Since humans began to walk the earth we have shared stories in one form or another. Either through cave paintings or Hieroglyphics or just word of mouth. Stories passed from clan to clan, family to family. In the 17th century, the concept of fairy tales came from France and in the 1700’s Newspapers and words in print headed towards what developed into the industry we know today. From the works of the greats such as Aristotle to Shakespeare people have found entertainment and comfort from the art of storytelling. Stories bring people together, either by watching peoples words acted out in a play on the theatre stage or the big screen in the comfort of the cinema. For some, losing themselves in a good book is all the magic they need even if what is hidden in the pages isn't a fairy tale.
Writing is such a solitary existence though and often anxiety-inducing. so why do people choose to do it? There are, according to UNESCO 2.2 million books published worldwide each year. (UNESCO founded in 1945 stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) That's a lot of books, which equals a lot of people sitting in home offices, sheds, garages, cafes, libraries little private spaces where they can get their ideas out into the world. Or try to at least. Although as with anything the publishing industry has evolved to keep up with current trends and it's not just about physical book sales anymore. You can read books on your phone, on kindles, ipads even listen to audiobooks online. Publishing your book doesn't necessarily have to mean a battle to find an agent or a publishing deal anymore. You can self publish. A few years back, this was a pursuit that would possibly have people looking at you with a pitying stare if you mentioned you were a self-published author like your work wasn't quite good enough for mainstream publishers. However, that is no longer the case. Why wouldn't you want to self publish? Why do all the leg work to give someone else a large cut of the profit, it doesn't make any sense. That's not to say that self-publishing doesn't come with a price, but you have more control over your own work. You keep your profits and retain ownership. If you just want to get your work out there you can upload them just for E-readers and not even print a physical book ever.
The saying goes that everyone has a book in them and that may be so but not everyone has the patience or the inclination to actually write one. For those that do though its a part of them, it's part of their makeup, something burning inside them that makes them want to get the characters they have dreamt up out into the world to share with other people in the hope they will connect with them as much as they have. Although it takes a special kind of person to actually sit down and go through the painstaking task of planning and writing a novel. That's without the sometimes crippling anxiety that nobody will read it or even like it.
How do people do it though? All you have to do is like a few authors on Twitter and Instagram and before you know it the algorithm is showing you adverts for How To seminars, How to be an author, How to be a successful writer, how to self publish, write for children, young adults. The list goes on, yet if these companies have the winning formula why does anyone bother to pay out tuition fees for a university to get a degree in creative and professional writing? Why are there not more people pushing out books, like it's that easy? Quite simply because it is not that easy and these companies do not have the winning formula, there is no elixir that you can bath in to make you the next best selling author. Most people that write, write because they have a passion for the craft or just have to. The money you could earn is an incentive but most have jobs and write on the side. It's not all glamour and book tours with a lucrative publishing deal. The companies that offer such amazing deals are rarely as they seem and will take your money and place the blame at your door when you don't make it.
The only way you will ever get published is through hard work and determination. Write, write and write some more. Practice makes perfect and will polish your skills. Take on board any feedback you receive and make adjustments where recommended. Be prepared for a lot of rejection letters/emails and submit your work to every publication you think it is suitable for. Cast your net wide and don't give up hope. Hone your craft by starting small, by writing a blog, looking up all the publications where your writing may get coverage, sharing your writing on social media and growing your tribe. Most of all don't give up.
Information:
Self-publishingschool.com
Rob Parnell’s writing school
Kindle kdp
The creative Penn
