Anonymous Aug 29, 2012 at 3:28 pm

Comments

1
"And now I write trite, condescending things for free!"
2
I hate real life, if anyone needs me I'll be in my fantasy world where I am surrounded by nice people.
3
By getting a book published at all, you beat steep odds. Most people are incapable of writing a publishable (unless self-published) novel, so you've already accomplished something that many can only dream of.

As long as you can make your living in other ways, I think you should keep writing and try to build on that. But if it's too tough to see others make a mint with their trash while there's no guarantee that your hard work will pay off, maybe it *is* best to give it up.
4
It is frustrating to try to "make it" with your specific brand of art, and even MORE frustrating seeing other people be successful with their crap versions of it. But at some point you're just going to have to make a decision. Give up, or keep going despite setbacks/frustration.

Things take time. Sometimes longer than bearable. But if it's what you want to do, just keep going even if there doesn't really seem to be an audience. It doesn't mean that there never will be one.
5
It's not going to help, but just know that some people would kill for your "problems."

Manuscript after manuscript after manuscript? That's three more than I'll probably ever complete. Great reviews, refreshing, best book in the genre this year? That sounds preferable to the negative attention the other shit was getting. Or do you not care what kind of attention you get, as long as you're getting it?

People aren't blogging about it? You're not going on Oprah? So. fucking. what. People are idiots and assholes. The amount of people that like something is usually proportionate to how much I hate it. If by some miracle I get published and it becomes wildly popular I'll consider it an unforgivable failure on my part.

I'm certain you created something better than the trite crap everyone bitches about. Even without the positive reviews, the fact that you set out to make something other than tween drama masturbation fodder proves that. You did good work AND it got published. That's a major feat, and you should be proud of yourself.

But you need to figure out what you're writing for. If it's to get the New York Times to jack you off in print, I'd say get out now. If it's to get rich off the kind of reader that makes popular the sort of books you hate, you better quit while you're ahead. Because in your quest for popularity and fame you're going to end up making the same kinds of shit you despise, and then one day that loathing will turn in on you.

Allow me to quote a great movie about trying to make it big, with only the tiniest tweak:
You love the [work], or you love the crowd?

Because you only have control over one. And the other is unbearably stupid.
6
As a creative artist sometimes I ask myself why I do it, and for me, it's because it's the one thing that I can't 'NOT' do. Hopefully you'll receive the level of respect, money and accolades that you're looking for, but you shouldn't give up. To me, it sounds like you're just beginning to become successful. Published with a good review? These really aren't loser problems.
7
AND you're so humble! Whine, whine...all these idiots don't APPRECIATE me and my FAR superior work! ;)

Look, if you want to be rich and famous, you write trite, formulaic crap at a Jr. High level. It sells. If you want to write something more "important" to satisfy your own creative impulses, do it...just don't expect to sell a million copies or see it made into a Hollywood blockbuster.

I know it's hard to see a piece of poorly written, formulaic pap (like say, The DaVinci Code) sell 6 million copies when YOUR much better manuscript can't even get published (or IS published and then ignored into oblivion).

The fact is, there are thousands of amazing books and films and albums produced every year that hardly ever get read/seen/heard. And thousands of far less worthy examples clogging the theaters, bookstores, and airwaves.

It sucks, I know.

But as Stephen King once wrote, if you are a writer, you don't write for money or for other people. If they like it and you get rich, great and then you can quit your day job and write full-time. But you write for YOURSELF...and because you can't NOT write. THAT'S the payoff.

You've been MUCH more fortunate than most other writers already. Count your blessings and quit your bitching (and promote yourself...you missed the chance to include a shameless plug for your book!)



8
Add pictures of naked women and you will be fine.

You're welcome.

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