Sunday 14 September 2008

Thought for the Day

I was thinking about self publishing. No - just randomly thinking.

And I decided that for a writer, publishing is like sex.

If no one will to do it with you, you either have to pay someone to do it, or get on and do it yourself.

Profound, innit.

9 comments:

Douglas Bruton said...

Makes me feel a bit guilty about writing and what writing is... Didn't we used to think it might make you blind if you overdid it?

Already I need glasses to read the small print in a contract!

And what about the KA project? At the moment a twosome but somewhere down the line hoping to be a threesome?

Kinkiy is what this thought is!

D

:-)

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Kinky is right!

Its not 'writing' is like sex... but 'publishing'. So I guess we're OK for the moment!

Who's the third person in Kafkas Aunt n the Secretary? There are at least twelce, at least alluded to, at the moment. interesting isnt it?

The cast might end up as thousands... but those two will always be at the cnetre. I love em.

Ossian said...

It's not really like sex though. Sometimes people get some pleasure out of sex, or so I have heard.

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Dont people get pleasure out of being published??

Not quite orgasmic though, I warrant you.

Ossian said...

I think there is very little pleasure in being published. Sometimes there is pleasure in a report of being read by somebody with no agenda, who just got lost in a story, but being published as such is like having a bit cut off. Also telling anybody that one has a book out is like telling them you have leprosy. After they've shaken hands.

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Ah - you are talking about the jealous writer syndrome. hey, there are plenty of those about, Ive met so many.

I love being published. It is such validation. I'm eternally grateful to all the eds who have chosen my stuff. Maybe I just need to grow up?!

Ossian said...

I just want to be invisible.

jonathan pinnock said...

I've come across a number of writers who say that they have no desire to be published and I am always completely baffled. Being published (passive voice) is the whole point of writing - whether it is to achieve massive sales or R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Getting something out there means that at least one complete stranger likes what I'm doing and that alone makes it worth continuing.

I may revise this view in a few years' time, of course, once present avenues have been completely exhausted ...

Vanessa Gebbie said...

Os, you are completely invisible.

Hi Johnathan... thanks for dropping by. I think most writers say they write just for the desk drawer when they start - its a self protection mechanism.

Then its a hurdle to jump, sending out work, learning about rejection, maybe. Posting work on walls, standing up doing readings, blogging... geing published online, on paper... all the same thing innit!.