Jealousy runs rampant in publishing. What we want as authors is to have our stories read, to make an impact, to matter. Today’s social media outrage concerns Australian Luke Bateman, who landed a two-book publishing deal with Atria Books, even though he didn’t write anything previously. Read all about it here.
All the froth and venom over Bateman is natural for struggling writers, but consider he’s a former rugby player who appeared on The Bachelor Australia. He’s a minor celebrity and goes to the front of the line.
Publishing is a business. It’s about sales, promotions, and big names. Unfortunately, who the writer is matters more than writing quality and skill. Is it unfair? Yep. But that’s the way it goes. I’ve been writing for years with no success until my first book deal at 50. My last book sold 14 copies. If you have to depict my writing career, it would be a lone tumbleweed blowing through a vast expanse.
I’ve seen younger, attractive authors get everything I wanted: deals, fans, acclaim. I’ve paid my dues and still am invisible. So I understand the pangs of outrage when an unknown reaps a massive social media following and is handed the keys to the kingdom. Critics on social media have made it about Bateman’s race (he’s white), his gender (he’s male), and his sexual orientation (he’s cis). Cue the conspiracy theories. “Another mediocre cis white man gets a publishing deal.” Really?
I think the issue is bigger than that. We’re all trying to tell our stories. We sit at the keyboard and agonize over words like we’re wizards brewing some crazy alchemy. Writing is a brutal blood sport. Rejection is the necessary evil. Yet it makes me fly into a furious gorilla rage whenever the Luke Batemans of the world succeed with minimum effort. But publishing is a fickle bitch who cares not a whit about how hard you write. Luck plays a big part. Who you are and the gnere you write is also important.
Writers are fatalists. Some are nihilists. A few are optimists. But every one who succeeds does so by producing the best stories they can. It’s a slog. Most of the time it’s unrewarding. You’re hit with impostor syndrome, doubt, and depression. But every now and then you hit the right notes and create something truly remarkable. Your stories are worthy of another person’s attention and time. I’ve been doing this for a while, so I know there will be more Luke Batemans. There will be more writers catapulted to literary stardom when their social media posts go viral. Is it fair? Hell no. It just is. It’s the nature of this beastly business.
Most of us aren’t celebrities. We don’t have thousands of readers stalking us online and in real life. We do the best we can with whatever meager tools we possess. We don’t have a publicity team or great reach. And yet, against all odds, we’re still at it, pecking away, writing our heart’s desire. Keep that energy. Don’t let this deter you from creating. Dig in. Play the long game, you beautiful scribes. One day you’ll get what the Aussie hunk has (or a close proximity) but you’ll earn it.
Trek that doubt-strewn path to the summit. Learn from failure. Devour your cynicism. Live a writer’s life with bold conviction. When the day comes and you hold your book in your hands, think of how sweet the journey was and the people who helped along the way. Know that this industry can be shaky and superficial, and never quit on yourself. I wish you all the best of luck. Onward!
RIP Peter David
Peter David, a writer of comic books, novels, television, movies, and video games, died this week at the age of 68 following a series of health issues. Truly an iconic and influential writer, Peter’s work included The Incredible Hulk, Spiderman, X-Men, and Iron Man for Marvel and Batman and Swamp Thing for DC Comics. He also wrote for the following properties: Star Trek, Babylon 5, The Rocketeer, The Transformers, and Zorro.
His short story “A Christmas Prelude” appeared with my tale “Never Meet Your Heroes” in the anthology Three Time Travelers Walk Into… published by Fantastic Books. I am grateful for Peter including my story “One Potato, Two Potato…” in the multi-author story “Potato Moon” that appeared on his blog in 2009. It was the first time my fiction had been published online. I thank him for that opportunity. He will be missed by so many writers and fans. May his memory be a blessing.
The Noctambulist sent
I submitted my short story The Noctambulist to the publisher. If all goes well with the editing and layout, we should be seeing this gory mindbending horror-fest in the Dreamcaught anthology on June 21! I’m really proud of this one. The Noctambulist is the most unsettling thing I’ve ever written, a tribute to gore, psychological horror and writing. More details when it becomes available.
Eric Avedissian 