F. P. Dorchak

Speculative Fiction (New Weird) Author

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Ooooh, No You Didn’t Just Go There—A Reply To Comment

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I had a question to my post on a PPW post, but my response is too large for the Reply section, and I’m not going to whittle it away, so I’m posting it here. I apologize in advance if doing it this way offends anyone, it’s not a blog ploy, I just need to say what I need to say, and the Reply section won’t accept anything over 4,096 characters.

Here is my reply to Chris Mandeville, of Delve Writing:

It’s a mindset, Chris. A Damaging Culture.

My beef IS partially with Jennifer, if you wanna get right down to it. Or perhaps, with what she SAID.

Here is her paragraph:

“And here’s the deal: whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, if you want to sell your book, everyone expects you to do the marketing. Yep you. Even if you get the Big NY Deal, you are still expected to do the marketing because, frankly, there is no reason to gamble on a new or mid-list writer, which means little-to-no marketing money. And who wins? The guy with the biggest motivation and perseverance. They guy who reads the field and decides how to make the plan.”

Nowhere in this para is “This is what the publishers believe” or “According to publishers and their Bean Counters….” No, it is stated as her own opinion. Coming from HER beliefs. You really want to roll up some shirt sleeves? It was stated as an object of fact and slipped under the radar because the rest of the post was not about that statement, but it had already been said, and was now unconsciously RE-INSERTED into everyone’s consciousness—except mine. I utterly and immediately rejected it. So, no, I do not agree with her statement, phrasing, or otherwise. I caught the intentional or unintentional subliminal message spread to the masses.

When someone in a “position of authority” (i.e., a blog writer, author talking about same) puts forth words about a subject, others read it and agree with it or not. But the person has put forth an IDEA, a CONCEPT, and whether or not agreed to by others, or right or wrong, the concept is further ingrained into the psychic gestalt of the weltanschauung under discussion. She perpetuated a line of thought without so much as a second thought. Spouted a line said by so many others, that I heartily disagree with, and she said it in a public forum. And, I’m sorry I have to say, was this line not questioned by reviewing eyes? If it was seen and not addressed, this is what I’m saying…it’s ingrained in everyone to be a truism, when it simply is not.

I have “nothing personal” against Jennifer in and of herself, nor in her marketing aspect of her post (yes, it was a good one otherwise), but I do take it personal when a “fellow author” continues to so tritely and dismissively put forth concepts that are frankly injurious to all writers except the Knighted Few. Believing in this line of thought comes along with root assumptions that are too numerous to get into here. But to say something like “…there is no reason to gamble on a new or mid-list writer…” without exception(s)/qualification(s), and to a wide audience as PPW/the Internet, which includes many who may be new to this wacky business, utterly stuns me! Yes, I’ll go so far as to say INFURIATES me. Does it not bother anyone else? Do all of you out there really believe this? Jennifer, do YOU really believe this? Additionally, “…And who wins? The guy with the biggest motivation and perseverance. They guy who reads the field and decides how to make the plan.” How can you say something like that (given the inference to the previous sentiment), that is utterly dismissive to the Unknighted Few? There are many out there–geesh, look at our own Beth Groundwater. She IS the Poster Girl for “motivation and perseverance”; she is THE ONE I always think about when it comes to such things, to pushing-pushing-pushing. To me, she IS the standard for what all authors should ASPIRE to, for crying out loud. Unfortunately, many of us have day jobs and simply cannot do what she has done. And (furthermore) to dump on those authors (like me) who cannot do what she’s has done by tritely saying we don’t want it enough/dedicated enough/<inserted comment>, is (IMHO) a punishable offense and deserving of jail time and real hard labor. That’s where the Big Guns should come into play, helping out the UnKnighted Few with THEIR resources (who they HIRE for this stuff, who have DEGREES/experience in doing this stuff), and not further lumping responsibility totally on our already packed and stretched thin shoulders.

