This month's VBT - Writers on the Move Viewpoint is hosted by Nancy Famolari and she poses this question.
My comment on Nancy's site:
This is such a powerful question. I think many writers don't view themselves as "real writers" unless they're accepted by traditional publishers.
The problems arises in that there are a sea of writers and only a bucket of publishers. What happens to the majority of writers who don't fit into the bucket?
I, most days, don't feel like a "real writer," but I keep plugging away!
But, there's so much more to this topic. Nancy mentions self-publishing as a means to an end and believes it's a courageous option. But, as a self-published author and a reviewer for BookPleasures.com, I need to delve into this topic a bit more.
First, I have to say there are some self-published books that are excellent. It is evident in their books that the authors followed the rules of writing and had their work professionally edited (and a reader and reviewer can certainly tell the difference). But, there are a number of authors who it appears do not even have their work proofread or even critiqued. This is where self-publishing get into trouble.
While I think self-publishing is a great avenue for writers to get their work published, I would strongly advise to have the manuscript in a critique group, have it proofread and professionally edited.
Then, what about freelance writers who write for free online magazines or news sources, or get $2.00 to $5.00 for their articles. Do they consider themselves real writers?
Back to the original question: I think any writer who turns out a well-written and engaging book or article is a "real writer," not matter how it gets published!
That's my 2 cents!
Be sure to check out Nancy's original post.
Talk to you soon,
Karen
Karen, I agree. Self-publishing has many writers who do not obey the rules of good writing, but on the other hand, books published by major publishers are often of questionable quality. It's important to write something "good" by that I mean well written to be considered a "real" writer. However, being self-published should not be a criterion for looking down on someone.
By the way, from my standpoint, you are a "real" writer. I love your book. I believe there are children and parents who thank you for being a "Real Writer!"
Yes, you are a "real" writer, Karen. I've addressed this topic on my blog, too, and linked back to yours.
http://vivianzabel.blogspot.com
Thanks, Nancy and Vivian for stopping by...you put a smile on my face!
Karen