Letter from a Reader
Letter from a Reader
Dear Writers,
I don’t care if some people are offended by this, but I’m sick of this ‘us’ and ‘them’ thing, as if successful people or traditional publishers and writers were the enemy or self-publishers were the enemy. What the hell?
As a reader, I’m sick of it. I want quality. Period. I want to enjoy myself reading. I don’t want it to descend to some political debate where reading becomes a divisive issue.
I am against bad writers, period. I don’t care if you’re self-published, indie-published, or traditionally published. I don’t think it makes you any better if you identify with one of these groups and wear it proudly like a badge. Get out of my way and give me a good book to read.
I’m looking for a good writer like those I’ve loved in the past and who I follow religiously whenever they put out a new book because I know I won’t be disappointed. Are you one of those? Then put your book where your mouth is, and don’t bother me with this other crap.
But we argued at first and then became friends because of such posts. So there are some positive aspects to controversy, isn’t there, Liz?
Some of us self-published or indie authors (however you identify us) don’t care about the agenda. I want people to enjoy the stories I bring to them and want to know if they don’t. I hold no illusions to thinking I’m better than anyone else, but I have a story to tell and I don’t feel I should have to justify that to anyone. But you also must remember, what’s good to one person won’t be to another. It’s all relative, as it should be. I love books. I love stories. I love feeling like I’ve been taken to a new place. Most of all, I love writing and telling my own stories. For those of us who simply love what we do, it should come across in our work. I believe it should for any author, no matter the publisher or lack thereof.
Disgruntled (yet helplessly hopeful) Writer