| Everybody knows what the dream looks | | | | Aha, you say. That's why the publishing |
| like. First, you write a book. Next, you | | | | industry invented agents. These days, |
| send it off to a nationally known | | | | The Agent is the perfect foil, the line |
| publisher. Finally, you are rewarded | | | | of defence between publisher and |
| with a contract for an enormous amount | | | | published. It's perfect - for |
| of money, you are interviewed on | | | | publishers. They don't have to talk to |
| television, recognised in the street, | | | | aspiring authors much anymore. They can |
| and feted wherever you go. It's all | | | | rely on agents filtering out the bad |
| wonderful. | | | | stuff, (as they see it), so that they |
| Ah, but I missed a bit out. At Stage Two | | | | only get to open the goodies, the |
| - sending books off to publishers - | | | | sure-fire winners. For the writer, |
| there's the small matter of waiting a | | | | however, it's no improvement at all. |
| few years and wasting a fortune on | | | | There's still a person they have to |
| postage. There's a series of rejections | | | | write a letter to; submit their proposal |
| that you have to receive before you | | | | to; send their manuscript to; and - yes, |
| finally, eventually, inevitably, hit | | | | you guessed it - a person they get all |
| that 'jackpot'. That's usual. It | | | | the rejection letters from. Yes, back at |
| happened to J K Rowling, why shouldn't | | | | the writing desk, from that limited |
| it happen to you too? Yes, just as Tom | | | | perspective, things haven't become |
| Cruise is the only famous actor in the | | | | better at all. Getting published is |
| world who actually passed his first | | | | still a bitch. Sometimes, maybe even a |
| audition, the rocky road to getting your | | | | lot of times, it doesn't even happen at |
| book published includes the ritual | | | | all. |
| humiliation of being turned down, time | | | | No wonder that today's authors are |
| after time, over and over again, | | | | turning to the internet. This is a place |
| crushingly and repeatedly. Most of the | | | | where you can find an on-line publisher; |
| 'names' in the world of writing have had | | | | sign up with a print-on-demand service; |
| to put up with that stuff, so why not | | | | and get your book out and ready to read. |
| you? In fact, most 'established' authors | | | | What's the reward? Good feelings. When |
| probably think it's good for you. Why | | | | you get that envelope delivered to your |
| not? Just as experienced doctors think | | | | door and rip it open to find it's a |
| it's Okay for Junior Doctors to work | | | | real, live novel - with your name on it |
| unholy hours and wear themselves out | | | | - there's no better feeling in the |
| doing night shifts during their first | | | | world. It's a sense of achievement; a |
| tours of responsibility, so authors and | | | | feeling of triumph; something about |
| publishers seem to agree that the | | | | justification; and suddenly all those |
| hurdles that pre-publishing throws up | | | | long dark nights wrestling with words on |
| are somehow there to stiffen the sinews | | | | a page seem worthwhile. |
| and make for a better person. Yes, well, | | | | Better than that, and maybe best of all, |
| that's their excuse, trying to explain a | | | | is a euphoria which says, 'I've seen the |
| nonsensical system that actually wastes | | | | future. I know what it's like to be a |
| talent and strangles initiative. | | | | writer'. When you've got that warmth in |
| It might work too, but for one thing. | | | | your heart, it's a lot easier - a real |
| Writers have feelings. Hmm, hard to | | | | lot easier - to take the icicles of |
| believe, I know, but a necessary and | | | | rejection. Which is what you're still |
| powerful qualification for being able to | | | | going to get. Don't fool yourself, the |
| write stuff about people is knowing | | | | vast majority of people who write books |
| something about them - and the way they | | | | never live to see a single dime fall |
| tick. I think it's called 'empathy'. It | | | | into their hands. The publishing |
| means having a line into the human | | | | industry lives with that ugly thought, |
| heart. Basically, it means authors can | | | | but survives on the hopes of a million |
| sometimes be downright sensitive. Good | | | | optimists. Fine, let's try and live with |
| qualification for knocking out that | | | | that, as authors, (and let Traditional |
| book, but disaster for trying to get | | | | Publishers try and live with it too, and |
| published. Now there's a dilemma. In | | | | get to sleep at night,) but why not make |
| order to concoct a story that might | | | | the journey a little easier to bear? Go |
| actually be believable, you have to be a | | | | to the internet first. That's where you |
| little bit open, perhaps even fragile, | | | | can find a publishing deal - easily. Not |
| your nerve endings near the surface. On | | | | with a million dollar price tag |
| the other hand, in order to get your | | | | attached, of course, but you get the |
| book into print, you need the thick skin | | | | same simple feeling of success, and yes, |
| of an elephant and the blinkered vision | | | | it's still the greatest feeling in the |
| of a hobbled horse. An interesting | | | | world. |
| combination, and darn difficult to find. | | | | |