It’s long been nerd-cool to covet indie film and music, shop in indie stores and guffaw knowingly when someone quotes a little Chris Morris’ schtick. So it seems apt and overdue for indie-books to shine like crazy diamonds. (See my previous post Underdogs Avoiding the Slush Pile for further digital reasons).
There are two factions of self-publishers stomping hooves with their steeds on the dusty horizon. Those who see it as an alternative route into eventual commercial publishing (50 Shades of Erotic Cliché is the new Dan Brown, y’all) and the true believers who know when the Apocalypse Cometh, they will be chosen to lead the zombie revolt.
I don’t look down my nose (from my high horse in my ivory tower) at those who sell out, so-to-speak. It’s the same with any artsy thing. They’re your life choices, you’ll lose a few fans and gain a few fans. Do any of us know we would do the noble thing when faced with a massive bag of money and a potential interview slot on Richard & Judy (R.I.P)?
I’m the kind of nutsy chick who craves self-employment and making small ripples in the pool of independent creative culture. Other pen-monkeys are better suited to full-time writing, letting someone else sell their work to the deserving masses. Staying indie means working doggedly for the rest of your life, evolving with the changing times and potentially needing a day job to fall back on now and then. While this may be a more rewarding way to live your life, not everyone is cut out for it.
Our publishing sphere is very much in flux and the real Goliath gobbling the self-publishing pounds is still Amazon. Kudos to them for being at the forefront of the new wave, but we must hope we don’t all end up as insignificant little cogs in the Amazon wheel. As a book-buyer I know it’s very easy to find what you’re looking for in a digital one-stop-shop, but as independent local bookstores are a dying breed, if you want to put a little more ethical thought into your shopping bag at least try BookFinder.com which search unusual literary items for you on the interwebs and help find indie e-stores and original sellers.
Social media and the blogosphere have unleashed great power to the intrepid creative to be able to find that sweet little niche market for their art. But the internet makes us lazy. We have smart phones to do our thinking for us and GPS to map the way. It’s the same old story with all independent culture, if we switch off for too long we may wake in a land of 24hr entertainment filler. Being force-fed the same brain candy like unwilling geese destined to be the smear of leftover foie gras on the fat cat’s ungrateful lips.
My esteemed little humanoids, it will soon be time for the zombie revolt. Be ready.
For more info on my self-publishing project and further creative co-operative fluffiness visit https://beesmakehoneycc.wordpress.com/
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