Author Topic: This is increasingly becoming my biggest pet peeve... (Read 4675 times) Tweet

Michael_J_Sullivan · « **on:** July 07, 2013, 03:19:30 am »

I actually have two.

1. Is traditionally published authors, who have never self-published, who tell other authors how hard it is to self-publish.

2. People who have never self-published, and don't even know any self-published authors, telling me what self-published authors think and what their motivations are for self-publishing. In particular, we believe that self-publishing is easy money and we expect to make a fortune with no work involved.

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NicoleSwan · « **Reply #1 on:** July 07, 2013, 03:25:27 am »

Well, I suppose there's always going to be people who try to tell you what to do, regardless of their apparent qualifications. Good thing at least we can ignore them.

On the topic of peeves, I just love it (sarcasm

) when people try to tell me how to make more money, or to work harder, as I'm handing them cash to get them out of a fix (family).

Do as I say, don't do as I do.

*EDIT: To be fair, there are a LOT of people who do get in to self-publishing because they think it's a quick buck. Just see the massive deluge of Erotica writers since 50SoG, it's so much like the Gold-rush era all over again.

AmsterdamAssassin · « **Reply #2 on:** July 07, 2013, 03:33:25 am »

My biggest pet peeve is people who can't drive sharing my road.

The people you mention aren't even on my radar. I rarely meet anyone who speaks disparagingly about what I do. Probably also because I'm quite big and people generally do not try to aggravate me.

Another thing is that I don't need to justify myself. I've been writing for two decades without publishing, and I started publishing merely to give people a link if they want to buy my books. My wife makes enough money to support our family of four, everything I earn is just gravy.

Maybe you should associate with another class of people?

Vanades · « **Reply #3 on:** July 07, 2013, 03:38:59 am »

One of mine are people who, once they find out I'm a writer, tell me that they too always wanted to write a book and maybe they will once they have a bit more time on their hands or after retirement.

Underneath that is this assumption, although some even say it aloud, that writing isn't difficult and that they won't have any trouble writing a book because it's so easy and doesn't require any practice. Or, you know, just that one step to find time somewhere and sit down and write, despite a full-time day-job.

Makes me go 'grrrrr' every time.

NicoleSwan · « **Reply #4 on:** July 07, 2013, 03:41:14 am »

Quote from: Lyonesse on July 07, 2013, 03:38:59 am

One of mine are people who, oncethey find out I'm a writer, tell me that they too always wanted to write a book and maybe they will once they have a bit more time on their hands or after retirement.

Or, "I've got a great idea for a book, perhaps we can agree to work together and I'll let you have royalties for writing a book using my idea?" - yes, my goodness, thank you for saving me from the emptiness of ideas inside, NOT. I'm sure for most of us the biggest problem we face is that we have so *many* ideas it can be hard to stay on target!

Vanades · « **Reply #5 on:** July 07, 2013, 03:49:48 am »

Quote from: NicoleSwan on July 07, 2013, 03:41:14 am

Or, "I've got a great idea for a book, perhaps we can agree to work together and I'll let you have royalties for writing a book using my idea?" - yes, my goodness, thank you for saving me from the emptiness of ideas inside, NOT. I'm sure for most of us the biggest problem we face is that we have so *many* ideas it can be hard to stay on target!

Yes, that too. If I stopped having ideas today I woudl still have more than enough material to keep me busy for the rest of my life. The problem is more decided which ideas to use and which have less priority.

I once tried explaining to someone why ideas are easy and then turning that idea into a working plot with characters and pov and narrator and voice etc. is much more difficult, not to mention the actual work of sitting down and writing 50.-80.000 words or so.

Barbara Morgenroth · « **Reply #6 on:** July 07, 2013, 04:14:36 am »

I'm tired of the anti-Amazon salvos from either tradpub or their lapdogs in the media or Author's Guild. Go do it better, then!

ShaneJeffery · « **Reply #7 on:** July 07, 2013, 04:15:53 am »

My pet peeve is not being able to call writing 'study'. Apparently being hired by McDonalds seems more like an achievement than writing a book to most people.

kathrynoh · « **Reply #8 on:** July 07, 2013, 04:38:04 am »

My pet peeve at the moment is seeing courses on self-publishing popping up here in Australia. The people running the courses are either traditional publishers or writing teachers, not authors who are actually making money at it. God knows what they are teaching people and they are taking $$$ from people to give them information far less helpful than they'd learn here.

