Kevin’s Corner
Is it just me? I ask because the last week has seen a succession of strange events in my online world. I’m not really mad at anyone but rank all of this under the category of life’s petty little annoyances.
After reviewing for a number of years now, I have certain expectations. One of which is for my work to be taken seriously and appreciated. No, I’m not perfect and very well aware that I am far from it. But, if you want my work and you want it for free, as everyone seems to do, then you better have something in it for me to make up for not paying me. I have paid my dues and then some by this point. I’ve just had to turn down a gig I had accepted because it became clear that my work was not going to appear in the print version of the magazine.
No, I’m not going to name them or explain the rational I was given, but it was something I could not swallow under any circumstances. And it wasn’t, as some may feel, that I turned it down because a certain “reviewer” was and is given print access. While she and I see many books that we both have read differently as well as quite a few eyeball to eyeball as it were, that wasn’t the point. Heck, I admire her ability to read that fast. It must be nice.
The point was that my work and efforts were clearly not going to be valued the way I felt they should be at this point in my career. I don’t need “exposure” on yet another site. The whole point of joining this specific team and working for them was to get my work in print. This blog, as well as cyber sites in general just are not seen as important on the old resume as a print market. That is the plain hard truth of the matter no matter what the cyber proponents shriek to the heavens. I have had more than one editor point out to me that cyber outlets come and go and there is no stability and often no quality control.
Now, I have argued against that notion but like the argument a good friend of mine gives on the term POD, it really doesn’t matter. Perception is the key and when a print market editor feels that way, there isn’t much one can do to change his or her mind. Once I learned that what I had understood to be implied was not remotely true it became obvious that things weren’t going to work out after all.
That was disappointing but at least I knew now and not months from now. It served as the topping on what has been a strange few days. On a number of lists I am on, I have either been accidentally involved in an argument because something I said was twisted to fit someone else’s misperception of what I said or have watched a fight escalate between other list members over nothing. I have watched lists go wildly off topic and may in fact have also helped that along with a small comment or a joke.
Which brings home the point another good friend has made over the last year. Having read some of my efforts, he has commented repeatedly that what is holding me back is the fact that I spend way too much time on e-mail and discussions that really don’t matter. I’m on a number of writing lists because I keep thinking that somebody will pass on the secret that seems to be eluding me in terms of making sales. His contention is that what I need to do is get off the lists and work on my own stuff more. That I waste time reading list mail and will never find what I am looking for. He also argues that I should quit reviewing to focus on my own work.
I don’t know if he is right on that but I am beginning to think he is right about the list stuff. Especially since he has his book finished after a year and is shopping it and mine still sits here very much a rough draft in progress.
So, maybe it is just me. Maybe I am the one out of sorts with everyone else. I’d like to think not but as the sun rises to the east bringing yet another day of drought to North Texas, I’m beginning to wonder if it is a good idea to even check my e-mail.
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More next time and as always feel free to drop me a note here or at Kevin_tipple@att.net with your comments, observations, and suggestions.
Thanks for reading!
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
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2 comments:
At various points I've spent too much time on lists or message boards. I still pop in to various places and periodically skim over messages, but a little goes a long way. And really, is the latest discussion of POD, PublishAmerica, or definitions of "professional" going to be significantly different from the last one?
Re: print versus electronic, I like a mix. I agree, if you don't have things printed on dead trees, people are unlikely to take you seriously. But sometimes the electronic publications can be more stable and accessible than the print ones. Of course, my experience is all small press, so we're not talking big numbers anyway.
Lists: most likely not. In the last few days I have watched the same tired deals pop up again and have contributed to keeping them going. I keep reading them thinking something is going to be new but so far, not at all.
I don't have an expereince with the samll presses. The failure rate for both zines and paper seems about the same to me which may mean that my work can become the kiss of death.
Kevin
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