The amount of publishers NOT accepting submissions or “unsolicited” manuscripts is, by all measures, ridiculous.

 

It seems that every other publisher is either flooded with submissions or simply cannot afford accepting any new ones. They’ve all got big back catalogues to go through. A phenomenon, in my opinion, that is rather dangerous in scale.

 

I mean, can this all really be true? Not one single publisher out there willing to take on manuscripts or submissions from writers? I wonder how many writers there are in the world? With this rate (and I’m stating one particular publisher’s quote that they’re receiving no less than TWENETY manuscripts per week! Another has a full editorial calendar and would only accept new submissions during the fourth quarter of 2006!!!), I’m guessing that a little over half of the population of the planet are writers, or at least people who at one point of the other decided to have a whack at this writing lark and jot themselves a novel and send it out to those “publisher” guys!

 

Flippin’ Heck! That’s wicked!

 

And I’m here talking mostly about the small-time publishers. I won’t even touch upon the big guns in the industry, oh no sir, these are too busy securing multi-million deals with people like Bill Clinton and Colin Powell and Robbie Williams!

 

How I feel sorry for those little publishing houses, you can’t blame them can you? They are small and their capabilities are limited, but I feel that they are the ones that are keeping at least a speck of hope to those “real” writers, new and unknown, who wouldn’t even be given a second glance by most major publishers.

 

But, now that I think of it, there might be some greater comfort for the like of us, us little pitiful writers. Think back and look at the great classics of our modern times. Most were either self-published by small-time authors.

 

One can draw comparison with that olden age when the greats of literature produced their finest works, only to be fully recognized by the common readers later on. Today, we might have he greatest masterpiece of our time already published, but we wouldn’t know of it. Because maybe it was self published or taken by a small publisher, using P.O.D. technology and such.

 

At least it will be there, perhaps to be found on an old stack of books, thrown in a cardboard box on the middle of a filthy street, fifty years from now, by a lonely reader eager to find a treasure in a book that is neither artificial nor commercial (something that is already becoming more of a rarity).

 

Our culture/history feeds on underground, on things “indie”. It celebrates the underdogs. Pop might be the master of the present, but it’s meant to be consumed instantly, chewed to the bone then tossed aside and forgotten about, leaving the scene empty for those more eccentric and “indie” like creatures, who are more than happy to wait it out, anticipate their moment and seizing it into their clutches.

 

If we implement the same concept to music it will be the equivalent of pop music against rock ‘n’ punk. Pop music might sell millions, but it is pointless, unoriginal, and consumer-driven and has nothing new to offer or say or add to human civilization and culture, on the other hand Rock ‘n’ Punk music has a purpose, is original, full of spirit, and certainly has something to say.

 

So, my fellow small-time, self-published writers, we may not be rich, and facing the facts, we may never be, but at least we are original; a thought that ought to keep us going longer than any “pop”ers around!

That's why blogs are proving much more powerful than even books! The internet in general has liberated creativity, but at the same time increased the banal and unworthy.

As for book publishing specifically, the time won't be too far in the future when we will by ebooks, load them on our phones or other mobile devices and read them at our leasure. once finished, print them onto optical media that will last centuries beyond mere paper and ink. The technology in fact is already here and has been for several years, ergo Adobe Acrobat.

Budding writers should consider this medium. "Holding a book" to read will soon be just a memory! :)

Which is a frighetning thought Mahmood! I'm all for benidng the technology to your heart's desires and making the most of it, but the thought of not being able to hold a book in your hands is quite aweful.

I actually wrote a short story, titled "Writers' Block", that deals with that specific issue. It's a sort of sci-fi, fantasy take on how the world will be without "printed books".

I know there's a big issue about saving our trees and reducing publications, and focusing more and more on ebooks and technologies such as P.O.D., (something that I'm all for and fully support), but I also hope that as a tradition "print" books will always be with us.

Cassette tapes have been replaces with CDs and video cassettes are now replaced with DVD's. And CD's are already being replacing with MP3 files! Books with ebooks? I know it is happening no doubt. And the world has no choice but to embrace it.

Very frightening thoughts indeed! Although CDs have been replaced, there is definitely a reason why books have not been replaced as quickly.

I don't think one can ever replace the feeling of a book in your hands. There's nothing like it!

so true, i've been looking into the way electronic libraries are vastly increasing their volumes which half saddens me to wonder whether real buildings will have to shut down because it would be too expensive to maintain a building with so many books and no readers?! I hope my children will be able to enjoy the library as much as I do now....
You have to admit, things are becoming more accessible to the public... with everything in the world becoming more accessible and more efficient, we're going to have to keep up with changing times and use to our advantage...
how is your writing going though? Was actually wondering whether I could come back to Bahrain and copyright some works... hmmm... too many ideas going through my head after a long day, i'll note you again sometime soon when my thoughts are more organized! :)

Real books will always survive because you can't read from your laptop or an ebook in the bathtub. Sand (reading on the beach) isn't too good for them either.

Have you ever read "Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Tool? The author, unfortunately, committed suicide at a young age. His mother found his handwritten manuscript of this book and took it from publisher to publisher, not giving up. Eventually, because of her persistence, a publisher read it. It won a Pulitizer prize. (And, depending on the nature of your sense of humor, is an incredibly funny and touching book). There is hope.

I agree with you Cowboy, Diya and Kate. Books just cannot be replaced and shouldn't be!

Diya, I feel your sentiment. Libraries are another thing on the decline, I'd hate to seem them suffer more than they already do. And as for my writing, it's been alright. Slow, but steady progress. Have you written anything by any chance? I know what you mean about organising your own thoughts, thats a tough one!

Kate, not I've not read that one but I'll be sure to look it up. Sounds intriguing. And yes, there is hope. There always will be.:)

to Kate: I have the book on my bookcase and found out he had committed suicide when I was looking for more of his work! it is a work of slapstick-satire and touching... Ali, it's great, pick it up if you have the chance!
I have been writing since a very young age, and would love to have something published some day soon... if only it would get my seal of approval first! :)
(and just to let you know, your book will be the first thing I pick up when I get back... when is still a question, but it definately will be on my bookcase soon!)

in fact, have changed my mind. . boring.

how funny, i never wrote that last comment...? :) guess i'll write under another name Ali, you'll know it's me i'm sure :)

how funny, indeed

It seems that we have ourselves a spammer! please go away!:P LOL

(Diya, don't worry... you're always welcome:))

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