I was speaking to two friends recently about how I completed three books, many others stated but not finished, and how the publishing world is a nightmare.
I explained how literary agents seem to be only looking for the next Harry Potter, Star Wars or some other rip off of an adjust five theme or format. Or they are only interested drivel about celebrities lives because there are no end of people that seem to think that this is the be all sand end all to their lives?
Well maybe not drivel at times but only a tiny fraction of them for me.
Instead of championing something new, bold and that which can possibly cause a riot, metaphorically speaking, they look for similar things to that already done that made the most cash? It does not work like that! Everyone knows that the sequels are never as popular as the first film so why would you look for a blatant rip off? It's bloody dumb in my estimation!
But they do!
Then you have these self publishing outfits who will contact wannabe authors and praise their writing, despite responding so quickly it's obvious they have not read a single damned word of it! Sharks then!
In my discussions over my blog I do explain that one hope I had was that interest in the books I wrote, which are both forerunners to this blog, would eventually cause a literary agent or publisher to want to read them?
Added to this the fact that I had 140,000 visitors and counting and over half a million to my Google Plus profile would help matters?
I also explained that since I started this blog I had not approached a single person regarding the publication of any of my three books and that even lately it has not crossed my mind and I had not thought due one moment about doing so. I am not even sure when I would do?!
Possibly when my oldest blog, two weeks shy of being two years old, had acquired 100,000 visitors in total? It had around 38,000 to go to reach that milestone. I have not worked out how long that would take either!
I have never thought about approaching Amazon about publication either but that's because the old traditionalist in me, despite my BSc in Applied Computing, likes the idea of paper based books! This surprised many fellow students at University when a debate was held over Digital Libraries! They had me down in the digital books camp.
So it generated a bit of interest when I spotted this report regarding a disagreement between Amazon and a publisher over the pricing of books. First off I immediately assumed Amazon was in the wrong due to their behaviour of late over several things, corporation tax being one. But as I read it seemed that the publishing house were trying to keep the cost of the books artificially high which despite the lack of overhears want to increase their profit margin?
What it does not explain is how the cut that Amazon takes compares to the costs of overheads for publishing paper based books!
As for authors well many have signed an open letter to be published in a famous tabloid to state quite clearly to Amazon that they are disappointed in them, their greed and their tactics and to stop it at once, in a round about way. Though some authors declined to sign this petition.
But then another wave of authors have actually signed a letter in defence of Amazon?! Hmm I wonder if they are fully aware of their tactics?
This could turn out to be an iron clad example of how people make snap decisions without possessing all the facts? The very reason that my corruption blog exists!
It matters not that life is to busy or that the time cannot be found because this is how the evil ones get away with things. They use these excuses and in all honesty if you cannot take ... no afford the time to take stock of certain things out situations then we are doing something very wrong. Perhaps we have been for a very long time and doing these things fur so long they have just become the accepted norm?!
I think it's time to take stock and say no more! Because as more and more situations like this arrives those that make snap decisions may end up feeling and more importantly looking very foolish indeed!
We are in the age of the Internet where everyone gets to find out everything ... eventually! You cannot hide anymore or have lane excuses. It's time to realise that bit bothering can have very adverse effects on what you do ... or even what you earn?!
Many may not agree and this is their prerogative but then so are the pitfalls and punishments if you gamble and get it wrong!
There are many whispers going around that many seem to believe are true facts of the most unlikely people. They may or may not be trying to control things getting out and most of this is via the tabloids and TV News media. If this is the case I can assure you that this is a mistake, non greater than the news media groups that may have decided to do add they are commanded, regardless of the benefits that may be on offer. The truth will out in the end.
When this eventually happens then I am afraid to say that I stated this king before now but a while row of houses made of cards will all be blown to the ground by the incoming storm!
In the meantime I will try to remember this story and see what occurs once the open letter has been published? They seem to be selecting authors to punish to get back at the publisher which is not fair no matter which way you slice it.
Authors rally in Amazon dispute http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-28703264
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