The Guild of Outsider Writers - Reality Sandwich Or Naked Box Lunch?

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Reality Sandwich Or Naked Box Lunch?

Reality Sandwich Or Naked Box Lunch?

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By J. D. Finch, on 12-06-2007 17:25

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Published in : OW! Site Content, The Naked Opinion

Some of you can ignore this.

Lobotomized, basement-dwelling video-game addicts, those deluded into believing that reality television is about reality, and the illiterate victims of No Child Left Behind.

For the rest of you, those who read and especially those who write, there is a revolution going on. And no, it won't be televised.

The printed and electronic pages have never been filled with more selection, more vital content, more sheer word volume, than right now. Authors seem to be plying their craft at exponential rates. Every category of each genre has a multitude of artists wending and weaving words to delight your eyes.

And the mainstream media doesn't have a clue on how to make a buck off all of it. So they ignore it.

You say you don’t see it? No doubt. There’s a brick wall been built before you, blocking your view. And the name of a large chain bookstore might just be on the front of that wall. Don’t walk through their door! No, you might suffocate on the other side.

Are you happy eating food that comes straight out of the box? Everything tastes the same, bland, mushy and not very much like food at all? Well if you like that generic food service taste of food that hardly contains any real food in it, if you like eating plastic...

...keep reading what the mainstream publishers are trying to push down your throats. Sure, there are occasionally phenomenal books on the shelf at your local big box bookstore, but even the largest book store contains only a smattering of the new literature available. Much for free, online.

And if you like the free samples online, perhaps you'd like to own books that appeal to you, instead of what grabs snooty, so-called-professional book critics. Do you really care whether someone at The New York Times or Publisher’s Weekly thinks a writer does or doesn’t lack a bi-dimensional vision of life? Or whether that author fails to maintain momentum after the epistemological cut? Or do you think you might just be able to decide what you like for yourself?

The mainstream publishers can't afford to take risks any more. Their need for massive profit precludes publishing any small run titles, precludes investing time or energy in unknown and little known authors. And so, like many other large corporations, they spend their marketing effort trying to get you to buy what they have to sell.

But I want a real ear of home grown corn on the cob, not a bag of frozen niblets imported from some country where they fertilize their crops with dog feces.

Don't you?

Join the revolution today. Explore The Guild of Outsider Writers.

The author of the above is David Blaine, who is a member of The Guild Of Outsider Writers. His latest poetry chapbook The View From Here is available through Paypal. Send $7 to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Highly recommended. (JDF)

Last update : 12-06-2007 17:25

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By: Evan Myquest (Guest) on 12-06-2007 20:02

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By: Evan Myquest (Guest IP 64.215.114.76) on 12-06-2007 20:02

I love the slogan at audible.com "the new music is words" because as an avid live music fan, I (and the wife) have replaced half our music gigs with poetry readings lately.

Funny. I just commented to someone that I didn't prefer the book format but I forgot to add it was because of the "capitalism" involved in the marketing, producing and distribution of the best and brightest, most ambitious, sui generic lit. ~m

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By: Noa Candon (Guest) on 13-06-2007 10:23

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By: Noa Candon (Guest IP 72.207.100.252) on 13-06-2007 10:23

you really think so? I mean - is there really THAT many real and good writers? I generally thought is was an influx of half-assers due to the popularirty of the Blog. I feel better now. I've been writing a while now and didn't think I'd get a second glance for fear I was another crack-pot "today I fed the dog a new brand of food, skipped worked b/c I was sick....yadda yadda, blah blah" blogger. But maybe- as you say- there is hope!

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By: Leopold (Guest) on 13-06-2007 18:49

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By: Leopold (Guest IP 142.59.195.166) on 13-06-2007 18:49

great article, JD. I think we too need to reexamine our expectations of 'readership' and 'success'.

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By: Mikael Covey (Guest) on 15-06-2007 20:04

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By: Mikael Covey (Guest IP 64.179.175.60) on 15-06-2007 20:04

I emphatically agree with you. The trick is to locate all this great writing. I tried to point out some exceptional short stories at my blog, but I really don't have time to keep up with it. An on-line 'reviewer' or 'critiquer' would be quite useful.

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By: David Blaine (Registered) on 16-06-2007 07:55

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By: David Blaine (Registered IP 207.69.137.24) on 16-06-2007 07:55

Mikael, I hope you'll encourage people to submit to the various editors here at Outsider Writers. We publish writing, reviews and interviews plus calls for manuscripts and items of interest.

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By: Mikael Covey (Guest) on 17-06-2007 04:53

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By: Mikael Covey (Guest IP 64.179.175.60) on 17-06-2007 04:53

David, I link to The Guild of Outsider Writers on my "zines" page. And I've been very impressed with what you have here.

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