Much like Peter Sellers' character in Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove, I am hatching an evil plan. The plan is literary in fashion but no short of military in production. I'm compiling a collection of ten or so short stories, (several of which have already been published in various places), to be published as an ebook for kindle, iphone, android and so on. It'll be downloadable off Amazon and all those sorts of places. It'll be cheap - I mean no one knows who the hell I am, know what I mean?
After reading several articles about Youtube Indie music sensation ALEX DAY, whose channel I regularly chuckle at, ebook publishing sensation Amanda Hocking and many others, I have felt empowered to take the plunge into the web pool of the vanities. Of course, nothing could come of it, sure, but that's the worst that could happen. I'm aiming for it to be up and ready inside the next month. Let me tell you a bit about it to wet your appetite.
The title is, as yet, unconfirmed, but it's going to be a selection of vignettes all centring around the theme of disconnection - whether that's from the world, from a loved one, from yourself, or more literally because of a bad wifi signal. The idea is that they are digital stories about emotional disconnection in a digital age - to be downloaded and enjoyed purely digitally. Because they are shorts, they can be read on your phone or kindle in a small space of time - as your travel to work (not by car, hopefully. I'm not recommending dangerous commuting for the sake of literature), wait for the doctor etc, etc.
I really like collections of short stories and mercifully they are coming back into the mainstream after a substantial absence. They are great as they give you an insight into the writer's style and interests without demanding total attention for 300 pages. They are the non-commital approach to reading - and I like it.
A particularly good contemporary collection is No One Belongs Here More Than You by artist, film maker and writer Miranda July. They address themes of love and unfulfilment in a not dissimilar way to my own growing anthology. Except mine is obviously much more relevant to everyone's lives - quick, everyone open a new tab and click BUY on Amazon marketplace!
You may be asking yourselves, 'But, author of Pop Philosophy Blog, why don't you try and get it published conventionally first?' A valid question. The answer: I don't want to. I like the freedom that comes with self publishing. Shit, that's why I started this blog in the first place - to have total freedom over whatever the fuck I put on here. It feels a lot more like websites such as Thoughtcatalog, Storybleed Magazine and The Rumpus.net (links in side bar), which genuinely feel like online artist collectives. I can do it exactly how I want - and who knows, maybe some people might even like it. I am sick of sending shit off to lit journals who sometimes send polite apologies and even more rarely polite acceptances. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful to anyone who gives me a platform for my art; but on this occasion I want to be the one with the screwdriver and hard hat who is putting the platform together.
I'm thinking of it as a sort of trial. Who knows what will happen. Watch this space. Literally this space - I'll be uploading details along the way - including potential covers, names and stories. In fact, here's one if you're interested: a story previously published on the VOLUME MAGAZINE blog. I've mentioned it a couple of times, it's called PIG POY POETRY. Enjoy.
2 comments:
This is a completely excellent idea and I can't wait to read your collection! I know a fair few people who turn a little bit of a profit from self-publishing ebooks, and though it's not enough to live on, it raises their online profile and exposes their work to a larger audience. I only wish my work was at the stage where I could self publish!
I await your collection with anticipation. Please let us know when it's available to download! :)
Thank you so much! I'm a bit nervous about it because of the whole 'vanity publishing' thing - I don't want to be one of those deluded people who writes shit and can't get it published so publishes it themselves in a desperate stab for recognition. But, several of the stories have been previously published so they can't be too awful, right?
Thanks so much for your comment btw, it's made my morning! X
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