Recently, I have noticed an uptick in headlines talking about the massive decline in reading books. The main thesis of these articles seems to be that people are reading more than ever, but aren’t investing the time in books that deal with serious topics because of a general disinterest in the hard topics that people used to write about. A significant proportion of bestsellers seem to mirror this trend, because they lack some of the nuance and depth that English majors crave in their college courses, but this may have more to do with the fact that fiction is incredibly difficult to write than a lack of general interest in big questions. This difficulty stems from the fact that the desire to write fiction is fundamentally a really bad business decision.
The publishing industry has become significantly consolidated over the decades, leaving a handful of large houses and a fragmented system of small indie, hybrid, and self-publishing presses that can help get stories out. The large publishers may have the most money to throw at promoting a book, but they often opt for sure-things, or as close as you can get to it in culture, rather than the risky, experimental stories that make readers uncomfortable initially. This means that writers just starting out feel the need to build platforms for themselves and their books by engaging on social media regularly, publishing newsletters, and running blogs so they have a built-in community that they believe traditional publishers would look favorably on when taking a manuscript from a relative unknown.
As someone who has worked in marketing and run these kinds of campaigns for himself and the companies he works for, this is a full time job all its own. Social media strategy, blog management, and newsletter preparation aren’t things that happen quickly, especially if you want to do it well enough to get people engaged with your work, but despite the massive amount of effort it requires, it doesn’t necessarily pay off until you have a book to actually sell. When it comes to actually creating that book, an altogether different issue takes shape which has been the case as long as people have been writing stories: writing is hard.
Psychologists, writing coaches, authors, publishing professionals, and many others have discussed why it’s hard to write in other corners of the Internet, and some likely discuss why fiction specifically is so difficult to write alongside it. One thing that I believe gets in the way of many writers is that kind of self-judgment that comes with being vulnerable with readers, because every author who has ever picked up a pen has found ways of distancing themselves from their identity as a writer to help them get words down on the page. It may feel counter-intuitive, but if a writer loves a story enough to want to create it in the first place, to pour blood, sweat, tears, and canceled social engagements into putting words on the page, they want to make sure they did it for a reason, that people will accept it.
Believing that people will accept your work the way you hope they will is practically impossible when you’re a writer, because you find all kinds of examples of better works than yours, despite the fact that published authors have teams that work with them over years to get something ready for print. That comparison is both a form of self-sabotage and a form of self-protection, because if you know you’re not good enough to be published, you never try and never have to see someone reject your story.
Ironically, that fear of rejection could be mitigated if we decided as a community to change the way that publishing operated. Having worked in the business world and studied organizational systems, I recognize that part of why people do business is so they can make money, and that’s likely never going to change. However, what can change is the perception of what’s valuable enough to invest in, and that will require reevaluating the strategy of the typical publishing house.
It’s unlikely that we will see a mass change in the way we publish, but perhaps if enough people saw the value of novels differently, if enough people demanded a restructuring of the incentives behind which books get selected for promotion, then maybe the headlines won’t be so dire about the future of literacy.
At least then, writing would be a little easier.
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A Feel Good Place
Building a Community of Bakers as a Growth Strategy
Most people in my personal life know that I have been baking my own bread for more than a decade. It started in college, but became a regular routine as I got more interested in cooking and attempted to control a little more what kinds of ingredients were making it on my plate as a way of promoting better health (and indulge in a bit of creativity along the way).
Over time, I became more interested in trying local bakeries, which has resulted in some incredible finds like Dead King Bread and others that I have been trying to share with you during Feel Good Fridays. But with that comes increased knowledge of what bakers are doing to promote their businesses, and interestingly enough, Downtime Bakery started working with other artisanal shops to hold a Bakers Hang for both professional and amateur bakers.
The overall experience gave me a greater sense of connection to the baking community in the Philadelphia area, but it also gave me some intriguing ideas about how community building can offer an interesting opportunity to grow as a business as well.
From the Bookshelf
THE CHOSEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL BY NGHI VO
Jordan Baker is in her prime and enjoying all that 1920s New York has to offer an elegant young woman like herself. But she has a secret, one which will make her place among the highest social circles and the powerful society it represents far more precarious than she has yet to realize.
For Casual Readers: The book will likely appeal to anyone interested in retellings of The Great Gatsby that put a modern spin on it. It also explores themes related to race, LGBTQ+ identity, and more, which could make it appealing for readers who want to engage with these ideas.
For Writers: The book offers a great example of how to play with old stories in a new way. The Great Gatsby is a classic that most people are at least familiar with, so it provides an easy access point for most people while still shifting the perspective enough to provide a fresh new adventure.
What Comes Next
Enjoyed this issue? Here’s what you can expect from the next newsletter:
A reflection on recent travels
How a New England town managed to create a feel-good business landscape.
A review of a book that deals with the complexities of family life and the mistakes that come with it.
As always, while this project may be a space where I share some of the things I have been thinking of, I also want to make sure it delivers value for you. So if you have feedback on what you would like to see, let me know and your recommendation may make it into the next issue.