To take your concern, Chris, “about the money.” It’s far more than just about whether or not huge corporations have or nave not money. It’s the damaging CULTURE, the incorrect MINDSET. Money is only a tool, an EXTENSION of one’s beliefs. They’re reluctant to spent the money because they don’t want to spend time and effort in selling something NEW. As much as execs talk the talk, they do not walk the walk. One issue rolls directly into another. I know some are stingy with money, but in the mindset of “spend money to make money” why the reluctance (let’s just use the word that really matters, here, they are UNWILLING) of funneling not just money, but RESOURCES to unknown authors? Isn’t it obvious they are the ones who truly need the resources? It’s about the perceived return. “They” don’t feel they will get “the return.” But new authors won’t get the return BECAUSE no resources are thrown their way! Vicious Cycle! If that’s the case, then don’t take on the author! It’s not a simply pat answer, they have or don’t have money. Of course they HAVE money, they’re monstrous corporations. But of course there’s “little-to-no marketing money” because bean counters and execs ARE throwing all their money on “sure bets.”

Chris (and Jennifer), can you not see what such a seemingly small, dismissive statement, really impacts? Most may not think that one liner through, or give it another thought, may take it at face value, and it will continue to perpetuate the injurious culture that is already out here…but that IS changing. I do not mean to be insulting to Jennifer nor her beliefs, but sometimes there just isn’t a nice, fluffy way to address an issue. If we all SAY we want change, then we have to ACTIVELY (key word, here) combat for that change. We have to change the way we look and ACCEPT a status quo that is clearly not working [for authors]. You want change, change your mindset, the words you choose, the words you write, the “knowing acceptance” you nod your heads to. Give yourselves some credit! Do not blindly accept something just because I—or anyone else—says something in a public forum. You see something you don’t agree with, to the best of your POWER take issue with it (hopefully, respectfully, as I hope I am also doing). I don’t know if Jennifer actively believes what she said, or simply said it because it’s WHAT SHE’S BEEN TOLD.

But that’s my point.

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Ooooh, No You Didn’t Just Go There….

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English: Depiction of frustration
No…No, No, No, No…. (Photo credit: Frustration, Wikipedia)

Okay, I have to admit, I kinda got pissed when I read a blog post about marketing your work, and, yes, I did kinda take it personal, because it continues to perpetuate a train of thought, a mindset that so many seem so eager to promulgate and promote, and which can be (well, I feel it actually already is…) very damaging to writers. I have nothing personal against the author of the post, but I simply cannot allow certain things to be said and let the masses rally around behind without another point of view given. I love writing and the publishing world—to an extent. I, do, however, heartily disagree and take issue with certain points of view and feel I have to counter certain issues that always arise, however, and this is one of them.

And, I must say, I am saddened by those who continue to buy into them…though understand how this can happen.

So, here is the comment I posted:

Jennifer, sorry, but I really must take issue with the following: “…there is no reason to gamble on a new or mid-list writer, which means little-to-no marketing money.”

If there’s one thing I’ve found in my 52 years of life, and almost as many years writing and observing this and other industries is that anyone can sell anything if they put enough resources into the effort. If “resources” means money, so be it, if “resources” mean thought, so be it. I know all about how mid-list writers fulfill an important part in the overall book world, but–it seems to me–the bottom line should be if publishers don’t want to put any resources behind something they take on, then they shouldn’t have taken on the work to begin with. It does so much–sometimes irreparable–damage to a writer and their career, if they don’t sell through on their first book. Gee, it used to be their first two or three books. Now it’s down to one. Why is that, I rhetorically inquire?

