Dancing on a Limb

I need a minute of your time, maybe two. I have an opinion and a few crumbs for thought. Let me back track for just bit, hang on to the sissy-bar, gonna do a 360 spin-o-rama.

Many years ago, in the dark confines of my bedroom I discovered the Hardy Boys, the first 'real' books I read on my own, not counting Dr. Seuss and the like. After the initial three books, I was hooked, so much so in fact that I started making up stories about Frank and Joe. Sounds familiar to many I am sure, its what kids do. Then I found SF and Fantasy and I did little half page stories about rocket ships and lasers, swords and hobbits. I got into music, into poetry and started doing that.

Then I started sending out poems after some encouragement in college. They got accepted, usually for a contributors copy at best, but soon enough for real cash. I helped edit a poetry mag, ran the contest section, all small press, all for the love of poetry. I started sending out more poems, more rejections with the occasional acceptance. Then I started with the short stories and got a couple in small press.

Then I wrote a lot of fan fiction because I got into Warhammer and gaming(even owned a game store) and still puttered with poetry and other stuff. Oh and during all of this, the Great American Novel was started, pitched, restarted and pitched into the closet, lot of false starts there, but still going strong. The dream ebbed and flowed until about a year ago, then I went out on a limb.

I started blogging, cause I read some good stuff and thought it would help break the block I was in currently. So far, that wretched beast is cowering in the corner, still there but not the big powerful demon it once was. Then I started the cycle again in earnest. Sending out poetry and short stories, even got a few poems accepted. The short stories have not made a dent. No big deal, carrying on. I got into NaNoWriMo to jump start the novel writing, it worked.

In all of that hectic past year I got a Facebook account, the kids conned me into it and I'll admit it has been fun, I dig it. I have made some good connections and reconnected with some old friends, all cool. I also got into Twitter(curse you Wil Wheaton!) and seriously, it is the coolest thing. The old guy who still pines for his Brother Electric Typewriter hit the modern age. Oh what an eye opener, and I can't say enough about the good it has done for me.

Which brings me to the point of the post. Sorry, I am long winded..

My thoughts on publishing are changing. My thoughts on what I want to do, the goals, everything is changing. At one time, my goal was to get a story in Asimov's, get my rocket story in the mag! It still is, but not as crazy I am going to break in if I have to camp out in NYC and hang at their offices until they buy a story just to make the crazy guy go away thing. Maybe another mag will buy a story, maybe I'll travel another path, who knows. It has left the 'end all be all' stage.

Same thing with the novel. I always wanted go find an agent, get them to take me and the novel and go sell it to a big publishing house and then I could go to Barnes & Noble and go drool at the shelf. Okay I would probably weep, but well.. you get the picture. That is kind of changing too.

I don't know if what I do is good enough. I don't know where I am going or the changes that may come. I do know I will not give up. The time for being a dilettante is gone. Time to get crackin and see what I can see. My mind, my thoughts are changing. My goals, my ideas, they are a changing. This is good.

I need to thank the tweeps I follow for inspiration and for waking me up, for helping me understand and giving me choices, showing the way. If you are reading this and you are of like mind, then by all means, go follow me on Twitter at @paddyfestus. Go see who I am following, join the discussion, see what you can see, wander. Go out on a limb, there is plenty of room for everyone. I did and now I am dancing.

Footnote time. The following is a partial list, a good starting point and they have my thanks.

@jennybeanses, @Melzer, @JeremyCShipp, @michbek, @chrisbowsman, @jchutchins, @KateSherrod, @sethharwood, @RonEarl, @MattFnWallace, @mightymur

Just a taste my friends, a few of the many, go forth and discover. Egads! It's like its follow Friday in here, but for all of that, it is true. Seriously, as I go forth, the list will grow, the coolness factor will go beyond the red line. Some where along the way, its gonna happen. Persistence. Choices.

New publishing models, new ideas, its all there. Welcome to the 'net. Time to go get measured for the new uniform, I hope they have boots in size 9 for very wide hobbit feet.. Oh and I want a green light saber to go with the green dragon.. I wonder if they have spiffy cards with the Rebel Alliance logo on em for junior members..

Comments

[Jenny Hudock]

Changing the way we as writers think about publishing isn't easy at all, but as the times change, so must we. You can have a green light saber. Mine is pink. :D

[Patrick]

Change is good. I wish I could have put the argument or at least this post more eloquently then I did. Perhaps an ongoing thing is the ticket.