Hey, yeah, it’s me and I don’t have a review. I’m in the midst of reading a number of books that are very, very good. But I was just going to say, sometimes I feel distinctly like, maybe I’m not the best person to teach people about self-publishing because what’s out there, I mean, if you’re focused on Amazon, if you want to become a bestseller on Amazon, I can’t help you. I haven’t the faintest clue how I managed to get where I did during that time period that I happened to be big enough in terms of sales to make a living off of what I was doing.
It was just a one-hit wonder moment. It was never going to happen again based on what happened after Amazon offered exclusivity and whatever the hell goes with that, whatever benefit you get out of that. Huh! That’s all I can say. Anyway, having said all that, and with everybody so consumed with whatever they’re consumed with these days, see, I don’t really care. That’s the problem. I really have reached the point where I cannot care about Amazon or rank or anything other than trying to connect with readers and do my work. And it is not easy. It is not easy when you have a rare condition that nobody can really treat adequately.
I’m not going to try to describe the way I feel because it is indescribable and not fun. So when I see something like “It takes steel balls to be a writer” or anything like that, yes, yes it does, but you can do it and you can succeed in your own way without Amazon. I’m convinced of that because I see other people doing it. So having said that, in a sense, I’m not saying goodbye to publishing. I’m just trying to expand into other aspects like teaching, coaching, like mentoring, helping people, and whether that’s with a novel or a screenplay, I can help. Now. I just need to figure out how exactly in a way that is needed at this point.
And so I’m still kind of in that weird space where I’m choosing things, but I can say this much. Thanks to the fact that I stopped giving a damn about Amazon ages ago and, in fact, pulled all my ebooks from their platform and am now selling only through Draft2Digital to everyone who will take the book. But I just directed my first film. We wrapped production last week. So if nothing else, maybe I can be an inspiration to other people with dystonia. I don’t know. I don’t know how I manage it. I don’t know how I’m managing to do this video. Really. I keep reminding myself to sit up straight.
If you could feel the pulling on my left side right now, I can’t describe it. It’s involuntary movement. I can’t stop it. So what do you do when you have a problem that nobody understands that simply won’t go away? This is where I can help people. Maybe you think you have a problem but you don’t. Maybe you’re being stopped by something that isn’t really a problem. Maybe that’s why I have dystonia to show that it could be a problem if I chose to make it a problem, but I’m not going to let it. Maybe that’s my message. Don’t let things stop you when you can do them and know your limits. This is so difficult for a person with a lot of interests.
Now, just this morning, I’ve been presented with two things. I can join the video consortium or whatever it’s called for a $10 one time fee and it’s free membership. Or I could go to this land use institute thing, a legal thing that I used to do in my old life, and I have this terrible urge to do both, and I don’t know why. It’s like I can’t leave that part of my life behind completely, that legal part. Maybe I can help people with that because so many people get the law wrong or they make a statement that is kind of half, but not really, right? So these are all things I’m thinking about, and I will try to keep you updated on everything. I’ll let you know I have to edit this movie now. That’s going to be … the fun part is over, as I said to somebody, yeah, the fun part was directing, which I got to tell you, I really enjoyed it.
I sometimes stop and think, oh, I missed an opportunity there and I missed an opportunity. But that’s okay. Those are the things that happen if you try something for the first time. So be forgiving of yourself no matter what, and don’t listen to people who put you down. The hell with them. If they don’t understand what you’re saying, if they’re that at odds with where you’re coming from, they’re not going to like your work anyway. So the hell with them, right? Am I right? Am I right? Am I right? Yeah, you are right. Debbi. You’re just an asshole. No. Anyway, that’s it. Talk to you later. Be seeing you. Cheers.
Oh, I remember what I was going to say now. I remember when people used to brag about their word count online all the time. “I wrote 5,000 words today. I wrote 10,000 words today, 40,000 words. That’s what I wrote this morning. I can just do that like that.”
Now, they’re bragging about the number of followers they have on Substack or subscribers, really. Paid subscribers versus free subscribers. Oh boy. The discussions that take place there about how to become an instant success, not an instant success, but a success on Substack. Yeah, I have to worry about that now? Okay, whatever. You know … Substack. I like it, but I have to tell you, it’s too much like Facebook, too much like Facebook. Do I really have to explain why? It’s kind of like Twitter and Facebook combined with a newsletter and a blog. That really kind of sums it up.
Yeah, I don’t know what to think anymore, so I just do what I do and try to be who I am and tell people the truth. The truth is the writing life is not easy and you devote years to it to get good at it, and yet we’re expected what not to be paid? We’re expected to do everything for free? We’re expected to suffer for our art? And I don’t want to hear any bullshit about selling out. People were selling out plenty for a while there. Anyway, I don’t know. I’ve run out of things to say about all that. All I can say is, do what makes you happy, because this is your life we’re talking about, and you only have so much time.
That’s the bottom line. Alright, talk to you later. See you.
PS: Just when you think it can’t possibly get more stupid worse!
Okay. Here’s the problem. There are loads of assumptions being made here. As for the $3,000, I have NO clue how they came up with that figure. I also have NO idea how the folks at Publishers Lunch or whoever made up their figure, either.
There are LOADS of assumptions being made here. About lawyers and their work. The writer thinks implies that the bulk of a lawyer’s workload takes place at the trial phase. You have no idea what you’re talking about. Have you ever litigated a case or been party to a lawsuit? If so, you’ll know it’s no picnic. No one goes to trial without preparing, extensively. Long, long hours. And it is a LOAD of responsibility. Enough to keep you awake at night, worried that you didn’t catch something, a mistake that will come back to bite you.
Not to mention the fact that 99 percent of civil cases filed end up settling. Because it’s literally in the best interests of the client. There is no magic justice that comes from going to trial. If you can agree on a settlement, that’s what you do, because why let a third-party who can barely understand the publishing industry or writers make a judgment that affects us when we can agree?
And you’re forgetting something. It’s not just the lawyers being paid. It’s the law clerks, the paralegals, the secretaries, and the admin staff. A whole lot of jobs salaries lives depend on getting paid to do the hours of research, the careful consideration and analysis of legal issues, and the ability to construct an argument in support of your position. Along with the ability to write it persuasively.
And, you think suggest imply that the lawyers are being overpaid?
Eh, fuck it. Stupid is as stupid does. Go represent yourself. See how that works out for you.
Wait! Now do you understand why I emphasize filing a copyright registration on your work? You can do that, you know, with or without a publisher—trad or otherwise.
And now you know why I write a mystery series about a female lawyer. 🙂
Have you met Sam McRae? 🙂