There’s “little-to-no marketing money” because bean counters and execs are throwing all their money on “sure bets” (and I used “bets” intentionally, over “things”). Come on, does a King, Rowling, or Patterson really  need all the resources they actually get, once it’s announced a new work [from them] is available? Can some of those resources be better spent on others who don’t yet have the market recognition, but are every bit as good? I’m sorry but saying something like that (again, IMHO) is picking low-hanging fruit. The problem involved in today’s book industry (as is elsewhere evident) is in the mindset of those running “the shows.” It’s not that there’s no money. If there really was “no money” then no one would be getting any of the millions being dumped into promotion of the Big Dogs. If it’s “so easy” and “low cost” for the Nobody Writer to do social media, etc., then why don’t the Big Five partake in it? Hire unpaid interns (if this is still the practice; low-paid, otherwise) to create these campaigns for the works these companies take on? Or, hey, here’s a thought, maybe take on less authors?…only those authors whose work publishers really do believe in, and are willing to actually devote some resources (including real thought) to in the first place, instead of throwing their works again public walls like so much partially cooked spaghetti?

ANYTHING can be sold.

Anything.

And, no, we all know but perhaps don’t readily admit to ourselves, no, the product doesn’t even have to be good! Do we really need $4 coffee? Bigger screen TVs? Do we really N.E.E.D. these things?

People buy what’s put in front of them. If they have choices eliminated from them, intentionally not put in front of them, how can they even consider them?

So, with all due respect to you, Jennifer, and all the others out there who feel the same as you, and will heartily disagree with me and my kind, and try to rip me a new one with “stats, and facts, and whatever” (stats and facts and whatever can all be manipulated; I used to work with them, and know firsthand how they can, indeed, be manipulated), there are reasons, very good ones, to gamble on new writers, because there is good, undiscovered writing out there…writing that is not formulaic and is every bit as powerful as the “sure bets.” Writing that is profound and thoughtful and funny as hell. This industry loves—thrives—on blaming the writer (their work isn’t “ready,” the writer isn’t “big enough,” the writer doesn’t have a “platform,” etc.), but sometimes it’s not the writer…it’s the Gatekeepers. Yes, all kinds of “holes” can be poked in my position, it’s all been said before, but it’s not about whether or not holes can be poked into my argument. There is another way of doing business…it’s just intentionally being overlooked.

Ooooh, No You Didn't Just Go There….

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English: Depiction of frustration
No…No, No, No, No…. (Photo credit: Frustration, Wikipedia)

Okay, I have to admit, I kinda got pissed when I read a blog post about marketing your work, and, yes, I did kinda take it personal, because it continues to perpetuate a train of thought, a mindset that so many seem so eager to promulgate and promote, and which can be (well, I feel it actually already is…) very damaging to writers. I have nothing personal against the author of the post, but I simply cannot allow certain things to be said and let the masses rally around behind without another point of view given. I love writing and the publishing world—to an extent. I, do, however, heartily disagree and take issue with certain points of view and feel I have to counter certain issues that always arise, however, and this is one of them.

And, I must say, I am saddened by those who continue to buy into them…though understand how this can happen.

So, here is the comment I posted:

Jennifer, sorry, but I really must take issue with the following: “…there is no reason to gamble on a new or mid-list writer, which means little-to-no marketing money.”

If there’s one thing I’ve found in my 52 years of life, and almost as many years writing and observing this and other industries is that anyone can sell anything if they put enough resources into the effort. If “resources” means money, so be it, if “resources” mean thought, so be it. I know all about how mid-list writers fulfill an important part in the overall book world, but–it seems to me–the bottom line should be if publishers don’t want to put any resources behind something they take on, then they shouldn’t have taken on the work to begin with. It does so much–sometimes irreparable–damage to a writer and their career, if they don’t sell through on their first book. Gee, it used to be their first two or three books. Now it’s down to one. Why is that, I rhetorically inquire?

