(More) Ponderings on Fel Publishing
Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 12:54 pm
I've noticed a similarity between Fel's protagonists and his own personality. For some writers I know, the ability to be published is their dream due to the fact that they are no longer constrained to having another job, they can work fulltime on their hobbies, world making, characters, and fans.
But I think Fel sees publishing not as a freedom to be cherished, but as restricting his options. He would have to write the stories on set deadlines, and the dichotomy between deciding whether you are doing something because you want to and because it is fun or because you need to do it, comes into existence.
There have been writers that have pursued dual careers in writing and other fields. Robert L Forward or Vernor Vinge, professors so to speak. Instead of writing more thesis doctorates and research papers, they write novels in their spare time. But it becomes much harder for any other career that requires real time dedication, both because of the work required for the job and economic factors.
The big money in writing, using Ringo's model at baen, is in the agent-contract negotiations. Where established writers agree to a contract to write a specified number of books in a series or some such for a publisher. The publisher, having seen the success of the writer before, can afford to take such long term risks and investments. Although perhaps these days a writer can still publish his works without a contract, simply by selling the finished book. I cannot really say after all, since I am not and don't know any book publishers or agents in the field of fantasy/scifi.
Ringo for example, perhaps likes the money not especially for his own social advancement, but for the ability to provide for his family. Which becomes a higher consideration for a person as he moves on in life.
David Weber's Armageddon Reef was also a synthesis of Weber's career in some ways, combining his best works both co-authored and single authored in a new synthesis. He has certainly taken advantage of the focus and dedication of such a writing career, in order to produce better and more complex universes; which he might not have had the time splitting his attention.
I've seen other people that write as a hobby, but Fel is special in my consideration. Many people, such as Synova and various other authors I know of that have posted their works on the net, inevitably have trouble with finishing certain projects.
http://www.onlinefiction.net/Ashes/BitterAshes.html
Whether this is due to lack of inspiration, time, distractions, or family and careers is not clear to me; but it is certainly true that it affects many with such hobbies including the mod writers of Baldur's Gate Shadow of Amn.
Sir Kalthorine's Crysta project is perhaps an extreme example in this case.
Fel could simply sell his novel Subjugation to baen and then post it in Baen's Free Library as a published author. Under this relationship, I don't think it would change much of the status quo and it would still give Fel the freedom to write or not write as he pleases. This seemed to be what other writers did when they sold small stories to magazines after all, while they had other careers.
Edit by Spec8472: This post was moved from it's original location in the What's next: Surprise! Another Sennadar tale thread.
But I think Fel sees publishing not as a freedom to be cherished, but as restricting his options. He would have to write the stories on set deadlines, and the dichotomy between deciding whether you are doing something because you want to and because it is fun or because you need to do it, comes into existence.
There have been writers that have pursued dual careers in writing and other fields. Robert L Forward or Vernor Vinge, professors so to speak. Instead of writing more thesis doctorates and research papers, they write novels in their spare time. But it becomes much harder for any other career that requires real time dedication, both because of the work required for the job and economic factors.
The big money in writing, using Ringo's model at baen, is in the agent-contract negotiations. Where established writers agree to a contract to write a specified number of books in a series or some such for a publisher. The publisher, having seen the success of the writer before, can afford to take such long term risks and investments. Although perhaps these days a writer can still publish his works without a contract, simply by selling the finished book. I cannot really say after all, since I am not and don't know any book publishers or agents in the field of fantasy/scifi.
Ringo for example, perhaps likes the money not especially for his own social advancement, but for the ability to provide for his family. Which becomes a higher consideration for a person as he moves on in life.
David Weber's Armageddon Reef was also a synthesis of Weber's career in some ways, combining his best works both co-authored and single authored in a new synthesis. He has certainly taken advantage of the focus and dedication of such a writing career, in order to produce better and more complex universes; which he might not have had the time splitting his attention.
I've seen other people that write as a hobby, but Fel is special in my consideration. Many people, such as Synova and various other authors I know of that have posted their works on the net, inevitably have trouble with finishing certain projects.
http://www.onlinefiction.net/Ashes/BitterAshes.html
Whether this is due to lack of inspiration, time, distractions, or family and careers is not clear to me; but it is certainly true that it affects many with such hobbies including the mod writers of Baldur's Gate Shadow of Amn.
Sir Kalthorine's Crysta project is perhaps an extreme example in this case.
Fel could simply sell his novel Subjugation to baen and then post it in Baen's Free Library as a published author. Under this relationship, I don't think it would change much of the status quo and it would still give Fel the freedom to write or not write as he pleases. This seemed to be what other writers did when they sold small stories to magazines after all, while they had other careers.
Edit by Spec8472: This post was moved from it's original location in the What's next: Surprise! Another Sennadar tale thread.