Anyone and everyone self-publish their own content these days. We can write our own articles and get published on sites like hubpages.com. One might wonder if this is an incredible revolutionary step in self expression, or an unfortunate dilution of the written word. I believe that self publishing is a truly good thing. I am obviously biased of course, but when has taking power out of the hands of big business and putting it back in the hands of common folk been a negative?
A person could struggle for years trying to get published through an agent, or they could type out their stories on e-publishing sites and get paid for doing what they love. Self publishing affords not only the rank amateur a chance to show their worth, it also gives the world so many new and diverse opportunities to explore other peoples’ minds. It’s not just writing that’s been opened up to the everyday Joe. Sites like YouTube allow anyone to become a videographer, star, director, cartoonist, musician, etc.
A new pantheon of unbridled creativity is sweeping the world, and all of society will reap the benefits. Not every self publishing author will be great, or even good. Some stars will be discovered, and many flash in the pan one shot wonders will entertain us during our lunch break.
I must note that many shows posted on social media sites are undeniably better written, funnier, and more creative than the recycled, copy the other guys’ formula shows that the big networks pump out season after season.
Sure, editing often leaves much to be desired in many of the electronics tomes that I’ve perused of late, but these freshman attempts are often entertaining enough to overlook such thing. I remember my wife sending out hundreds of copies of her stories to agencies and publishers, only to get replies stating that they don’t consider unsolicited works.
Now, we can bypass the problem of screeners who shoot down material because they don’t think it has enough mass appeal. I personally don’t care so much about how many copies I sell, as I do about just putting it all out there and knowing I did something creative.
Some may hope to make millions, and some may hope for stardom, which some talented souls actually achieve, but many just want an outlet to be heard or seen. They now have the ability to say to the world whatever they want, and to show them just what they can do.
There is no longer the excuse of not trying because it won’t get published or screened anyway, and no one will ever see it. You can write and submit on your lunch break, or before bed, so now your parents will have a harder time yelling at you to quit wasting your time and money on silly dreams that’ll never come true. Now you can show them your works, and how many hits you got, or how many e-copies you’ve already sold. My first e-published article got about 1004 hits and 19 or so comments. I made almost ten dollars for twenty minutes worth of therapeutic venting. I don’t think I’ll ever quit my day job, but having a few published articles and stories, I can check one more thing off of my bucket list. That awesome smiling dude they called Sachmo (Louis Armstrong) said it well when he sang “And I think to myself — What a wonderful world!”