The Importance of Independent Writing (and Other Independent Art)

Burning books, removing them, or commercializing them all have something in common:  They all suppress speech.  Let's imagine for a minute that all works of art were created using the techniques of a modern day assembly line.  There would be no more great paintings, because they would have to be simple for mass production.  The same would go for architecture.  Economics and efficiency would be at the forefront of creation.  All symphonies, plays, sculptures, and books would have to fit the generality of human interests to ensure those humans would consume.  In a world like that an artist couldn't afford to take risks, because they might not sell their work...

Now, enter into the real world, which is still too similar to our imagined scenario where works of art are commercialized.  There is a difference, though.  In the past few years independent artwork has become more popular.  Online videos have popularized regular people who display their unique personalities, local bands are trendy, and self-publishing isn't a joke anymore.  People are learning to value small voices with original content, and that's good for everyone involved.

I've spoke out against the infamous "slush piles" of the past, but for anyone who still doesn't know, a "slush pile" is a stack of manuscripts, most likely sitting on a desk, or in a box next to desk, at a publishing company that gets more and more manuscripts every day.  Now, imagine for a second that your novel is in that stack somewhere, waiting on John Doe to come read it.  If he likes it, you're set.  If he gets bored with it, or thinks it lacks a certain something, he's going to put it down before getting through the first few pages.  It's his judgment call, so you better just go ahead and cater to his interests if you want your novel published.  Of course, you don't know the man personally, and even if you did you'd still want the freedom to write your novel the way YOU want to write it.

Does that make John Doe, the publisher, a bad guy?  No, it doesn't.  He's just a guy that has to do a lot of reading, trying to find that special diamond in the rough, and he's not going to make any money if he reads every single manuscript all the way through, or publishes books just in case someone might like them.  He has to have strict guidelines, and he has to publish books that sell in order to make profit.  So, what can WE do?  Let's self-publish.

Self-publishing used to carry a certain stigma of unprofessional work.  Everyone wants their work to be validated, to know that a large audience cares about what they, the author, has written.  If that happens, congratulations, you fit the mold.  For others, there's probably an audience out there right now, looking for your unwritten book.  That audience might not be as big as the audience Stephen King has earned (probably isn't), but it's your audience and they want that book if you'd just go ahead and write it for them.  That's the beauty of self-publishing in the digital age.  What once was a tedious and costly process is now transferred easily through digital readers, and hard-copy books can be created "on demand."

How does everyone win?  The writer gets to do what they were made to do, and that's write!  They get to create worlds of make believe, unlikely scenarios that will keep you planted firmly in your favorite reading chair, or compile stacks of information into easy to read non-fiction books.  The readers have more choices, and more specific choices thanks to a more open market.  The low cost of writing Ebooks allows writers to earn a following and an income, and the low cost of creation translates to low book costs for consumers.  If there are any losers in this scenario, it's Mr. John Doe, the publisher, but he's probably already on Amazon.com selling his own Ebooks, and making a killing.  If you're a writer, you should try and do the same.