Writers: Don't Give Up Quite Yet

The number of authors good and bad out there in the writers' world that are unpublished is phenomenal. How will they all get published? They won’t. That is an honest appraisal of authoring and publishing. Historically, not all authors have been taken in by the strong wings of a “great” publishing firm; consider some of the authors of the nineteenth century. Many of them were self-published. That was a different era, but what about publishing today, or what about the future of publishing?

Paper and ink publishing is the ideal way to publish, but paper and ink books do not always sell. Publish America has proven that ten-fold, but let’s face it Publish America is not the only publisher out to make a buck without doing a whole lot of promotion and marketing. If you go to the website of “Predators and Editors,” you’ll find an honest evaluation of many book publishers, ezine publishers, and freelance publishers. It’s worth the visit. Buy a copy of "Writer's Market." You'll get a reasonably unbiased critique of publishers, and agents. There is no "Miracle Grow" for writers. Many times it's a game of chance, especially for new writers.

The last figures I've seen indicate that a legitimate publishing house takes in only 2 or 3 percent of all new writers. Those are not great numbers folks. So, you say to yourself, I'll try my luck with an Internet "epublisher." It's not a given any longer. Internet publishers have become almost as competitive as hardback publishers. In fact, if you search for epublishers don't be surprised to find a "submissions closed" disclaimer. Or, don't be surprised that many epublishers you searched for last month are no longer in business. Believe me when I say it's tough out there.

Don't panic. Epublishing is a relatively labile business and remains in its infancy. Personally, I believe that ten years from now, epublishing will morph into a very lucrative butterfly and will be the "go to" place for finding good books. Twenty years from now it's quite possible that hardback publishers will be a thing of the past. I use a reading device which allows me to download ebooks from the Internet and read them in the comfort of my home, no driving to bookstores, waiting in line, or missing out on purchasing the last copy of a bestseller.

Have faith my author friends. Do not stop writing. Do not give up the dream. If you are a decent writer with some talent for telling a story, keep writing. If nothing else, consider yourself practicing for the "big one." And never forget, practice (and some good editing) makes perfect.