There’s “little-to-no marketing money” because bean counters and execs are throwing all their money on “sure bets” (and I used “bets” intentionally, over “things”). Come on, does a King, Rowling, or Patterson really  need all the resources they actually get, once it’s announced a new work [from them] is available? Can some of those resources be better spent on others who don’t yet have the market recognition, but are every bit as good? I’m sorry but saying something like that (again, IMHO) is picking low-hanging fruit. The problem involved in today’s book industry (as is elsewhere evident) is in the mindset of those running “the shows.” It’s not that there’s no money. If there really was “no money” then no one would be getting any of the millions being dumped into promotion of the Big Dogs. If it’s “so easy” and “low cost” for the Nobody Writer to do social media, etc., then why don’t the Big Five partake in it? Hire unpaid interns (if this is still the practice; low-paid, otherwise) to create these campaigns for the works these companies take on? Or, hey, here’s a thought, maybe take on less authors?…only those authors whose work publishers really do believe in, and are willing to actually devote some resources (including real thought) to in the first place, instead of throwing their works again public walls like so much partially cooked spaghetti?

ANYTHING can be sold.

Anything.

And, no, we all know but perhaps don’t readily admit to ourselves, no, the product doesn’t even have to be good! Do we really need $4 coffee? Bigger screen TVs? Do we really N.E.E.D. these things?

People buy what’s put in front of them. If they have choices eliminated from them, intentionally not put in front of them, how can they even consider them?

So, with all due respect to you, Jennifer, and all the others out there who feel the same as you, and will heartily disagree with me and my kind, and try to rip me a new one with “stats, and facts, and whatever” (stats and facts and whatever can all be manipulated; I used to work with them, and know firsthand how they can, indeed, be manipulated), there are reasons, very good ones, to gamble on new writers, because there is good, undiscovered writing out there…writing that is not formulaic and is every bit as powerful as the “sure bets.” Writing that is profound and thoughtful and funny as hell. This industry loves—thrives—on blaming the writer (their work isn’t “ready,” the writer isn’t “big enough,” the writer doesn’t have a “platform,” etc.), but sometimes it’s not the writer…it’s the Gatekeepers. Yes, all kinds of “holes” can be poked in my position, it’s all been said before, but it’s not about whether or not holes can be poked into my argument. There is another way of doing business…it’s just intentionally being overlooked.

What Have I Done? The Return of Facebook….

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Image representing Facebook as depicted in Cru...
The Return of… (Image via CrunchBase)

Well. After much consideration and feeling a bit like I went back on my, uh—morals?—I’ve returned to facebook. After two years.

But, in a different way.

I’ve created an Author’s Page. I.e., I’m not doing FB as a “regular user.” I find that this might be the best thing for me, because, unless I’m seriously missing something (and many say that I am…), it appears that going this way limits all the standard FB activities, and I “like” that just fine (pun intended). There was much rethinking that went into this. It’s not that I have issues with the mechanics of FB, with what it is and how people use it, I just have issues with its creator’s views on privacy (last I’d tracked Mr. Zuckerberg, he didn’t believe in the concept). Now, I’ve also read FB was going to try to strengthen security settings, so we’ll see. I will do my best to remain open on all of this, while on it, and if it gets to the point where I just can’t do it any more, I’ll delete my account. Again. But, everyone keeps telling my that to get my books out there, FB is a The way to go. And it is kind of a cool mechanism for promotion and keeping in contact. Heck, look how ubiquitous it is!

Speaking of security, when I created my account, I tried to configure as much “security” as I could find. I’ll be keeping an eye on things (pardon the pun; see link below). I’ve noticed that in creating an Author Page, things seem more “controlled”; e.g., I don’t seem to be able to “Like” anyone, or mess around with the bulk of FB that many use it for in the first place…but, again, that works just fine for me. I’m on a “Admin” page, and I don’t know if there’s a way off that. In any event, my FB page is:

Click here for my FB location.

So…I will give it another chance. I can be forgiving, and I am open-minded.

But, apparently…I just can’t “Like” stuff.

Going Indie—What I’ve Learned (So Far)—Part 4

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Escape from Pain
Want to Intrude into the Land of Traditional Publishing? (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Uninvited became available on barnesandnoble.com May 23.

