Indie Life - Control Vs Freedom

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Control Vs Freedom

Ask any child who has been allowed to sit at the BIG KIDS table for the first time, any teen who has driven solo for the first time, or any eighteen year old who has just spent her first month at college away from home: Being independent kicks all ass.

Understanding the degree varies by culture, it's safe to say most humans crave autonomy. We yearn to define our own boundaries. We pine to show our worth. We hustle to mark our unique spots in the world like an overactive male puppy in a fire-hydrant factory. 

I'll submit to you today that I think creative artist are the worst ME seekers of the lot. And justifiably so. After all, self-expression is our business, and doing-things-our-own-way is the only real product we have offer.

"Why buy my painting of trees when there are thousands of other tree paintings out there? Because my painting was done by me, and only I can see the trees this way. Now you can, too--every morning above your sofa for the small sum of $500 US ... cash."

But, I believe this is also why artists struggle so much with security issues, finances, and the like. We're conflicted, and here's why:

Writing is not a business, so you can (and probably should) throw all of the restraints out the window and do it all your way. Writing allows--encourages, in fact--us to think independently.

Writing feeds our habit. It feels good, even when it might be a little unhealthy.

Being an author, however, is a business. A business with boundaries, a business with rules. Yes, you can break rules and still be successful, but you usually have to be damn good at following them first. 

Being an author can be like going to rehab for our habit. It hurts like hell, but sometimes it's the best thing for us.

So what happens when you stick a group of highly independently-minded folks in a constrained environment with the provision of, "you can do anything you want, but you can't leave this area"? 

Imagine sticking a couple-dozen two year olds in an empty room and giving them the same orders. You'd return a few hours later to find: Poop. Blood. Tears. Little people trying to gnaw through walls to escape ... we're talking straight up Lord of the Flies level chaos.

"Where's Timmy?"

"We sent him through the air ducts to find freedom and haven't seen him since."

"Why Timmy?"

"Because I'm holding the LEGO, and the LEGO holder must be obeyed."

If that all sounds a bit too much like your writing routine/journey (poop, tears, blood, teeth gnashing, etc.), or your online writing group (Lord of the Flies), for comfort, trust me, you're not alone.

In the end, if you want to be a SUCCESSFUL published author, you might have to cash in some of that independence. You'll be asked to write in a way that is pleasing to a broad range of readers, agents, and editors. You'll probably need to understand terms like 'markets', 'genre', and 'metadata'. Heck, you might even have to change the names of your characters.

(I know, you LOVE Zartan and Estes, but readers think they're stupid names...) 

And here's the trick for Indies: All of the 'business' stuff applies more to you than it does other authors.

Ain't that a kick in the Dungarees?! You became an Indie to have fewer constraints and boundaries, not more, and now EJ is telling you that isn't going to happen. *harumph harumph harumph*

Being an Indie DOES mean more control, but sometimes that comes with less freedom than you might think. 

You get to choose your own editor! But you have to pick one who isn't illiterate that you can also afford. You get to decide which book cover you want! But you have to be willing to follow the rules of good design and marketing--yes, even if you liked the one with the cats more.

Why not just do what you want? After all, there's no one wagging a finger at you saying, "Fix this or it won't be published." 

You follow the business rules, because if the product sucks you're going to get ALL of the blame. That's why.

Your cover stinks: that's your bad, not the publishers. There are typos: that's your bad, not the editors. (Even they miss things, and your the last one to push the 'publish' button = your bad.) No one knows your book exists: that's your bad, not the marketing department at Random House. 

I guess all of this is to say: Don't become an Indie because of any pre-conceived ideas of total freedom. Total control, perhaps, but not freedom. Not if you want to be good at it.

It's still publishing, and publishing is still a business.

~EJW~