From The Junction: Paying it Forward
Hello friends and fellow readers,
It’s been a while. I’m not a weekly (or monthly, for that matter) newsletter kind of guy, preferring to save these missives for big news and special occasions.
I think we’re all burned out on big news at the moment.
But, there are few things that are a greater cause for celebration than the publication of a new book. Whether it be a poetry chapbook or a novel, the third in a series, or an authorial debut. For every writer, it’s a BIG DEAL. The untold hours spent crafting every line and word, trying to make it absolutely perfect. The blood, the sweat, the tears, the trash can filled with crumpled pages.
Some are talented and lucky (or well-connected) enough to score an agent, to have their manuscript honed and sculpted by brilliant editors, released by a pre-eminent publishing house, and given a sizable marketing budget to climb to the top of the New York Times Bestseller List.
If only we all could be so fortunate.
The path of an indie writer puts the emphasis on “independent”. The work doesn’t stop with the writing. There’s still the editing to do, the cover design, the formatting, and the most dreaded of actions: self-promotion.
And when all that is done, and your book appears available for purchase, there’s the hope that your friends and family at the very least will support you and buy it, of course; but the deeper, more secret wish is for an absolute stranger to stumble upon your words, read them, and make a connection.
I’ve been privileged to encounter some wonderful writers in my time here on Medium, and to publish them here at The Junction. And wouldn’t you believe that several of them have published books you can buy now!
I want to use this platform to pay it forward and help give these indie writers a nudge of marketing.
After all, we’re all in this together.
In no particular order:
Mark Starlin —fiction: Baron Britpop Blastfurnace
Elizabeth Helmich — poetry: Holes, and a series of rabbits
Mike Sturm — philosophy: The Wabi-sabi Way
Terrye Turpin — fiction: The Imposter: And Other Stories
TashInTheClouds — poetry: Roads & Hotels
Jeff Suwak — fiction: Beyond the Tempest Gate
Giulia de Gregorio Listo — poetry: Longing
Sravani Saha — fiction: Two Letters of Love: Written with Hope
Alexandro Chen — fiction: My (Almost) Life as a Hikikomori: Stories
Tre L. Loadholt — literary magazine (featuring other Medium writers): QUINTESSENCE
Starkey — fiction: Plastic Jesus
Steve B Howard — fiction: Satori in the Slipstream
Juliette van der Molen — poetry: Anatomy of a Dress
Hengtee Lim (Snippets) — fiction: Something Like Hope
Please forgive me if I’ve forgotten anyone. This was a very spur of the moment list. Feel free to comment and leave recommendations below. Let’s do our part to support the arts.
