I happened to go, and wanted to say hello. When she saw me, she grabbed me like a ship at sea. The amount of people who want to thrust head shots, and credits at anyone they think will help them is insane! And that was back before the intense agenda of almost everyone to become famous–any way they can–began. I cannot imagine what being a producer or director–or more to the point-an agent! in this day would be like–torture I would imagine.
The mystery conventions have become so full of what they call BSP–Blatant Self Promotion, that there’s no one left to just enjoy-as you did with Updike. And the mystery lists that used to have lively discussions about various authors, plots etc, are now long advertisements for published, and self published authors.
I agree that good is good, and there are a couple of people I know who started out self publishing I think are excellent writers, but the majority in the mystery field just think they are, with nothing more to back that assumption up than having paid for a print run. And the kicker is, they want to be treated the same as, say, James Lee Burke, whose first novel was rejected over and over, until he honed his style and found his spot. That makes my blood boil. And those authors who went through the ‘traditional’ way to become published, are not in love with those who claim equality.
In the acting profession, the mark of a professional is being paid for acting. That’s not to say there aren’t loads of super actors not yet being paid. But until your value as an actor has been acknowledged with reimbursement, you are not considered a professional. Some may take it further and say if you are not in the union, you’re not considered professional–since I never joined Equity, but did AFTRA–the union before TV and movies merged, I have no idea where I would stand, lol. I was paid. And so were others who were terrible at the craft.
So, like the publishing world, there are those who write crap and are in print, there are those who can’t act their way out of a paper bag, and get paid, But in my opinion, the majority in print and paid for acting are deserved of the privilege. Many disagree, lol. Especially those who are self published and aren’t thrilled with my position.
I’m glad we cleared this up–oh, and just to be,really really clear, lol–I wrote this *before* knowing you wrote your piece, and didn’t know whether to put it up right away or not–I waited–but it wasn’t remotely in response to your super piece on writing. Sometimes I guess two geniuses think alike, ha.
My personal pet peeve are those people that will talk about their great idea for a novel for years. . . but never actually sit down and write the darn thing! If you want to be a writer, there’s really only one hard-and-fast rule: you have to WRITE.
I agree that writers shouldn’t rush their books that might not be “good books” yet into self-publishing, but I honestly think that any writer has the potential to be a good writer. Learn your craft, follow the markets, edit ruthlessly, and write, write, write.
That’s interesting about the crime conventions. I’m an as-yet-unpublished writer myself, and I do the romance conventions whenever I can manage. The romance convention world is split into a few groups: conventions mostly aimed at writers (e.g. the Romance Writers of America national conference, and the chapter conventions), those mostly aimed at readers (e.g. Authors After Dark, RomCon), and those that are half and half (e.g. Romantic Times Convention). Maybe it’s time that the crime world did the same?