As an author, it amazes me that readers don't have more of a role in the publishing process. My brother works in independent films; he knows the value (and, yes, the pitfalls) of early screenings in front of an audience. Musicians get to work out new material in front of audiences before they go into the studio to record. Stand-up comedians try out a new joke every now and then and build a show around what audiences respond to. Playwrights get a group of actors to workshop a play before it goes into production. And so on.
But authors? We work alone. Very few of us would dare post the day's work at night and wake up in the morning to comments from readers. A few of us get feedback from a small group of writers, but for the most part we work in isolation. By the time our readers see our books, they're a done deal.
I was inspired by author Po Bronson, who wrote about soliciting feedback on the cover design of his new book from 2000 readers on his e-mail list. (We did something similar on GardenRant, with interesting results.) I was fascinated by Jonathan Coulton, a musician who wrote a new song every week and shared them immediately with listeners online. And I adore the work of artists like Carol Marine, who post small paintings online and sell them through eBay.
What all of these artists have in common is that they are exploring ways to connect directly with YOU.
That doesn't mean that the traditional gatekeepers--the publishers, the galleries, the record labels--are necessarily bad (although there's an interesting debate to be had about their role!) It just means that YOU--the reader, the music lover, the art collector--are the reason that artists make art. So why shouldn't you be more involved?
That's why I'm releasing my novel-in-progress online, before figuring out what to do about a traditional publisher.
Take a look around, and if you're inclined to give me your feedback, I'd love to hear it.
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