I received an email this morning from a TD author. What did the email ask? The email wanted to know about what has already been covered on both the writer’s critique board over at http://z7.zentao7.com/forum/ and on The Deepening’s front page itself. And announcements were sent out repeatedly, too, which should have gotten those TD authors over to the forum to check out what was happening.
Did anyone pay any attention? Even when a notice was sent out about getting them their money? NO.
And this is the crux of the biscuit. Each individual will send an email asking for hand-written answers, hand-holding through processes, and individualized “handling.” NOPE. That’s why we made all those typed up announcements and posts.
People have incentive to do something when they get a cookie — when it serves them because there’s some reward they CRAVE. If it isn’t something they really, really crave, then they don’t want to be bothered, and want somebody to personally do it for them. Guess what? You pay me $60 an hour, and I’ll be glad to walk you through it personally. Otherwise, pay attention and READ the instructions!
After struggling for months with all manner of problems and issues with my online fiction magazine, The Deepening, I finally shut it down when the final solution, based on editor and author content management failed.
Since I can’t do the heavy coding any longer, I tried to implement what I thought would be a relatively easy solution for editors, authors and subscribers. But it just didn’t and wasn’t working.
So, the online fiction magazine is no more.
There are a LOT of reasons why, but one thing stands out most — people who read are a shrinking market. So, in fiction publishing, unless there’s a “buzz,” or the publisher can create a “buzz” by using “spin,” …which takes lots of money, luck, and knowing the right people, then the story just doesn’t interest most readers…who have little time to read in the first place because of busy lives…and many of whom would just rather watch the video.
Online publishing cannot compete with YouTube. It can’t compete with NetFlix. It certainly can’t protect itself from writers who only subscribe to get in, research the market, then quickly cancel their payment after they have gotten admission.
What do I think? I think that the only real readers out there are mostly writers researching markets, hoping to make it big themselves…and the old-timers who know the joy of immersing themselves into a book.
I actually think it was a known from the start that any online fiction venture would be doomed. I think any fiction venture which isn’t supported by a university or by government funding for the literary arts is ultimately doomed. The written word is too much work for the computer generation. They much prefer games, sex, video, and vegging out in front of the boob tube…or getting drunk, partying, and trying to become millionaires.
So, now I have that brain drain, money drain, and time drain evicted from my life…along with all the corresponding hassles. Now all I have to do if finish paying off the bills…which should take me a couple of years.
Oh well.
Ξ August 10th, 2007 | → Comments Off | ∇ Off the Cuff |
Well, the good news is that my eyes are getting better…as long as I don’t look at a computer screen too much, and especially if I don’t read work that uses movable type…which means stay away from blogs, online newspapers, most forums…. If it is static type, it doesn’t bother me, go figure. So that’s the good and bad of it.
Gripes: Writers. Too much to go into at the moment. My decision? I’m cutting them loose. They can make it or break it on their own. I don’t need the abuse. I don’t need the headaches. I don’t need the financial drain.
More gripes: Sandpoint, Idaho. Oh, can we see the mayor sign the green bill? And then what? Cut more big trees down to make way for yet more development — non-green development.
And last but not least: Petulant men and women whose only goal in life is to get their way — men and women driven only by selfish desire.
zentao.com
