tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164137142811869136.post8186644023352669416..comments2024-03-15T00:15:04.424-07:00Comments on Marilyn's Musings: Writers, Are There Too Many of Us?Marilyn Meredith a.k.a. F. M. Meredithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04179984154939161530noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164137142811869136.post-81227616382169889122012-11-24T11:04:37.778-08:002012-11-24T11:04:37.778-08:00As I see it, part of the problem is that because t...As I see it, part of the problem is that because there are so many people writing now we really have to spend a lot of time promoting. And, as you said, that means we're not writing. Good post!Marjahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09528164359512905392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164137142811869136.post-80804226526810551262012-11-22T00:37:41.472-08:002012-11-22T00:37:41.472-08:00I think that for some reason, the cool kids (you k...I think that for some reason, the cool kids (you know, the ones who dictated what you had to wear at school or be beaten up, the ones who said only ONE type of music should come out of your car stereo or you will be beaten up, etc.) decided they wanted the "cachet" of having published a book. As soon as the technology was there to do this easily through self-publishing, they did it.<br /><br />In other words, they took it away. They took it away from those of us who started with their parents' old Royal manual and old boxes that Strathmore bond paper came in and carbon paper and "ink erasers" (before LiquidPaper was invented by Michael Nesmith's mom). They took it away from those of us who, before we had anything interesting to say in our writing (such as in elementary school and junior high), studied English grammar, punctuation, and spelling so that our text could be flawless. They took it away from those of us who had always heard the Muse and had worked for years to perfect the craft as well as the art of writing a story/novel that not only made sense and was readable, but somehow transcended pulp fiction and resonated with readers.<br /><br />So, yes, there are now too many authors. You can't get your book noticed now because those with a bunch of friends will get their friends to "vote" their books upwards and clog the channels. I realize that Cicero lamented that "everyone is writing a book," but it must be ever so much worse now.<br /><br />Still, everyone deserves his or her voice to be heard. Most people who write are not doing it for money or fame. They are trying to leave something transcendent behind so that they may speak to those generations that come after. Something tangible of your mind will remain once you have crossed back over the eternal Veil.<br /><br />So I can't say that I don't want all those people to write. I just wrote an inspirational post about why everyone who has the urge SHOULD write. I don't know whether it is proper for all those people to publish, especially without any vetting or editing, but I certainly don't have the power to say they shouldn't or can't.<br /><br />So this is only another ambiguous answer of "I don't know," said verbosely.<br /><br />By the way--I kept saying that once NICE WORK by Denise Weeks was out for the Kindle at a cheap price, it would sell copies. Well, the joke's on me: OTP's Suzi put it up for me and it went live early yesterday, and despite my posting about it everywhere, it has sold . . . ZERO copies. So make of that what you will. I don't know if anyone has picked up the free sample, even. And this is the book that WON the publisher's manuscript contest. Pretty sad for me, I'll tell you.<br />Shalannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05503978745207805622noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164137142811869136.post-71750882928484019532012-11-21T17:56:59.862-08:002012-11-21T17:56:59.862-08:00Marilyn, this is a thought that crosses my mind co...Marilyn, this is a thought that crosses my mind constantly as my inbox fills with authors' marketing and advertising.<br /><br />On the other hand, take the same tale and give it to seven different authors and they'll tell that tale seven different ways.<br /><br />No answers!Vonniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07092475086889028716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164137142811869136.post-9382859701182645432012-11-21T09:20:02.032-08:002012-11-21T09:20:02.032-08:00There may be a lot of people writing, but at least...There may be a lot of people writing, but at least they are creating something. What we have a lack of are READERS. Too many people are happy to tell you that they never read. That is no different than someone who CAN'T read. That's pathetic. I taught a first grade class once that had the premise: If you can tell a story, you can write a story. If you can write a story, you can read a story. We need more readers, then we will have a market. And even a bad writer...can get better. Too many writers? Never. Write on.GBPoolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12190573764848658894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164137142811869136.post-42206156663758402412012-11-21T08:39:49.348-08:002012-11-21T08:39:49.348-08:00I don't know, Marilyn. Writing is hard; promot...I don't know, Marilyn. Writing is hard; promoting is harder. I think that once many of the writers realize how difficult it is to promote, a lot of them will give up trying. The dedicated writers, like you, who have to write, will keep going. <br /><br />Thanks for the post.<br />Monti<br /><a href="http://marymontaguesikes.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Mary Montague Sikes</a>Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17417679983279135001noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164137142811869136.post-40859835689578219452012-11-21T07:07:29.210-08:002012-11-21T07:07:29.210-08:00Are there too many of us writers? I don't thin...Are there too many of us writers? I don't think so. Yes, the proliferation of books has made it harder to promote any individual book, and many books are not written or edited well.<br /><br />However, there are about 200 million people over the age of 18 in the U.S. I've read that approximately one million books are published per year. That's one half of one percent of the popluation over 18 that hs written a book.<br /><br />Writing is a difficult process. I give kudos to anyone who tries it.<br /><br />Like anything in life, the more you practice the better you get. So someone who writes a bad book today, if theykeep trying may write a good book in the future.<br /><br />Oh, by the way, that's what happened to me.<br /><br />Richard Brawer<br />www.silklegacy.comRichard Brawerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17111288532811139948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3164137142811869136.post-64888375920422769442012-11-21T06:50:46.777-08:002012-11-21T06:50:46.777-08:00I don't think there are too many writers. A lo...I don't think there are too many writers. A lot of people won't find financial success, but they will find other kinds of success, among them joy and the pleasure of touching other people. Your books will rise in any case Marilyn because they're so good. Who could ever pass them up?John Brantinghamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09355349090930672315noreply@blogger.com