Man, I love Star Wars. And judging from the comments in the Pay It Forward post, you do too! (Though no one seems to agree with me that Revenge Of The Sith is a better film than Return Of The Jedi...that sounds like a future post about the tenants of storytelling and conflict to me!) That's fantastic, because I had this next post planned before I got all those comments, but hopefully you'll get a kick out of this.
It dawned on me that, in a really simplified way, the old guard of the publishing industry is an awful lot like the Jedi Order. The ability to self-publish is a bit like being a Sith. The Jedi are all about rules and discipline and work while the Sith are inwardly focused and driven by passion. (If you want to go super-nerdy, I refer you to the Code Of The Sith and the Code Of The Jedi as first introduced in the fantabulous video game Knights Of The Old Republic). Again, I'm dumbing down the whole publishers/self-publishing thing, but after marathoning all six Star Wars films in a weekend with my fellow-geek wife, some quotes stuck out to me. See what you think...and remember, as Palpatine says, "Good is a point of view, Anakin. The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power."
For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. Before the dark times. Before the Empire.
-Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode 4: A New Hope
How long has the publishing industry been around? Long enough that F. Scott Fitzgerald got asked for revisions prior to publication. Does this make publishing the good guy or bad guy? The way I see it, yes, it's difficult to get published, but the counterpoint to that is that they prevent the market with being purely flooded with crap. The emergence of digital distribution and publish-on-demand technology, though, has created a paradigm shift that the industry failed to properly anticipate.
I think it is time we informed the Senate that our ability to use the Force has diminished.
-Mace Windu in Episode 2: Attack Of The Clones
To say publishing has changed is an understatement. And as with many big companies, the Big Six have had varying degrees of success keeping up with changes of the digital revolution -- and with shifting revenue schemes, new market paradigms, and evolving roles in the agent/editor/writer relationship, the individual writer has more power than ever before. How do they handle it?
The Sith rely on their passion for their strength. They think inward, only about themselves.
-Anakin Skywalker in Episode 3: Revenge Of The Sith
Self-publishing is a solo effort. Everything, from editorial to marketing, is a self-generated venture. That's why so many self-pubbed novels hit the e-reader market and go nowhere. To really deliver success as a self-publishing venture, you either have to be extremely lucky or you have to essentially have a second job devoted solely to marketing. And even then, it's no guarantee, but your passion must drive it.
The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be...unnatural.
-Chancellor Palpatine in Episode 3: Revenge Of The Sith
Some "writers" were never meant to be read by the outside world. Grammar, storytelling, character, and other issues simply aren't their thing -- and perhaps, they rushed into the publishing world without taking the time to really hone their skills or get proper feedback. But without the gateway of the publishing industry, these works are now public, making relatives of poor writers all over the world smile through gritted teeth.
Is the Dark Side stronger?
No. Quicker, easier, more seductive.
-Luke Skywalker and Yoda in Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back
Let's face it -- even if you've resisted self-publishing, there's a really good chance you've at least thought about it. And why not? There's always that burst of confidence that says, "Just for this moment, I know I can produce and market something people will buy." And some people can, though the whole thing is a bit of a crapshoot. Is it easier? Sure it is -- to start. But...
Once you start the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you, it will.
-Yoda in Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back
Do you want to do all the marketing, all the publicity, all the design, on top of actually writing? And don't forget the editing and formatting part. Consume you? You don't have a support staff of experienced professionals working a network of contacts and vendors to give your book the very best chance it can get. Writing already consumes all of us, but the actual business of selling an self-pubbed book requires about twice as many hours in the day.
You refer to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the Force. You believe it's...this boy?
-Mace Windu in Episode 1: The Phantom Menace
At some point, agents and publishing companies will determine what the right balance is to work with, not against, the self-publishing market. You could argue that we're on the verge of this, as some traditionally published authors are now maintaining e-distribution rights and profits. Social media is also allowing publishing companies and agencies new venues for finding talent outside of the same ol' query letter, such as blogs and contests. All entertainment is becoming increasingly targeted and fragmented, and with that, publishing companies have options when engaging audiences -- similarly, writers have a greater opportunity to reach the people who will really enjoy their work. There's a sweet spot somewhere, but where that is, we don't know yet.
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