This is the last week to get The Uninvited for free, through Smashwords. Starting June 1st, I’ll be charging $3.99. Thanks to everyone for all the downloads!

Okay, some more things I’ve learned along the way, about intruding into the land of the traditional publisher:

  1. This might sound obvious, but clean out your e-mail once in a while! Yeah, it will get overloaded, especially once you start adding all kinds of social media and accounts, etc. Can either do it as you go, or muscle through it all at once, but also remember the “source” email accounts. I.e., if you use one email account that, say, is used to for Outlook, or forwards to other accounts/locations. YOu may clean out Outlook files, but you’d still have Hotmail or Google, or whatever you use accounts to also clear out. I haven’t found a way to do this from Outlook.
  2. The book itself: in your Acknowledgements, Notes, etc., if there’s a family member you want to also include, make sure to make a note to include them beyond your research people you’re thanking. It can be embarrassing. In Indie publishing, you can always update that later, and re-upload. You can mitigate that in the interim by posting a blog thanking them, but sometimes, in all the rewrites, things get lost, and there’s really no one looking out for you, like an editor.
  3. I created a press release, at http://www.prlog.org–took a long time to get “approve” e-mails, so do the account creation early, and boy, it seemed rather intricate in its process and the “user friendliness/ obviousness” of some of the process just wasn’t there, depending where you are, say, when buying “credits” to get additional umphf for your press releases. So, if you want the $49 credit beyond the basic press release, buy it early, when creating your account.
  4. Also regarding PRLog.org, if you don’t get your e-mail verification soon, go back and select for resend. I really wanted to get this out last Friday, and almost blew my desire to send out then, because, even though it said you’d get that email in “a couple minutes,” I never saw it, came back at the end of the day, still never had it, and reselected the resend verification–ended up sending out late in the day, Don’t know if that hurt me, but it was highly annoying….
  5. Sign up for Pinterest: quick, easy, and fun!
  6. Sign up for About.me. Quick and easy, but wonder how useful it is (sorry, About-dot)? That might be the “About.com” stuff you always see in search engines that (IMHO) never seems to add much to my searches, so I always avoid checking out, but, hey, Smashwords recommend them, so I did it.
  7. HARO: not so sure about this. This might be more for nonfiction, but I signed up to see if it’s worth it. Be warned, only do this and subscribe to their emails if you’re really gonna use them!  You’ll get tons, and if you have more than one email account, and forward them, or have any kind of back and forth between emails forwards, this could get very busy in keeping clean. I killed all my subscriptions, but kept the account, because they just didn’t interest me, and they seemed like doubles and triplicates of the same email you got the first time. You’ll probably also get a phone and/or email from their parent company, VOCUS, looking to sell you an Internet marketing plan—not a bad thing, but that’s what that call is about, if you get it.
  8. I tried LinkedIn again, and signed up. Have my reservations about them, because they always send such ANNOYING “come join us” emails!  For each of you out there, you can try this, to shut them off at the get-go: if you don’t want to be contacted to JOIN LinkedIn, see if this link works (I haven’t tried it and if I do, my account gets terminated:  go to http://help.linkedin.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/426 (guess it doesn’t hyperlink, so copy and paste in your browser). If this doesn’t work (it should) go to LinkedIn and search their Help for “Adding or Removing Your Email from Do Not Contact List,” or get someone who is part of LinkedIn to access this help page to input your email on their “Do Not Contact” list. According to this Help Page, if you enter your info into here, you are blocked from receiving those annoying e-mails. I hope so, Please, do Humanity a favor, and send this to everyone you know, if it works, and please, let me know if it does work! Most in LinkedIn I’ve talked with about this problem didn’t even know those e-mails were “on their behalf.” They’re auto generated. I suspect that when one imports their email contact lists into LinkedIn, that’s how they get the info to auto generate their “invites.” I have not done that, just because of that thought, so I hope no one gets an auto-generated invite from me, but if you do, contact me about its (fpdochak@fodorchak.com). I might get terminated from LinkedIn, because of this, but oh, well. Do note this, however: if you associate your own email address used in YOUR LinkedIn account, your account will be terminated.
  9. Also keep in mind, once yu create all these social media accounts, the trick is also to keep up on them, check in on them once in a while. Hey don’t run themselves, you know! :-] I’m trying to do that, but am still dealing with “collateral issues,” from all this mass-creation, so have not yet been as good as I should be in that respect. Who knows, I might even drop an account or two, depending on how useful that are [not]. But just keep that in mind when “willy-nilly” creating all this stuff….

