Alright, so I’m talking to my dad on the phone yesterday, and he says there’s this article in the Columbus Dispatch about writers and e-books that I should check out. I go online and I find the article (the link for which I include below). The article, titled “Not 2 Be Missed; So you want to write for a living?”, talks about how most authors, particularly mystery, thriller and romance writers, used to publish one book a year.
According to the article, not anymore.
With e-books, and our youth becoming so fixated on having the latest stuff now, authors are pressed by their publishers to put out more novels, and even short stories and novellas, in order to keep interest in them and to keep sales up (the biggest concern for any company or manufacturer). It’s a sound strategy, as a teen with an iPad or Nook might be more interested in buying a 99 cent short story first rather than a $14 dollar e-book or a $26 hardcover. And heck, a short story is a good way to get people excited for the novel, right?
In an age where we’re used to getting what we want in an instant at the tip of our fingers, it’s made things harder for writers to say the least. Getting the novel just right (or just “done”, as my English teacher in high school would’ve said), has taken a backseat to meeting demand and keeping attention on yourself.
I’m trying to enter the industry at an interesting time.
Rami Ungar The Writer 