When I first decided to become a writer, back in the olden days before the turn of the millennium, I had no internet to help me.
To find an agent or editor, I went to the library and checked out the previous year's copy of the "Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market." Submitting a manuscript involved a lot of paper, envelopes, and postage. And waiting. Lots and lots of waiting.
If I wanted friendly feedback on my work, I was limited to the people who lived near me. In those days, I was lucky enough to meet a newspaper writer who read my work and recommended that I read a book on writing style. A neighbor who was a former editing intern taught me how to punctuate dialog. Another writer I met encouraged me and gave me some suggestions. But progress was very, very slow.
I compare that to now, where if I want the latest news on agents, editors, and market trends, all I have to do is explore the children's lit blogs. Finding a place to submit a manuscript is done by checking one of the many reliable online lists. Agents have blogs, websites, and do interviews on other blogs and websites, so when I submit to them I no longer feel like I'm tossing my words out into the dark. And when I submit an electronic query letter, I can start getting responses in less than an hour.
And that's just the publishing end. What about the writing? There's a plethora of information on the internet on how to craft a novel. I can look up punctuation rules. I can download free worksheets to help me with my plot structure. And many of my favorite critique partners are people I only know through the internet, while others I met at conferences or workshops and now keep in touch with across the country via e-mail. That's not to mention all the random research I've done on the internet. Do I need to know how telephones looked in 1958? Do I need to know how to make home-made gunpowder? It's only a few clicks away.
So what will come of all this collective information about writing and publishing? Is it going to produce better books than we've ever seen in the past? Will we now be able to reach higher than those classics that were scratched out alone and in the dark, scrawled longhand on paper or typed in dusty library basements on rented typewriters? Or will we find ourselves boggled by all of these voices telling us how to do it right, telling us what they want to see? Will books become one monotonous shout, purged of all adverbs, passive voice, and extraneous passages, formulated on a three-act plot structure and bristling with hooks to keep the reader turning empty pages? Or do we all now have access to the tools that will empower us to light the world with the fire of our minds?
Only you can decide.
Here's another question (or two): Will books be better because those who may have shied away from the difficulty before are now researching, writing, and publishing with ease? Or will they be worse because they are won so easily? Hmm...
ReplyDeleteEasy? Did you say something about this being easy? It may be easy to upload your book to CreateSpace, but if you want anyone to notice you... that ain't gonna be easy. You still have to produce quality work, and now you get to be your own marketing department as well. Whee.
DeleteBut that's an interesting question. As the volume of books available goes up due to self-publishing, will the average quality go down?
I personally think the quality is going up because more serious writers are attracted by the money. (And not just because I've joined the ranks. :))
DeleteI think it's similar to movies - it's "easier" now to have lavish special effects, because of technology advances. But are the stories any better because of it? No. That remains a craft that has to be learned the hard way.
From the storyteller's flickering campfire to the filmmaker's flickering digital projector, it's all about story.
DeleteI read a fascinating article about how leaps in civilization have occurred primarily when connections between people became more frequent/common/easy. First it was trade routes (by land and by sea), then the advent of the book, then by telegraph communication, and now the internet. In all instances, it was the collective shared knowledge that allowed society (and standard of living) to advance.
ReplyDeleteI think it is no different in fiction. Here's to lighting the world with the fire of our minds! :)
I like how you put that, Sue! I can't wait to see what our next generation of authors will produce.
DeleteDid I say "easy"? I meant easiER. ;-)
ReplyDeleteUsing the internet has helped me tremendously. I know there are negatives, but the positives far outweigh it. I love easy access to any kind of information, being able to interact with other writers - no matter where they live, and the latest in everything - all through a few key clicks. I'm a solid thumbs-up.
ReplyDeleteI love the internet. I love being able to research things with the click of the mouse. And I love being able to connect with like-minded peeps. :)
ReplyDelete