Okay, that’s the latest, and exhausts my current notes. I really want to consolidate and put out on Slideshare.net, so look for that in the future. I don’t yet even have an account there. Hope I’ve been able to help out on some of the less-obvious tips. I must say, that things have gotten back to much better pace, since I’ve created all this stuff, just as Terry Wright said it would (thanks, Terry).

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This Culture of Celebrity

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English: Same as :Image:Perdigon with fiddle.j...
Image:Perdigon with fiddle.jpg, but reversed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is this good? Is it bad?

Juan Martinez…posing with the public outside the court room in which he’s prosecuting Jodi Arias…

Covert operatives writing books…

Punks and the uncouth having hit shows…

Pushing the limits of baring as much skin as possible and body grinding each other and creating “dance porn” all under the guise of “art” and dancing with stars…

And writers having to be social media gods and goddesses (and do such all-creating deities really require gender differentiation?).

This need for publicity. This need to be famous.

Perhaps oversimplified, but I find it funny how so many seek to be famous. To be famous strips away your privacy. Turns you into a public figure, ripe to be vilified, held up to public display and scrutiny—and not usually in a good way.

I frequently think back to the “old days,” and by “old” I don’t just mean before smartphones, but back in, say, medieval times. Did both knights and peasants dream about creating hit songs and getting a “contract” with the king or queen’s courts? Did they deify court jesters and troubadours, wishing they could be like them and get troubadour groupies?

Now, arguably, one could say, “Hey, writer! What-the-hell back atya!”

Yeah, you could. But I say that, personally, I’d be great with publishing my work and not having my face anywhere on the cover. Not having to make TV appearances or tweet my zit-poppin’ and ass-wipin’ (though, okay, I love a one-liner or two, so Twitter is kinda cool like that…).

Writing blog posts?

That’s writing. Communicating. It’s an extension of the art form—for me. I know others out there post for their own reasons, but for me, I do it for the love of writing, it’s immediate, and I don’t have to wait for anyone to approve or disapprove it, buy it, or edit the heck out of it. I love writing. Period.

Advancements in life can be a good thing, I’m far from prudish, but have to admit I can remember being unleashed from any form of contact and being alone up in the woods, behind my house. Clearing brush, climbing trees, or just walking through the acres and acres of unspoiled forest and listening to nature. Can remember the concept of not having any of this hyper-connection. Granted, it’s a small world, there’s lots of good that comes with advancements, but what also comes along with it all is increased stress, little rest, and, yes, a kind of “fame among friends,” kinda thing (“Oh, I’m important enough to be getting a text! Must answer now….”).

Is it a good thing—a bad thing? A necessary evil of our time?

And why do so many long for it? To be famous? Why the hell—and do you really understand the long-term ramifications? Are you so disaffected with your life you feel the only way out is to have everyone in the world poke their noses into yours? Is there some other reason? Sure, some are born to entertain, no problem there, and I’m not talking about righting wrongs, setting records straight, I’m talking about just wanting pure, unadulterated fame…in and of itself, doesn’t matter in what or why. What is this all-pervading need I’m seeing?

That’s all I got. Thanks for stopping by.