Writing something new, not mainstream

There’s always this notion of writing what sells is the best way to go about things, but is it really? Are we taking giant steps back, just to remain in the shadow of mainstream, are Authors refusing to step out and take a bold stance in doing something new, or for that fact, just  being themselves just to keep in line?

Authors around seem focused on one thing today, let’s keep hitting on what sales. This goes for a lot of other fields too, games, music and film. But should it really be the status quo. You keep pumping on that same old well, in the end all you have are readers that just are sick and tired of the same old thing. Is it so taboo to just write a story that takes you into something different, something that you weren’t expecting to see. The golden rule might be, don’t upset the readers, but you have to give your readers more credit than that, you must assume they have a greater mind to take in something different, something new, even if takes them awhile to digest the whole book.

I’m a fan of being told a story that doesn’t just stick to the old good vs evil, but shows us that good and evil are the same, and that in the world there are no villains, just humanity which is deformed in it’s own way when you take the blindfold off. It’s surely not what sells, but isn’t that the beauty of it, it’s different, it takes a jump into an area that not a lot of people would. Cause of that, the author in my eyes earns my respect and reader for life.

Another factor in this trend is sales. Authors do keep themselves in place for the sake of sales. And we know the amount of books you sell is key for the finical living of the artist, the money you make, is the money you can pay the bills with. Now my take is different when it comes to this issue, I rather sell the book I had envisioned , than be force to release a book I know isn’t quite true to what I had planned, cause in the end, it comes down to this ” Will you be able to walk with your head held  high?”

Putting all that aside, you have to remember. You are an artist, you are the creator, you are the one that gave life to this story. You should say, you should create, you should do what feels right to you. Forget being the apple of everyone’s eye, forget about being NY Best Seller, and just be you, just be real. Write the story that isn’t censored and forced into something it never was in the first place. Be true and you’ll see the right people follow you. Cause shouldn’t your happiness be the thing that truly matters in life.

 

Tell me what you think, do you agree, do you disagree. Let me know.
~Jesse Abundis

 

 

Jesse Talk’s: The Power Of Youtube

I don’t ever want to hear indie can’t make a name for itself. That is the biggest lie in mankind that’s ever been told. Why, look no further than YouTube. The breeding ground for indie in all forms.

Take for instant SMOSH

This started off as two teens making random music video parodies from their family’s home. Few months later those simple random videos got those teens over one million hits. Let’s fast forward ten years and now they have over 2 Billion views on their youtube channel. Think about that, 2 Billion, kids who just did what they loved and now have made a career out of it. Proving to a whole world out there, that INDIE can stand alone and bring better entertainment than Hollywood can ever muster.

A lot of artist are given shit for walking alone and refusing to fall in line with the so-called ” traditional way” But the traditional way is sometimes so muddle with censorship, politics, and ass kissing that it makes it hard for anyone to let their work been seen or just break ground. It’s the rule ” We decided who breaks new ground” Which is utter bullshit.

Youtbe became that voice that allowed the artist to expand and break new ground. To this day, I will praise youtube, because even with big Hollywood trying to control it, it still remains a home for Indie.  A lot of people might say ” Well there’s a lot of pointless crap on Youtube.”  Same goes for Hollywood, TV and radio, yet somehow they still funded. I’m looking at you CBS.  

But among the big sea of Youtube, there are some hidden gems that just blow your mind away. And that’s where YOUTUBE beauty just shines, it can make any starving artist into the next big thing. It’s  not about flash, it’s about storytelling and new ideas.

So I tell you right now, never undersell the power of Indie. For all artist, I say take a stab, jump into the water, you never know what’s out there.  Youtube is our home, not Hollywood’s, ours!

Comment below, tell me about your favorite channel, or even plug your own work.

 

 

Reboots For Books?

Reboots, it’s done on everything we know. Film, music but they call them cover songs, comic books, hell even in video games. But what about literature? Is it time we had a reboot of a classic series, Harry Potter, Net Force my fave series growing up, which I would scream reboot till my lungs ran dry, or even our own work?

Now sometimes reboots work, Christopher Nolan Batman series, Devil May Cry franchise. And sometimes they’re the worst thing to happen! But the question remains, are reboots meant for books?

I’m not sure how I would feel if someone wanted to do a reboot on one of my works, maybe joyful because they loved it so much that they want to keep my world alive and another part wanting to crack their heads with a pipe for trying to touch my work…so it’s safe to say I’m 50/50 on this idea.

If your name is on the book, giving you credit and some of the earnings go to you, I can see where some authors might go with the idea. And another factor that lies with this is genre, what can you, and what can you not reboot on? Sci-fi, yes, Superhero, yes, Thriller, yes, Action, yes, Military, yes, Romance, maybe, ertoica, no.

