Writing

[Vice Nebulosa]

I, too, am an aspiring author. I, too, despair at the travails of anyone who wishes to become a published author. It seems that publishing, as with so many other fields of industry, has become the victim of bizarrely derived and ultimately arbitrary standards, such as the discussion on word counts. Any of us who aspire to it understand completely the motivation: We do not write for money or fame (though if we can achieve either or both, so much the better) but because things must be created.

No more need be said, really.

Worse yet is the standard of much is what is on the shelf. I am fully aware that I am no Eco or Vonnegut, and if I ever become such it will be after many years of learning and experience. But compared to the preliterate dreck that one often stumbles through on the shelves, it feels as though I could fling my feces at a stack of paper and produce something considerably more profound. It would at least have the merit of being a genuine statement of rage, which is more than can be said for much of what is commonly found irritating one's eyes like a piece of particularly sharp grit.

Nice. Although this is understandably another one of those many images that would have something of a poor translation into physical reality . . . <_< >_> It would undoubtedly be an awkward situation were you to miss the stack of paper or something of that nature, and to try again would probably fail to recapture the desired profundity . . .

I fear that I am all too resigned to the demands of the industry. I very much want people to read my work. On the other hand if it isn't my work then what is the point? I don't know what degree of interference is tolerable to me; like you, I will find that out when actually dealing with the matter first-hand. I suppose that I will tolerate a nip and tuck here and there, but the final piece must still sufficiently resemble the lady. To bludgeon the metaphor, what I fear is that they shall simply put implants into her breasts, dress her like a common whore, and push her blinking into the public eye, utterly unlike the girl I would have coyly presented. Metaphor butchered.

*Shrug* It works. A particularly appropriate image, considering we reside in a culture that actually finds carbon-silicone life forms in the vein of Pamela Anderson attractive . . .

Perseverence is, it seems, the key. The perseverence to seek out wise agents and respectful publishers, and the perseverence to keep your work protected.

*Nod* Question in that regard, actually (and do note that my ignorance of the publishing process is pretty total). Have you any experience or advice in the matter of applying a copyright or some manner of "plagiarism protection" to a completed manuscript? I assume there must be something in the legal system which prevents someone from the street breaking into the home of an esteemed publisher and walking down to the metaphorical bank with an armful of manuscripts. <_< >_> That being said, I have no idea of what it may be. I am in the midst of such research, but it could certainly be beneficial to have information flowing to me from multiple directions, or for multiple sources to confirm one another . . .

On the plus side for me, I'm expecting my current work to be of what is apparently the desired length, and I have already concocted a fairly good sales pitch for it (it is a tale of optimism for our troubled times yadda yadda not all young adults are cynical etc. blah de blah) but how well that works out I cannot say.

Best of luck, and whatnot. Although beyond knowing that there do exist certain allies in this world of ours, even for the most obscure of us (to quote Sharon den Adel, sort of an "If I don't make it, someone else will" type of image), we are probably not of much use to one another. Still, even this conversation has served to improve the current mood somewhat; I feel I am talking to a genuine writer at this point. The enduring characteristic of those posting on the fiction message board I have referenced was panic ("help me; my story is too long/short", "help me; I think my plot is too derivative", "help me; no one will publish my book", etc.), and it is refreshing to see that I am speaking to another who is not so easily shaken. There is trepidation in me, dread perhaps, but fear in this matter I feel not.

One day things will be better.

*Smirk* Optimist. Albeit an unusually articulate one. Everything decays, mate, be it matter, man, or memory; energy, relationships, or the universe itself. Any progress upward is purely incidental and entirely temporary; the curve downward to oblivion endures.

Welcome to the forums!

Yeah, thanks. Methinks we could get along quite well.

At any rate, stay away from the Rantzien!

Pedophile?

Told you!

Aye, that would be me.

*Blink* Oh . . .



. . . I get it now. Don't mind Vice; it takes him some time to get going, but once the momentum is there, he is generally capable of basic comprehension, at least as far as shapes and patterns go.

As an aside, I prefer to think of my brilliance as an repressive force which makes other people feel small about themselves.

Have you two been at one another's throats or something? :chuckle: That seems like it could be an argument worth witnessing. But then, imagined conflicts are invariably better than the real thing . . .

Good luck; I mean that in the best of ways! I do enjoy a tall tale of fantasy fiction, so I hope you get both books published. You have to let us know when it happens, too. That's a command. Welcome.

If I am both A) alive and B) still on these forums by such an indeterminate time, then I will see what I can do. Thanks for the welcome, mate.

Longest introduction ever.

Stick around.

Yeah, but most message boards have a forum for introductions; would have been a most unfortunate entrance were I to begin with something that could be considered spam. Thus, I figured I would couple an introduction with an actual discussion, thus dodging all scorn and forcing you all through the agony of translating a wall of text. ^_^