Another author friend of mine wrote a blog this weekend that
got me thinking. Here’s the original
blog, and here is the blog
that blog references… confused yet. I’ll wait while you go read…
Back now? Great! Let’s continue.
The topic of discussion is about titles and if someone
should hold it or not. It’s a topic that comes under debate between the two
factions of Indie and Traditionally published authors. Who really deserves to
be called what and why. Personally, I think we all need to quit sticking our
noses into other people’s businesses and get to the business at hand… just keep
writing. But, because it’s such a hot button issue, why not take a moment to
suss out the bottom line.
Writers write things. Look it up. That’s the definition.
Authors write books. Again look it up.
So the part that bothers people is the fact that anyone can
write a book these days and publish it online and POD (Print On Demand).
My assumption is that there is some inferiority complex at
play here. Those in the camp of “Indie authors are not real authors” are
somehow threatened by the fact that there are more and more people publishing these
days. That perhaps it somehow devalues their own work.
Writing is tough work. Bottom line. To pen a novel of 60-80k
words takes a lot of effort. The time involved in crafting a story is no small
feat. It is time consuming. Even at a paltry 500 words a day, the time to write
just a first draft would be 160 days. That’s just a first draft. Revisions,
editing, layout and formatting, not to mention marketing of the book, all of
these are time consuming. Those that get into this business don’t do it for the
money, because it just isn’t there. They get into it because they love to tell
stories. They want to share those stories with the world.
And I’ll bet that same bottom line is true for the
Traditionally published authors as well. Their road to published work is very
similar. They too take the time to craft the story, edit, revise, before
submitting it to be published.
We’re all on the same team, no matter how different a road
we take to getting our words out there. So, why the hate? Why do we have to squabble
over labels? So there are plenty of us out there? Does it really make a
difference if I call myself a Professional Author or a Writer?
Nope. Not one damn bit. I’ll call myself whatever I want,
and so should you. Now, quit bickering and get back to what matters… crafting
your story.
Go Write something.