I think it comes down to authors, and how willing they are to have someone retouch their work in a different light, or even publishers who can see a way in making money in a franchise that still has life.

Will we see reboots in books? I don’t think we’ll see that anytime soon, do I believe we should have reboots, it all depends on the genre, am I in favor of reboots, I wouldn’t mind it, only if the author gives the go ahead.

What do you think, should reboots ever happen in Literature, give us your two cents, debate, I’ll be here to talk

 

Why Such A Dark Stigma For Self-Pub?

You look at all other forms of art, Music, Filmmaking, Painting and even comics. And you’ll see that Indie artist are looked upon with respect. Now, you can see I left off one branch of art out of the group, which is literature.

            Let’s face it, when it comes to embracing INDIE, Authors and Publishers thumb their noses down on Self-Published writers. Who like an unknown band is playing and disturbing their content online. Still, a musician would garner more respect from other mainstream artist, than any self-published author.

            Now why would a self-publish author face more heat and disrespect from fellow artist who seek to trash and destroy their reputation? Well, the grand excuse for Publishers and some Authors is that Self-Publishers will ruin the art and destroy the business… is that right? Well, I’ve seen some self-pub film-makers and bands step into the circle and actually help boost the art value of their field. And yes, the bands without a label, the film maker without a company who post their own content online are just as the Self-Published author. They’re going it alone, without a brand, trying to make their work stand out from the herd. Do I hear anyone cast stones, no, they welcome it with open arms.

            So, how is it that Publishers and Authors want to degrade and destroy the self-published image?  Again they claim the art has to be held to high standards free from dumbing down and making their art less. Which is laughable, this from an industry that gave Snookie a book deal, a talent less hack, whose great achievement was taking a punch in the face and making an ass of herself to earn a little ounce of fame.

            When an industry begins to turn a blind eye on true talent,  just to make a quick buck, there’s something wrong with it and it’s not the self-published artist fault, that’s for sure.

            Even with all their flaws, Publishers go out of their way to smear self-publishers, trying their hardest to make the readers & authors return back to them. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be working anymore. With J.K Rowling and Jackie Collins leaving their once publishers and taking arms in being their own company after years of being under the thumb of the once publishers. Making that simple act become the almighty blow, in these changing times which publishers refuse to accept. In a way publishers are still stuck in the past, yes they’ve embrace the ebook but not in the way they really should. Because you see, this tool not only allowed them to sell, it allows all of us to sell and this is where they draw the line

              The big publishes want  control of who can and can not use this technology.  Which is not healthy for any art, claiming to stand by free thinking and that’s been a huge issue with me.

             BUT, even with all the head shaking, that hasn’t defeated the will of some hungry artist wanting to show the world they are here. Though that mere defiance has a price as some publishers go out of their way to blacklist author’s who dare try to undercut them. This is a fight that’s gone on for years.           

                       For example I was sixteen when I started to publish my own work for free on many sites. Even then I knew internet could open so many doors for me, even when some people told me it would lead to nowhere. With all the harsh words I carried on. And when a site like LULU.com came around I was stunned and happy as heck. This company would allow me to publish my work with no strings attached. A few days later, the big publishers spoke out on NBC NIGHTLY NEWS saying “ This is a format that will die, books will never be replaced, anyone wasting their time with this is a joke, Lulu.com isn‘t helping the industry, they are hurting it.” Now fast forward, LULU.com is still around and they’re not alone. Amazon, B&N and Smashwords are joining side by side to help who? Not big publishers, SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHORS! :O Crazy right? I mean, don’t they know that the  integrity of literature is at stake, what’s their game, they must be doing this for fast easy money…oh wait, the publishers already did that when they signed Snookie to a book deal.

            It’s sites like those that understand the value of letting art speak for itself. Yes, there are some really bad books. But so do Publishers. Walk into any book store and you’ll find some god awful crap in there, just it‘s said, well publishers at least take their time to edit the work, in the end that just makes it well edited crap.

            The hate that Self-Published get is just from spoiled greedy men and women who want it all and don’t want anyone else to say such words. They’re out of touch, they’re out of date with the times. No artist should hold their head down, be it self-published. In a way, when it comes to literature, there’s more egotistic and brainless fools who think they know it all, when they themselves could never create art, only art from a can.

              It’s sad, because with such an art form that can paint a picture in your head with just a few words, you would never imagine they could be so shallow for fame.

            I encourage all artist young or experienced, if you feel you can expand your creation into different fields, then self-pub. Forget the old stigma that it must be through publishing or it doesn’t exist. Because in their eyes, if it doesn’t sell thousands of copies it will never exist, well maybe not to them, but to the reader it will.

            I’ve had my say and now it’s time for me to go. One love, my friends. J

INDIE UNITED

JESSE ABUNDIS