Some things never change. Not only have I NOT done anything I vowed on my New Years' Resolutions List, but I have done things in the space of 30 days I didn't even know I was considering. Even though they might have been on the back-burner of my mind.So... let's get to the 'bucking' point, shall we?
Even though I knew full well at the age of 15 what the term 'vanity publishing' was, and even though I went straight on through my 20's and 30's and (eeep, almost all my 40's now) denouncing every 'self-publishing' advertisement that screamed at me from the pages of various writing magazines, I have gone and done it.
I'm just so contrary, me. But you can rely on me to buck a trend - even (actually especially) if the trend is self-imposed.
I'm the same with housework (that's a 'trend', right?) It's there; it screams and expands and demands attention, so I do my level best to ignore it. How dare it demand of me - don't I have better things to do with my life? Damn right!
So, Vanity Publishing. It's always had a bad press (ha) and in a similar fashion to the very misunderstood microwave, I think it's now about time we started to embrace it. *ANALOGY ALERT* In true Cooper-fashion, I have had enough of spending my precious time standing over a pan into which I've carefully and blended and chopped; added to, stirred, folded, creamed, and pureed to a pulp - watching expectantly as little bubbles begin to surface, the aroma intensifying and embracing the kitchen (of my mind, keep up, keep up) only for the gas to turn off right at the crucial moment. It's upsetting. It's demoralising. It's soul-destroying, frankly. And as I've been standing at this metaphorical 'cooker' for the past 10 years, watching my lovely little dishes simmer and just reach boiling point before... well, you know... the gas... I've decided to soddit and just stick it in the microwave instead. It pretty much does the same job in a hundredth of the time, does NOT melt the brain and if anything comes out tasting weird, then I've only got myself to blame.
I don't feel desperate. Even though I've published under a pseudonym (D A Cooper) which is more in case of any future representation problems. I don't feel like I've let myself down; but I do feel oddly liberated. Like a mother Starling having just eased her little fledglings out of the stale nest they've been cooped up in for far too long, and I'm just excited to see how far they can fly now.
Technology is a wonderful thing. I usually embrace all things technical, after all, if it's been invented why the heck not use it? And although I shall continue to buy proper, published, printed books in ink on paper, I shall also be downloading the occasional e-book once I have my shiny new tablet-thingy (oh I'm all up with the latest jargon, me) and relishing in how far we've come since Dickens' day.
Things are looking bucking good for the first month of the New Year - I now resolve they shall stay that way!