To top it off, one of the big indie publishers here has started running a novel writing course, charging over $5000. Most trad published authors here would be lucky to get an advance that big! Plus most of the instructors are the same ones who teach at similar courses at TAFE/tech colleges here which cost far less. Screams scam to me.

And while I'm ranting, random capitalisation - is that getting much worse lately? Drives me nuts.

Rick Gualtieri · « **Reply #9 on:** July 07, 2013, 04:58:49 am »

Quote from: Barbara Morgenroth on July 07, 2013, 04:14:36 am

I'm tired of the anti-Amazon salvos from either tradpub or their lapdogs in the media or Author's Guild. Go do it better, then!

I'm not particularly fond of it when I see self-publishers doing it, especially the ones that start screaming "Amazon is out to destroy indies!"

Gertie Kindle · « **Reply #10 on:** July 07, 2013, 05:09:28 am »

Quote from: Rick Gualtieri on July 07, 2013, 04:58:49 am

I'm not particularly fond of it when I see self-publishers doing it, especially the ones that start screaming "Amazon is out to destroy indies!"

^^^

Amazon gave Indies our start, gave us the tools and the means to put ourselves out there. The rest is up to us.

There's an old saying. Give a man a fish and he will eat today. Teach him how to fish and he will eat every day. Amazon taught us how to fish and gave us a very large pond to fish in. That's all they need to do.

psychotick · « **Reply #11 on:** July 07, 2013, 05:09:57 am »

Why are you complaining. I'm grateful when people tell me what I'm thinking and why I self publish - cos otherwise I wouldn't have a clue!!

Lady Vine · « **Reply #12 on:** July 07, 2013, 06:29:58 am »

Quote from: Lyonesse on July 07, 2013, 03:38:59 am

One of mine are people who, once they find out I'm a writer, tell me that they too always wanted to write a book and maybe they will once they have a bit more time on their hands or after retirement.

Underneath that is this assumption, although some even say it aloud, that writing isn't difficult and that they won't have any trouble writing a book because it's so easy and doesn't require any practice. Or, you know, just that one step to find time somewhere and sit down and write, despite a full-time day-job.

Makes me go 'grrrrr' every time.

Oh God, tell me about it! Writing (especially novel-writing) is just one of those things that everyone thinks they can do in their sleep, not realising that it is just as complex as something like, say, computer programming, to the person who isn't skilled in the field. And yet you don't see many people trying to computer program, or planning to do so once they retire. (I actually did try, and quite enjoyed it, but you really need to love doing it to see it through). People seem to think that because they've successfully written a school essay, dissertation, thesis, a letter, that they'll be skilled in the area of novel-writing. It simply isn't so. I'd wager it's this type of thinking that is responsible for a lot of the dreck that's popped up on Amazon since the advent of e-publishing.

Caddy · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2013, 06:36:03 am »

One of mine? When people say, like during this holiday weekend, "When Dave (my husband) goes back to work on Monday..." like he is the only one of us two that works because I just sit at home and play with paint or dink around with words for the heck of it. It insinuates that I don't go back to work, only my husband does.

Quiss · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2013, 06:50:47 am »

It's annoying when you tell people that you've published and they get all excited about it.
Then when they realized it's self-published they get that look on their face and say "Oh..." as if they're biting their tongue before saying something like "Oh, I thought you meant real publishing".

I used to then feel compelled to say something like "well, it pays the mortgage" but I don't any more. I don't owe anyone that sort of explanation.

Lady Vine · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2013, 07:55:52 am »

Quote from: Quiss on July 07, 2013, 06:50:47 am

It's annoying when you tell people that you've published and they get all excited about it.
Then when they realized it's self-published they get that look on their face and say "Oh..." as if they're biting their tongue before saying something like "Oh, I thought you meant real publishing".

I used to then feel compelled to say something like "well, it pays the mortgage" but I don't any more. I don't owe anyone that sort of explanation.

It won't be like this forever.

brendajcarlton · « **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2013, 08:00:16 am »

Quote

It's annoying when you tell people that you've published and they get all excited about it.
Then when they realized it's self-published they get that look on their face and say "Oh..." as if they're biting their tongue before saying something like "Oh, I thought you meant real publishing".

