So I’m awaiting the first splash page of a graphic novel project. Plate remains full, even without scripting duties. And yet there’s always time for comic books, right?
It got so cold in my writing shed over winter break, that my shark-in-a-jar froze. I should’ve taken a photo. Remember that scene in “The Thing”? The alien encased in blue-grey ice? Said shark bore a resemblance. Here’s a scene: friend and sometimes-muse Brian Jenkins standing at my white board, outlining potential ideas for next novel (among the rejects: “Jefferson 2030″: Thomas Jefferson time travels to America in the year 2030 and leads a revolution) when he glances at the frozen shark and says: That’s kinda’ creepy.
What would he have thought of a frozen head? Ah, missed opportunities.
Salinger died. I’m surprisingly wistful. Romantic notions of tortured artists are often (99%) hype and hooey, and yet this one was different. He was the last old giant. I’m sad to see him go.
Some viewer mail:
Micah,
I hope you can give me good advice. I’m a young writer with two finished novels. One is a fantasy, one is sci-fi. I’d like to self-publish but I’m worried that no one will take me seriously because I’m not a literary writer, and I got self-published. Should I just go ahead and self-publish, or submit to an agent and keep my fingers crossed?
Thanks,
Don
Don,
I’m of two mind in regards to self-publishing. One, it’s a wonderful resource for writers who want to get their work “out there” (as long as they understand that “out there” is confined to friends & family 95% of the time). But I also wonder how much these self-publishing companies prey on the hopes of aspiring writers, who, for whatever reason (lack of talent, poor timing, wrong approach, etc.) can’t find a traditional publisher, and are promised a “just as good” alternative.
Is it “just as good?” Depends on your goal. If your only goal is to have your work converted into a book, and you don’t care about making money, or critical praise, or pursuing a writing career, then self-publishing is perfect. It’s certainly much less of a hassle than the traditional route. But if you dream of becoming an “author” (whatever that means), with your work reviewed by the critics, and the opportunity to add your name to the allegedly-hallowed literary ranks, then self-publishing is probably the worst way to go about it. Sure, once in a great while we hear about a self-published book discovered by a big house and made into a bestseller. We also hear about someone winning the lottery. It’s a long shot. A very, very long shot.
So I say submit to some agents, keep your fingers crossed, and if nothing happens (be patient), ask yourself which is more important: being published, or sharing your book with friends and family. Neither is “better” than the other–it’s all contingent on what you hope to get out of the process.
Either way, congrats on finishing two novels. That’s no small accomplishment. Tell your friends they owe you a night out. Or at least some movie tickets.
