Why We Write (with an apology to Frank Capra)

I recieved an e-mail this morning from a good friend and co-worker who had passed on an article about the real cost of self-publishing.  In it were little reminders as to how expensive such luxuries such as editing, layout, cover design, printing, promoting and distribution can be.  I looked into those costs as I was writing The Legacy of Miss Annie Darden Coggins and decided to take the route I took when it became time for me to 'publish'.

Funeral Homes and Pay Toilets make money on the same principal:  If ya gotta go, ya gotta go.  The same principal applies to any number of professions or pursuits.  One's vanity determines what one is willing to pay to pursue that vanity.  For twenty years, I pursued the vanity of thinking I could make lots of money as a radio announcer.  Mrs. Colonel Fair, my 9th grade English teacher thought so, and to this day I'm told that I have the voice to make a decent radio announcer.  I tried at the cost of living on 'minimum wage and all the records you can eat' - whence came the name of this blog.  So, as a writer, I've thrown away any concept that I can become rich overnight or that I can rub elbows with the like of Stephen King or the Rowling woman over in England.  I write for my own entertainment.  If someone else reads what I write and enjoys it, bully for me.  If I can buy lunch every once in a while from the proceeds of my writing... that much the better.

So far, my quest to write and publish a novel has cost me less than $200.00, three quarters of which were spent in a continuing education class led by novelist Patricia 'Pooks' Burroughs.  She is aware of my little adventure (and is probably reading this blog at this moment) and has given a word or two of encouragement outside of the class.  The lessons learned were invaluable.  I got a lot out of the class (which I would say even if she weren't reading this blog) and felt I got my money's worth.

My book isn't the best edited book there ever was.  There were a couple of (unintentional) grammatical errors somewhere... there was at least one continuity error and there were formatting gaps which were probably the result of several reformatting changes I made while writing and assembling the book.  The cover?  I had some ideas, but decided on the format (as well as the title) in the final hours before sending the book off to Amazon.  The title isn't up to snuff, either, at least in terms of brevity (fewer words the better according to author 'Pooks') - but on the other hand, the title and the sub-title (since when has that been used regularly) have created more than the original title (Finding Glenn Michaels) may have.

But I have a book.  It is mine.  I have done something.  Even if I am the only person who appreciates the book and the sequels I am writing, that's fine with me.  If you buy it, read it and enjoy it, so much the better.  Like the fellow who followed the elephants in the circus so that he could clean up after them said:  "Hey... at least I'm in show business!"

Be Seeing You!

bdharrell