Steve Patton's Blog: Mepho Press - Posts Tagged "what-happened-to-good-writing"

I really don't see that I am competing with other authors with my books - I think every author has a story to tell, and I support those authors. That is, when they tell a good story and it is not about marketing to see a cover over a story. Gone alas are the days of the classics, the Dickens, the Twains, the Hugos. A day when the book was respected.

I classified one of my books as "Adventure" and was checking on its status the other day, and I saw "Top 100 in Adventure" and thought I would check it out. I can't compete with that trash. The first top 20 books was a man who was muscle bound with his shirt off and the title was pornagraphic. I did not look past the top 20, that was enough.

Now, maybe I am too old school for this world, or maybe too old school for writing...I do not have any misgivings about one of my books reaching the top 20. But if we as authors have come down to selling our covers over good writing...well, yes, then time has passed me by.

I will still tell a good story, I will have a respectful cover, and I will never sell my cover over my story - I may never make that coveted list, but I can say I did it my way, the right way, and as it seems, a forgotten way. I am not an author for profit...I have stories I wish to share and for others to enjoy. I do have costs in making the book I need to cover, but if I break even and someone says they enjoyed my book...that's gold to me.