I used to then feel compelled to say something like "well, it pays the mortgage" but I don't any more. I don't owe anyone that sort of explanation.

Those are the same people, metaphorically speaking, that used to roll their eyes and say rock n' roll was not "real music."

JenniferHarlow · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2013, 08:39:56 am »

"Oh, you've self-published something. Ohhhhhhh....why? No publisher would take it?"
"Yeah. They said they loved it but there wasn't a market for it. It's not exactly 50 Shades."
"So, it's not good, huh? Don't worry, your next one will be better."
"Actually, this is the best thing I've written."
"Riiiiiiiiight. Of course it is. Still, don't worry. You'll find a publisher for the next one."

My grandmother, my uncle, a few friends, a few writers I know. Like my career is on decline as opposed to just diversified.

JRHenderson · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2013, 08:48:48 am »

Quote from: David Stephens on July 07, 2013, 08:15:35 am

When I sold my first spec screenplay, 25 years ago, people started coming out of the woodwork with a "great idea for a movie." All I had to do was write it and they would gladly split the profits with me 50/50.

My friend Steve had a great way of dealing with people like that.

Back in 2000/2001 Steve, myself and two other friends had set up a little multi-media company with all of the latest AV equipment. Consequently, there was no end of people who came up to us with "great ideas" for the albums/movies/websites/digital products that they wanted us to help them make (How these projects would be funded was never mentioned, funnily enough).

"Okay", Steve used to say. "Put all of your ideas down into a 2 page proposal, and we'll take a look".

Total number of written proposals we received: 0

LBrent · « **Reply #19 on:** July 07, 2013, 08:57:51 am »

People who comment negatively/look down their collective noses at any type of indie publishing effort, be it written word/art/movies/music are quite annoying.

I mean, I understand why a traditional publishing company/art gallery/movie studio/music label might feel threatened. After all, they depend on profits made from the writer/artist/moviemaker/musician, but the general public has no vested interest in how the product gets to them. They only need to find and enjoy it. That's why I don't understand them even trying to choose a side in the debate of traditional vs independant. It's not their fight.

And when the general public does try to pick a side without doing any due diligence about the facts/pros/cons, it's reeeaaally annoying.

Kay Bratt · « **Reply #20 on:** July 07, 2013, 10:16:03 am »

....mine is the sometimes verbal and sometimes silent 'ohhh.....' I get when someone acknowledges my success but then attributes it to the fact that I was signed on by an Amazon imprint. They don't take into account the YEARS I've spent building my readership and the 8-12 hours a day I work to keep it all going.

Newsflash: Being an Amazon imprint author doesn't mean instant success. Sure, it helps (a lot) but you still have to work your a** off!

Soothesayer · « **Reply #21 on:** July 07, 2013, 10:21:47 am »

My own peeve: leftists who insist that Amazon needs to be be broken up by the government. "Real writers" in trad publishing are suffering, they say.

Septemberlynngray · « **Reply #22 on:** July 07, 2013, 10:56:32 am »

My pet peeve is other self-published authors giving me unsolicited advice on how to write a book a week and make a living as a full time writer. First of all, they forget I can look up their books and see their ranking isn't any higher than mine. Secondly, this rush to create a back list is exactly what gives self-published authors a bad name, in my opinion. I'd rather take my time and create stories that at least some might consider quality work.

Avis Black · « **Reply #23 on:** July 07, 2013, 11:16:10 am »

People who tell me they've got a great idea for a story I ought to write. And then they tell me. And it's so appalling bad, so fingers-down-the-blackboard-irritating, so utterly stupid, that it's like their bad taste meter is set on 100. At best, they'll give me a 3rd-rate version of whatever bestselling fad is going around.

People say you'd love everybody on the planet if you could look into their imaginations and see their hopes and dreams. Whenever I do, I'm usually nauseated.

Quiss · « **Reply #24 on:** July 07, 2013, 11:32:52 am »

Quote from: Avis Black on July 07, 2013, 11:16:10 am

People say you'd love everybody on the planet if you could look into their imaginations and see their hopes and dreams. Whenever I do, I'm usually nauseated.

This is why I don't read erotica

My mother would love it if I wrote something "normal". I was in a minor car accident on Christmas Eve and she says "See, there's a story right there". She's very helpful by suggesting what would make better stories.

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