So, I've been reading a lot of Indie books recently...
And by 'reading a lot of indie books' I mean reading the free samples on Amazon, and I am somewhat perturbed.
Now, i am not the most confident of people. I lack a self confidence in my writing and general life that many seem to have in abundance. I struggle to sell my book (soon to be books) as I don't actually think it's that good. Or rather, i think it could be better.
But having read the first 2 or 3 chapters of some 'amazon best sellers' I'm quietly confident that what we write here in the colony is superior in almost every aspect, and that is due in huge part to the critiques we give each other.
No empty platitudes.
No holding back.
And, although it stings, it makes the writing better., and for that I am immensely grateful, because I just finished reading the sample chapters of an Amazon #1 best seller where all three of the starting sentences started with a fronted adverbial, the MC breaks his ankle (author describes the foot as 'facing the wrong way) from simply tripping on a curb, and a character not previously introduced or described is hit by a truck and we're supposed to feel sad about it.
Yesterday, I read a book with over 1000 five star reviews that, although written quite well, had a nonsense story full of plot contrivances that didn't make a whole lot of sense if put under the slightest scrutiny.
*Sorry, I warned you all this was a rant*
What I'm getting at, is a lot of these books feel under baked. Like the author had feedback and chose to ignore it, or didn't seek feedback at all (or looked for it in the wrong place), and kicked the story out the door without a coat on.
Maybe I'm just a snob, or perhaps I'm jealous of their success, but it irks me in ways I cannot put into words.
Trad pub has standards, and so should Indies. Some of these authors are on X blaming 'the market' as the reason they couldn't get a deal, when in reality, their story is just... Fuck it, I'll say it; it's shit.
Do i think my stories are amazing? No. I constantly worry that I'm disappointing people who buy them. I didn't get an agent for a reason, and that reason was not the nebulous 'market'.
But do I think my story is the best I can do?
Also no.
I'm getting better each time I sit at the computer, I'm always learning new writing rules and techniques.
But do I think it was the best I could do at the time? Yes, and that is due to the work I and others put into it.
So when I see a post on X saying beta readers are irrelevant and then read their piss poor attempt at writing, it makes me somewhat mad. Especially, since that writing as an average rating of 4.5 and 1000s of reviews.
Sorry. This has been long winded and I'm more angry at myself for not believing in my own writing. I don't push it, because i don't believe in it. But next to some of these 'best sellers' it's practically Shakespeare.
Rant over.
Roast me in thread lol.
J
And by 'reading a lot of indie books' I mean reading the free samples on Amazon, and I am somewhat perturbed.
Now, i am not the most confident of people. I lack a self confidence in my writing and general life that many seem to have in abundance. I struggle to sell my book (soon to be books) as I don't actually think it's that good. Or rather, i think it could be better.
But having read the first 2 or 3 chapters of some 'amazon best sellers' I'm quietly confident that what we write here in the colony is superior in almost every aspect, and that is due in huge part to the critiques we give each other.
No empty platitudes.
No holding back.
And, although it stings, it makes the writing better., and for that I am immensely grateful, because I just finished reading the sample chapters of an Amazon #1 best seller where all three of the starting sentences started with a fronted adverbial, the MC breaks his ankle (author describes the foot as 'facing the wrong way) from simply tripping on a curb, and a character not previously introduced or described is hit by a truck and we're supposed to feel sad about it.
Yesterday, I read a book with over 1000 five star reviews that, although written quite well, had a nonsense story full of plot contrivances that didn't make a whole lot of sense if put under the slightest scrutiny.
*Sorry, I warned you all this was a rant*
What I'm getting at, is a lot of these books feel under baked. Like the author had feedback and chose to ignore it, or didn't seek feedback at all (or looked for it in the wrong place), and kicked the story out the door without a coat on.
Maybe I'm just a snob, or perhaps I'm jealous of their success, but it irks me in ways I cannot put into words.
Trad pub has standards, and so should Indies. Some of these authors are on X blaming 'the market' as the reason they couldn't get a deal, when in reality, their story is just... Fuck it, I'll say it; it's shit.
Do i think my stories are amazing? No. I constantly worry that I'm disappointing people who buy them. I didn't get an agent for a reason, and that reason was not the nebulous 'market'.
But do I think my story is the best I can do?
Also no.
I'm getting better each time I sit at the computer, I'm always learning new writing rules and techniques.
But do I think it was the best I could do at the time? Yes, and that is due to the work I and others put into it.
So when I see a post on X saying beta readers are irrelevant and then read their piss poor attempt at writing, it makes me somewhat mad. Especially, since that writing as an average rating of 4.5 and 1000s of reviews.
Sorry. This has been long winded and I'm more angry at myself for not believing in my own writing. I don't push it, because i don't believe in it. But next to some of these 'best sellers' it's practically Shakespeare.
Rant over.
Roast me in thread lol.
J
