The Realization of How to Become a Published Author

The answer aligns itself with almost any medium. To excel in any realm, you need to exploit the system or others. Having imagination or originality is not desirable in today's world, especially when it comes to imaginative media (go figure). Why should anyone take a chance on something new, when the same old boring bullshit shown in a new light is practically guaranteed to sell. That's what it's all about too, and I'm not just talking about the business minded side of art. If an artist truly only cared about the work, then that artist would not care about having others appreciate it in a monetary form. Painters, musicians, writers, and all other artists are the same. We don't do it for the art in most cases. We do it to be appreciated for our talents.

I spent countless (OK, so I can actually count it if I wanted to) years writing music and performing my music in front of both infinitesimal and quite large gatherings of people. Sometimes I would get the pat on the back I was looking for and other times I felt like I was wasting my time with all of it. The musician's life worn upon me after some years, so I eventually turned my creative tongue to writing. I've written four novels and numerous short stories. I have realized that the amount of unappreciated work in writing towers overs music.

Agents and publishers rule the business. Through my last two years of writing and rejection (the bastard twins of my existence), I have seen so many agents, small time publishers, and friends/family members of the formers find success in publication. It all relates to the whole "it's who you know" saying. I guess in today's market, there are only two avenues for commercial success in the field of literary publication. First, write something that's only original enough to escape judicial inquisition. Second, if you are aspiring as an artist, first become someone who evaluates it either as an agent or a small time publisher. Then you already have the connections to sneak in your manuscripts without the courtesy of form letter rejection (or even worse: the lack of response based on the bullshit excuse of too many queries even though it would take less than an hour to e-mail form responses to a 100 queries).

Don't be surprised if I try to start an online magazine and become a literary agent's assistant in the next couple years. Maybe then I might find someone who is even willing to read my crap.