Vanity vs Legitimate

Do you let your ego overtake your strive for success? Just a question for all those here. I read several posts on here that discourage looking at POD or Vanity publishing as anything other than legitimate, is that due to egos or actual information you have?

I know, if I got suckered into something and didn't want my ego bruised, I'd fight tooth and nail to keep it under wraps.

Wouldn't it be easier to just accept something and move on to the next rather than argue about it on the net?

POD publishing (common initials for "Poisoning On Deadline") is not only illegitimate, but also illiterate and illicit.  Nobody's ego should be exteniquished by putting poison on their Depends and publishing in Vanity Faire is a legitimous as any other ego expansion technique and therefore it is a right, nay a privilege, nay an obligation to argue about it over the net between sets.   The idea that egos are somehow how less legimate than teeth of nails shows a coporal racism structure that is totally invidious, insidious, and even, in fact, inspirational.  Don't let them fill your teeth with nails when your OWN EGO can poison not only you but those around you without the slightest warning or respite.  Don't let them take away your name and give you a number.

Lin,
I know you're a good writer, however this post gives the impression that you were enjoying some bubbly when you wrote it, or were using a spell checker with some unknown dialect.

I try to respond in the same intellectual level as the original post.

Rd357 wrote:

Do you let your ego overtake your strive for success?

No.

Rd357 wrote:

Just a question for all those here. I read several posts on here that discourage looking at POD or Vanity publishing as anything other than legitimate, is that due to egos or actual information you have?

What has ego got to do with the perception of POD publishing? Print on Demand is a method of printing a book/magazine/brochure or anything else that someone wishes to see in print. Why would this be seen as anything other than a legitimate business practice?

Rd357 wrote:

I know, if I got suckered into something and didn't want my ego bruised, I'd fight tooth and nail to keep it under wraps.

Which puts you in the same group as those who spend hundreds of hours of their time complaining that they were conned when, in fact, they were stupid and made a stupid decision.

Rd357 wrote:

Wouldn't it be easier to just accept something and move on to the next rather than argue about it on the net?

What's stopping you from moving on? All the authors here are in the process of moving on through self-publishing, small press publishers and by seeking commercial publishers.

Why try to fight a losing battle? When your head becomes bloody from hitting it against the wall, common sense tells you to stop.
Going with the flow means you're moving - not stagnating.
If your intent is to get something deemed worthwhile published, then you make it happen. What method you employ is based on the choices available.
There are those who stand on the corner sticking out their thumb waiting to be picked up while others drive by in their own car.

An old friend is clearly feeling frustrated over something, and is, once again, choosing to relieve it by upping the kicks to that old and very dead horse.

Ann

Mike,

I can't speak for others, but I don't believe (for myself) that winning, or losing over-shadows my writing. I want to do the best I can. I want to know if I can, or cannot write. The New York goal I have is a marker to gage that goal. If I knew I was the best I could be...I would publish anyway I could.

I am not writing for the world. Not trying to change the life of anyone. I write for me. The more I write, the more I learn about Domenic.
I do not care if the world never knew I was here...That's not why I write.
I write for the same reason I sail my boat; because like the wind, writing sets me free.

"Life's a banquat and most poor suckers are starving to death."

Just absolutely freaking amazing.

I will third that.

OK - this is my take. You are all free to make it your take, too, or leave it alone. Your choice.

Mainline publishers are in deep trouble. Part of the reason is that they have lost sight of writing as art, and have, like many other big businesses today, made books a mere commodity. These "commercial" publishers are not interested in quality, only in making a profit.

So, as artists, we have to find alternate solutions to getting our creations out there. We turn to self-publishing, POD publishers, and smaller independent publishers who are willing to take a risk when they see something good. And much of what is getting published through these sources is very, very good.

Now, don't read this with your either/or minds. Move in from the poles of duality for a bit, and get centered.

This new situation makes it even more important for us to hone our craft. We must do everything we can to see that we are giving our very best. We can help each other to do that on sites like this one.

And we can support each other in marketing our artistically created products by sharing tips, links to websites, reviews, and encouraging each other.

Of course, in this period of change, we are going to see some products of less than stellar quality. But, who knows, some of what we are judging might be tomorrow's Shakespeares or Whitmans: poets who were disregarded by their critics because what they were doing was new and different, and therefor, misunderstood by smaller minds.

Personally, when I read much of the stuff that's coming from mainline publishers today, I wonder if I want to be a part of it. The work is formulaic; the assumption is made that anyone who is a known commodity can write or have something ghost-written, and make a better profit for the business. Art gets lost in the shuffle.

I am working to become an artist. That means that in addition to working at my craft, I am listening for inspiration from my soul, and writing what I hear singing to me. For now, I've temporarily set aside trying to finish a product so I can focus on that listening.

I like coming here to listen.

Ann

Ann,

Good post. I agree.

Carol

What is ‘Just absolutely freaking amazing’.

And sorry I did not mean to imply that I was answering for anyone here but myself.

NYT BEST SELLING AUTHOR wrote:

Ann,

Great point. If only I were you.

Geez, NYC. I thought I was you.

Ann

But like the music business the big names will survive inone form or another. They won't just roll over because of POD. If a self published work get's enough buyers, then the big publishing house will step in and iffer the author a deal to get his title. And who here woundn't accept an offer from them?

There is a good discussion going on here, if one can sort through the miscellaneous chatter.

I believe in supporting art and creativity and high quality writing.

I also believe that as authors in a changing world we do have a say in what happens to our work.

And I believe in learning and research.

Now that may be different than the beliefs of others. Getting that big publisher is an admirable goal. Seeing a book in print and published in some form is an admirable goal.

We do quite well here in congratulating authors on their publications and often don't even know who the publishers are.

But it is hard to congratulate someone when you don't even know what the books are they had published, even a genre would be nice to know.

And I have absolutely no idea what was meant by "absolutely freaking amazing" either.

Carol

mike bryon wrote:

What is ‘Just absolutely freaking amazing’.

And sorry I did not mean to imply that I was answering for anyone here but myself.

I set up a fan page on facebook less than an hour ago and it has over forty fans already! That is absolutely freaking amazing!

Here's the page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Published-Authors/347802583419

The gift that keeps on giving.