I Think It Was Better Back Then
A Saturday Rant 11-17-01
I THINK IT WAS BETTER BACK THEN
I first got into publishing in 1979 after reading Dan Poynter’s “little red”
book, The Self-Publishing Manual .While I was a member of COSMEP and a local
San Francisco publishers group, I didn’t have all that much contact with
publishers… mainly because there weren’t all that many of us.
In the early 90s the industry started to take-off, due in part to the
availability of the Macintosh (I had an early SE) which gave birth to many book
designers who could format a book and do a cover in far less time and for far
less money than the “old fashioned” methods. And it came to pass that writers
learned how to use word processors, page composition programs, and graphic
layout software. The equipment or the services were cheaper than before and
anyone with a few thousand dollars could get their book printed.
While I don’t miss the old, high-priced, technology, what I do miss is the
“soul” of the early publishers. Most of us were writers…. and there is
something special about writers…. or at least there used to be.
I don’t think there were as many serious writers fifteen years ago as there are
today, because back then there were not nearly as many markets. It took
virtually forever to publish a book, there were fewer publishers because it took
a mountain of money to get into the business, and there were few resources
available to learn the business.
Thus, publishers were “special.” So many of us went into publishing as writers,
and as such we had a “literary soul.” I don’t know how to describe that, I
really don’t. To me a writer is a seeker of truth, someone who, as Jefferson
said, is not afraid to follow the truth no matter where it might lead. And one
of the main “ingredients” of the publisher’s “soul” was an innate ability to
“give and take.”
We “early” small publishers, were far more laid-back. We didn’t have the hard
edge of “intolerance” that so many of those today have. We were not afraid to
raise controversial issues for fear that we might not be politically correct
enough for our fellow publishers.
We could take a punch as well as give one. If someone said or wrote something
that we disagreed with, we didn’t beat the hell out of them in person or even in
the NYT Letters to the Editor venue. We accepted it as gospel that WE were the
keepers of the culture and that it was our mission to provide a full spectrum of
opinions, ideas, topics, subjects, genres, etc., unlike the electronic media
that catered to whatever audience would buy the products of the sponsors.
Where are we now? Last week on the Pub-Forum (http://www.pub-forum.net/ ) there
was a huge food-fight because I dared to raise a topic that people found
objectionable. And I dared to criticize a colleague for taking a position
concerning an issue that is long past. And then I dared to express my opinion
that a well-known publicist (M. Yudin) was acting like a spoiled brat in her
“good-bye… you’re not good enough for me” announcement. Well, I was bombarded
with criticism, asked to leave the Pub-Forum, and was harshly criticized by men
like Tom Williams (of PubMart) and G. Heard (of MarketNow,) along with a large
number of newbie publishers (as well as a few vets.)
What has happened to publishing (besides the mega-corporatization of the
industry) is that a large group of born-again assholes, have joined our ranks
and who wish to enforce all sorts of political correctness paradigms on the rest
of us.
While publishing has always attracted “thinkers” and “activists” from the
fringes of the political spectrum, in the past these fringe elements were
willing to accept an “if you don’t agree with me, that’s OK, you’re still a good
person” attitude. Now you have guys like Heard and Williams who seek to drum out
of the industry anyone whom they feel is not “as correct” as they are. Their
attitude is that if they can shout down any opposing viewpoints that maybe their
positions will get greater inspection by those who are left.
I think it’s sad that our industry has lost the prime directive that we once
had; to allow everyone the use of the hall, and to champion the cause of freedom
of expression, not just freedom for the Heards and Williams and Hudgins of the
industry to be allowed to speak.
For those of you who want to see what our industry has degenerated into, you
need only go to the archives of the Pub-Forum (www.yahoogroups.com) and see what
I mean. You will not see the gentle “good nature” of people who disagree, but
instead you will see hateful posts like those of Heard, MacDonald, and Gadalla
that are a testament to what I have said above.
My only cause for hope is that most of the born-assholes are vendors (like Heard
and Williams). But there are still an awful lot of new publishers who are more
suited for life in the Third Reich or Stalinist Russia than in the company of
publishers of the “old school.” You only have to read into the attitude of
Barbara Hudgins to see what I mean.
