Quality vs Quantity
Quality vs Quantity
The other morning we all witnessed that Angie had revamped her look: it looks savvy and matches worldly known magazines.
The same morning I got a message from my friend Angelica, who proudly asked me to have a look through it and to give her my honest feedback. Which I did.
I had written a lengthy response suggesting what would be the most important aspect in order to keep the magazine at the top of the list. My most honest and most important advice fitted in one sentence: ‘Be selective and publish only the best’.
What does that exactly mean? If Angie’s Diary is a literary magazine we have to choose and select what kind of literature we present and write about, we have to decide on the quality of writers and their stories according to the maxim ‘same attracts the same’ if we want to be read by a serious and literate audience, we have to offer the very same quality: a well-written, intelligent read.
Those who follow my posts have already learned that I often speak doubtfully about stories crowded by vampires, ghosts, zombies, wizards and similar creatures of chaos and darkness, as I really do not consider such writing as a piece of distinguished literary work. I often wonder why this kind of literature is so popular in mainstream publishing, or if not mainstream publishing, authors who don’t have the opportunity to publish via traditional methods but self-publish their work somehow think those stories are the most appealing to the readership.
My advice would be for any author to keep in mind that once when they sign their name under a piece of writing they shouldn’t be ashamed of it in ten years’ time. Writing itself is not only informative but also educative and stimulating for one’s mind and soul. We have to put a high standard and aim to reach that standard every time we offer readers our thoughts and insights.
Beauty and harmony enhance human life and the human soul; I wonder why wouldn’t we feed humanity with noble ideas, truth, and the most sophisticated language?
My advice to Angie was – If you want to be the best in the industry, be selective and keep the best.
Branka, thank you for your customary common sense. Yes, it is quality that most matters.
I would expect this comment from you Andrew – ‘It is quality that most matters’ as this is evident in your writing and your posts.
Good point Branka. (By the way, the new site is stellar Angie.)
If I recall, one of the reasons Angie started Angie’s Diary was to give writers’ at all levels of experience and skill an opportunity to publish their work and get feedback. Unless that has changed, it will be difficult to edit or choose which writing to publish and which to discard.
I have no knowledge that Angie’s Dairy started with that reason – ‘to give writers at all levels of experience and skill an opportunity to publish their work’. The magazine surely evolved visually, but in my opinion as expressed above reads: a good editor is the one who has a sharp mind, who has knowledge and understanding of quality of the written word and has a firm vision and decision of what they want to publish. It is up to Angie to decide what kind of literary publication she wants to present: she can choose to aspire to become the Literary Review, or she can choose to be a glossy magazine with topics that vary. It is up to her to decide what kind of readership she would gain, as a reader can be put off if the standard of writing isn’t achieved; it is a small step from being put off by a story to being put off by the publication. A good editor has to know what she wants, whether it is an intelligent read, gossip or domestic stories about one’s preferred wall-colour or pets that misbehave. My idea was that whatever one does one has to strive to achieve excellence, especially when offering a piece of writing that might be scrutinized by the public (and we all are included, no discrimination).
All true Branka.