To Print or Not to Print

For my entire life books have been printed on paper.  Every book I read before 2006 was read from words printed on paper.

At one point in history, printing mass quantities of written words on dead tree pulp was cutting edge, state-of-the-art technology.

That was a long time ago.

Now the thought of having to carry a clunky old book when I already have my phone with me seems silly.

I’m a computer programmer, so I’m not afraid of technology.  I’m also not afraid of change.

I never really liked paper books.  I always felt they were clumsy things, always having to hold them open, losing my place when the bookmark fell out, and I couldn’t read them in the dark without a clunky light attached.

In 2006 I bought a Palm Pilot with eReader installed.  I never bought another paper book after that.

I know people have a lot of excuses as to why they cling to their paper books.  Most of those excuses don’t hold any water logically; they tend to be security blankets.  ”Warm and fuzzies” that people are used to.

I’ve had a few people ask me for a paper copy of my book.  I haven’t put one together, even though printing through CreateSpace is actually a pretty viable option now.  I haven’t done it because I find it unnecessary.

eReaders are cheap.  The batteries last forever, they’re portable, and they hold a shit-ton of books.  In less than a minute damn near any book you want is ready to read.  And if you don’t want to buy a device, then use the phone you already own.  Kindle and other eReader apps are free.

If Henry Ford would would have coddled the Luddites who believed people should always ride horses, then we’d never have the car.  And, ironically enough, people still hanging on to paper books as the de facto standard don’t recommend that we go back to riding horses.  They’re fine with their cars, because they’ve grown up with them.  They’re used to them.  The same way they’re used to their books.  The same way the naysayers were used to their horses.

I might change my mind, but I’m not sure I ever want to go back to paper, even to placate others.  Paper never wanted me.  Paper couldn’t sustain my existence.  Paper got in the way of my ability to connect and communicate with others.  It was a barrier, a roadblock, an impediment.  Sure, it’s served its purpose well, but like so many other out-dated technologies it’s beyond its useful life.

The digital age has changed everything.  Questions can be answered anywhere in the world, in seconds, thanks to Google and the Internet.  More information is available to us than ever before.  We should be dazzled and amazed every day that we’re so lucky to be living in a time like this.

Instead, many of us fear it.

There’s nothing to fear.  Paper was limiting, digital is limitless.  Digital is freedom and empowerment.  It’s how things should be.

So why would I want to publish on paper?  And why would anyone want to confine themselves to reading on paper?

Until I can answer that question and come up with a viable reason for paper, I’ll be publishing digitally.

It’s the only answer that makes sense to me.

[Update: January, 2011: I guess I found that viable reason to publish on paper after all.]

Lessons Learned

I unleashed unto the world a novel titled Into the Badlands at the beginning of September.  Since then I’ve had some time to reflect, and I’ve learned a few things not only about the process, but about myself as well.

I’ve  been writing for years, ever since I was very young.  Into the Badlands is actually my second novel, but the first I felt was worth publishing.  I also wrote a bunch of short stories, all before the year 2000.

I took a hiatus, then returned to writing in late 2010.  One thing I’ve learned since then is that my old writing was pretty crappy.  However, some of the premises are still viable.  As a result, I’m releasing a collection of short stories at the end of 2011, many of which are rewrites from old premises I think are still worth the time.

I also learned that editing is a bitch.  Tedious and boring, it is likely the most undesirable step of the writing process.  If I sell enough books, I’ll likely farm that work out.

I learned that beta readers are essential.  By beta reader, I mean volunteers who will act as a focus group for your work, providing honest and constructive criticism.  I will never release any work without vetting it with at least a handful of readers.  It is absolutely critical to the success of the project.  They can also offer some of what an editor can offer.  I gave all my beta readers a free copy of the book and a mention inside in exchange for their feedback.

I learned that I, the writer, am a brand.  Me, the human being, is the person I really am.  These two things are separate.  This concept allows me to accept criticism more easily and to differentiate myself online.  I write as “Brian J. Jarrett”; adding that middle initial allowed me to create a completely separate online profile for me, the writer.

I learned that I can’t be timid.  I can’t be afraid to share my work.  None of us can.  Besides, timid people don’t change the world.  I learned to believe in myself and, maybe more importantly, to believe in my potential.  I believe my best work lies ahead of me.

I learned that getting that book out on Amazon was more of an inspiration than I thought it would be.  Just seeing it there on the product page made it more real than I had expected.  In the old days I’d finish up a manuscript, then stick it in a trunk to collect dust.  The soft copy would sit on the hard drive of my computer, unseen by anyone, forever.  This time around within 24 hours my book was available and was being downloaded.  People were actually reading my work for the first time.  It was exhilarating.

The book has been available for a little over two weeks now.  I’ve sold 29 copies so far, and I’m ecstatic.  Sales spiked once I told everyone it was out, which I expected.  Now they’ve tapered off, and I’m selling on average about a copy per day.  Time will tell the tale, but that’s a good start for a nobody with one book.  It’s 29 more people reading me than I had before.

This is going to be a slow burn.  I have to build chops, earn a following, and prove I’m not just a flash in the pan.  I need more books.  Books sell other books; once a writer earns a fan his or her books will cross-pollinate.

I’m one year into returning to writing, and I’m on schedule.  2011 will see one novel and a collection of short stories released.  My online presence is building.  My homepage has been built.  I’ve taught myself how to build eBooks for Amazon and Smashwords (and subsequently Barnes & Noble, Kobo, iBookstore, Sony bookstore, and more).  I’ve suffered through my eBook learning curve; next time around I won’t have to pay that pain again.

It took me seven months to write Into the Balands.  I wasted a lot of time and still pulled that off.  Realistically, I could release a book every six months.  As a result, the end of 2012 should find me with three novels and a collection of short stories.

By the time I turn forty I should have five novels and a collection available.  I hope to see some good sales numbers by then.  I’m considering it my second major milestone (the first being releasing my first novel upon the public).

Writing is more fun for me now than it ever was before.  I’m a better writer, the gatekeepers are going away, and distributing my work myself is now a viable option.  There’s so much in front of me this time around; I feel like I’m twenty-one again, writing stories and dreaming big dreams.

I’m still dreaming big dreams, but I’m happy with a modest reality.  And my odds for at least that are much better now than they were when I was twenty-one.

“Into the Badlands” Is Finished

After seven months, 84,000 words, and three revisions, Into the Badlands is finished.

eBooks have changed everything for me.  No longer will my writing be relegated to the dark confines of an attic-bound trunk.  I now have a platform on which to distribute my work, the stories I’ve always wanted to tell, and they’ll live and die by their own merit on a level playing field.

I’m not driven solely by how many books I sell.  That’s not the point.

I make pretty good money as a programmer.  I love the work too.  I also love to write; always have.  With the money I make as a programmer I can subsidize my love of writing.  I don’t have to bow to the whims of a fickle publisher, or chop up my vision into baby food to feed the lowest common denominator.

That doesn’t mean I allow myself to write crap.  I push myself to write better with each book.  I can already see myself getting better.  I also see I have a long way to go.

There’s no time to rest on any laurels.  I’m spending the rest of this year working on unfinished short stories and catching up on some reading.  I have about four indie books I’m planning to read.  I’m also writing a collection of tales for my two sons.

2012 will see the release of my second novel, the first in a two-book series.  In my head it’s an epic adventure; I hope to have the chops to capture that in the written word.

So if you want to pick up a copy of the book, head on over to my website and follow the links.  I really appreciate it.

And now it’s back to work.  Take care.