Those of us who have been around a while are not afraid to speak out. But we
also don’t take ourselves so seriously as to try to silence those who speak
against us. If you are interested and you take the time to look at those who
call this industry “home,” I think you will see that we have strayed very far
from the Jeffersonian ideals that I always thought this industry was based upon.
To all publishers who take great pleasure in “beating up” their opponants
and then gloating about it….
Geoffrey, Tom, Moustafa, et.al., let me tell you a little story if I may.
When I was in college (U.Va ’69) I worked on the paper and very early during one
of our football seasons, I think it was the second game, we played Alabama where
the legendary Bear Bryant was the coach. I got to sit on the Alabama bench and
cover the game from that angle. Bryant was more than a football coach but
actually a national figure and the paper thought that we should have an
interview with him as well. I got to meet most of the players, and the theme of
my story was going to be about the second and third string guys. So I spent a
lot of time with them before the game doing interviews, as well as having a
short talk with the coach (who gave the usual “we have to play them one game at
a time…. Virginia is a good team (yeah right!)… this will be a tough game
(what are you smokin’ in that pipe, coach?)….we expect a real
challange…yada, yada, yada.”)
Alabama always had good teams back then and because of that, often their second
string didn’t get much “action.” Well, in this game the starting running back
became injured and Bear put in a young sophomore (back then I don’t think
freshmen were eligible) who had never been in a college game before. (In fact
the boy’s name was Jeffrey… isn’t that how you pronounce your name?)
This young guy was really charged up, he ran out on the field, I’d say at about
the 20 yard line of Alabama, got in the huddle and you could tell that this was
his life’s dream come true. Playing in a real game under Bear Bryant. This was
IT for him. He knew he was not big enough to make the pros, and this might be
the only chance he ever got to play. He was rockin’. He was excited. On fire!
This was going to be the biggest day in his life.
The huddle broke, the team lined up and the ball was snapped. The QB did a
pump-fake, turned to his left and handed the ball off to Jeff. Jeff did a
head-fake and got around the Virginia right guard. He slanted toward the center,
spun and eluded a couple of Virginia’s linemen. One of the linebackers got a
hold of him, but he broke free. He charged right through the Virginia line into
the backfield. He then picked up a huge block from his own blocking back… and
there was daylight…. lots of daylight. And he ran, and he ran, … he ran
faster than a chicken with the Colonel behind him. It was an 80 yard touchdown.
The fans went nuts. (In Alabama back then football was close to a religion…
and a touchdown was akin to the second coming!)
When he got into the end-zone, the young man started doing cart-wheels… end
over end cart-wheels. He was jumping up and down and was making quite a “scene.”
This was before the common practice that pros have of spiking the ball and doing
an end-zone dance. Jeff was dancing, and jumping and rolling on the ground. He
was so excited that his teammates had to drag him off the field… still holding
the ball.
I was standing next to Bear Bryant when the young man came up to the legend. The
old coach put his arm around the young man and said “Son, next time you get into
the end-zone, try to act like you’ve been there before, OK?”
Jeff and I looked at each other and we immediately knew that we had been given a
“life lesson” by one of the great “teachers” of all time.
So Geoffrey (et.al.), I wanted to share that same lesson with you because in life it is
just as important to be graceful in victory as it is in defeat. And you never
know when those whom you defeat today, you will want as allies at a later time.
Try to be graceful in victory.
Geoffrey, you will win some and lose some.
You will get in the end-zone from time to time.
Please try to act like you’ve been there before, OK?
CAN PUBLISHING BE A FULL-TIME JOB?
From my earliest Rants I’ve said over and over again that this is one tough
business. And I think you have to be very skilled and a bit “lucky” for it to
earn you a full-time income commensurate with the time and energy you put into
it.
My advice to all small publishers, especially to those starting out, and to
those who are making money, but not a lot of it, is to treat publishing as a
second income or endeavor. Don’t quit your day job. Or more importantly, develop
other income areas.
I learned this from Dan Poynter (www.parapub.com) as well as from Mary
Westheimer (www.bookzone.com). You need to have your ass on more than one pot
(I think Dan might put it that way, but I’m sure Mary wouldn’t. Sorry Mary!)
Many of you think that I’m a super-successful book publisher. While our books do
OK, they don’t generate enough revenue for me to keep my very expensive version
1.0 wife (who is disabled and on Social Security). In addition to selling
books, I also sell software (PUB123: see link below) and I often work as a
computer consultant (contract programmer) for various CA state agencies or
business clients where I can earn between $65 and $120 an hour depending on the
project… and on my current project I’m doing about 100/hrs a month at $80/hr.
And when I’m not doing the above, I make some money doing freelance or
commercial writing… just as I said in my Success From Home: The Writing
Business book as well as my Silver Pen book.
If you can find a niche market and become a “force” in it, such as Pat Johnston
has done at Perspectives Press, that’s great. But many of us are not able to do
that… or don’t want to work as hard as Pat does to make that happen. So I
recommend that you have several irons in the fire and learn how to multi-task.
I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE to LEARN A TRADE. I don’t
care what happens with the economy, there is always work around for someone who
has a trade-skill. Look at me. I’m a computer programmer. There is no glamour
here. It’s just a skill… one anyone can learn if they are interested. Believe
me, it’s not much different (and a hell of a lot easier and cleaner) than being
a plumber. I tell people to go back to school and learn how to do something they
think would be fun and which has some kind of demand for. I’ve never known a
hairdresser to starve to death. I’ve never known a short-order cook to go
hungry. I’ve never known a house painter to not have work. I’ve never known a
tailor to be broke. And I’ve known people in all of these trades who were ALSO
publishers.
If you can combine your income from publishing with something else, you can have
a really good life. And what is even better is to publish about something that
you also DO. (This is why I publish $99 technical books… because I’m in the
technology sector and I know that companies will pay this kind of money for the
right material.)
If you don’t know what you want to do, and if you are at mid-life looking for a
change or looking to make some extra money, find an area that is expanding…
such as healthcare or electronics, or security, or animal care, or any kind of
maintenance and go back to school and learn the trade. You can learn how to be a
programmer in less than 18 months. Cooking and catering can be learned. You can
get an insurance or real estate license without too much work. Dog grooming is
always in demand. I know one guy who spent ten months reading about and learning
everything about how refrigerators and air-conditioners worked and became a
refrig/AC. fix-it guy… and he makes a hell of a lot of money (he’s genetically
engineered to move these heavy things!) I know a writer/editor on THIS LIST that
each of you would know who spent over a year taking classes and reading books
and learning the software so that they can be a web-designer. And they are doing
pretty good at it (they’re good too!). Finally, those who can write should take
a look at the book I wrote on how to start a writing business. It’s on our web
site. Same for our book on home based word processing.
The important thing is to NOT be dependent on just one economic endeavor… like
one book… for your income. Look at all the different services that the
Mistress of Bookzone offers. The only person in this business who has more money
than Mary is Dan (the man) Poynter. And look at all the different ways Dan has
of earning a living.
Sure, if you can hit it big and have a sustaining book biz, that’s great. But
sorry to say I’m not sure that is a realistic outcome for most of us in this
industry.
When I first wrote this it was Monday, the Veteran’s day holiday,
my state agency client was closed. I was not be able to bill for
the several hours I would be there on Monday for. But I sold two PUB123 programs
@ $149 each that morning and got an order for our MoveIT book. So not a bad day
all in all… and it was only 10:15 AM.
See what I mean. Have multiple sources of income, even if some of them don’t do
all that much. Taken together over the year, they will mount up and maybe even
YOU can afford to upgrade from Wife 1.0 to Wife 2.0. (The restocking fee is very
high, and you have to buy all new hardware and software as well. Plus, there are
a lot of installation problems to deal with. The old rabbi asks: Why are Jewish
divorces so expensive? As the Talmud answers: They’re worth it!)
Alan N. Canton
Publishing and Computer Wizard (Hogwats ’74)
Adams-Blake Company
Fair Oaks, CA
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