Publishing a Book
So what is this all about?
Different and all the same. Which side of the coin are you on today?
A Personal Tao is different enough that it will be hard to find a publisher. Publishers want a product which will sell. The mass market never wants to risk something new, it desires to follow safe and pre-defined trends. I have only submitted the book to two publishers. One publisher has sent me this feedback after I asked their opinion:
I recall the book being very unique and rather nonlinear in its narrative construction. From an aesthetic perspective, it was beautiful. Filled with solid wisdom. From a for-profit publisher’s perspective, it would not fit into either the square nor the round hole of trade publishing, so you may have a hard time finding a traditional publisher to publish it in its current incarnation.
Heh! A Personal Tao is most assuredly not about trends or following the leader, it’s about following yourself.
Some days I do get frustrated and throw my hands up and say I am dropping it all. Throw everything into the fire and just meander, oh how I love to meander. I mean seriously why bother with the book and everything I am writing? I give the book and work away for free, as it isn’t about the money and money is all about power, and power is just a “wot-ever”. Real power is just being myself.
Also: I know in the end we don’t save the world. So I am not writing for some larger noble purpose. It might have started that way, years ago, with a desire to help make the world a better place. I wouldn’t mind helping to make the world nicer, but I already do that just by being kind and living as myself…
The world is the world, and will turn and tumble about thru space without my assistance thank you.
It’s so much easier to just not write and craft and interact. Also as my meditation practice is going ever deeper, I have less and less desire to really interact, and I already was a hermit.
So in all seriousness this is actually a mirror. I have always used this Blog as place to talk with myself, and the book as a deep reflecting pool.
We as humans so love to lie to ourselves: in thoughts, in whimsy, in day dreams. So instead, I just have learned to write aloud my actions and reflections as a way to not lie to myself.
Ever do yoga? When you do a pose, you feel like your are a certain way, but in reality you are doing something different. It’s the same for our spiritual practice. We might think we are doing well , but in our actions we are not what we think we are.
I write and I continue talk to others and until I die, I will polish and add and tweak A Personal Tao… Simply because:
It helps me connect and see the world not as I feel it, but as I actually live it.
And some day who knows which of my paths I will embrace in this expression of life, so many options are available to… Until then and even after then I will follow the heart and refine, define and keep getting better at the practice and the crafting of words. Very much a tidal process back and forth.
In time A Personal Tao will be published by a larger print house, what’s a few years here or there in journey.
Peace
Technorati: Publishing | Books | Life | Taoism
9 comments:
Just keep going for it, Casey. I self-published because I couldn't stand to have the judgement - I wrote it for myself and for the few ears who can hear...but we all have our purposes, I support you and wish you the best. I'm a hermit too, I know how that goes. Here's to a nice holiday for you, hope you get a break this year. Cheers!
You might want to find an artist or illustrator you are comfortable working with, or even a good photographer. Like the Gia-Fu Feng/Jane English Tao Te Ching, I don't think it would work without the beautiful photographs. I think that would make your words more powerful and be a good incentive to a publisher to publish the work....
I knew all this from the start of the process. I spent a year living as a published author in the technical book field so I was already anointed within the whimsy of the publishing industry. I submitted A Personal Tao partially as a test to see if I had indeed crafted something unique and also to get more information about where the book stood. In a very strange way I posted this note as much as a badge of success, as I crafted something labeled as "beautiful and strong" and yet the publishers knows it doesn't fit mainstream culture. You see in my mind I have hit the mark smack in the middle of where I was aiming.
From the start I felt this book needed to be different to break out of the current grind happening today.
I watch so many people go thru book after book trying to find themselves and always moving on to the next book since the message of self acceptance gets distorted by the likes Dr. Phil, or Oprah and the mass marketing machine of dreams of being on top of that American pyramid... when 99% are holding up the whole scheme with our sweat and spirit... It's not about making it to the top, It's the secret of being yourself that matters.
I think Oprah is ok, and I think she has potential, but giving away cars to an entire audience is not helping people, it's just fueling the consumer society... And the bigger problem she is at the top.. so people try to copy her to go to the top of the heap. There is room for only one or two people at the peak of our society. So instead I am just another ordinary person and the path A Personal Tao is accessible right away no matter where you are in life, if a person is open to diving into their current life deeper.
Isn't this strange that living your life simply as yourself should be a revolutionary idea? Even after people as Jesus, Gandhi and others have been teaching that concept for so long?
Over time as I talk with others and continue to polish A Personal Tao. I have all the time of my life to experiment and play with this.
It's strange as I know thousands of people have already read A Personal Tao online, which is surprising to me, since it's different. I know it's not mainstream and won't fit, and would make many uncomfortable as it doesn't follow a simple linear plan on how to become a better person. Also many readers really don't want to be themselves. To be a better person in many people's mind is seemingly to be that person they see on top of the food chain. The United States has developed a culture of following the trends. Which is also strange since we are taught that in doing so is to be individualistic. Heh what a nice paradox and lie! And here is a "A Personal Tao" telling people: hey just be yourself! That's the gold standard... So many of us have been taught to hate ourselves, our bodies or minds as not being that ideal model shown in the American dream...Oh well.. so it goes.
A Personal Tao is 100% iconoclastic to the current society in these respects.
Now I wish I had the initial skill to have the A Personal Tao be 100% iconoclastic while appearing to be a mass market book. I suppose I am will begin working on a edition that does that now. I have a good starting template so it's time to polish , talk with others, and merge all that into something new... :)
I do think many people are becoming aware of who they really are, and I see a need to help each other stand up to this.
We can all be angels in simply lending a helping hand. Martin Luther King was so right, in having a dream and reaching out to help each other be true to peace.
Sorry if I rambled, but I am thinking aloud also, as it's part of my path to explore in this way and I like it very much.
Donna : Thanks my next revision will be on some of the art work to clean up some of the weaker pieces.
A.V: Thanks :) Stand true to your words, surf them , and craft the flow to ride the spirit. I am so proud to accompany you in your journey as we dance in the waves :) together. Having met you and chatting helps make the experience of writing a little less lonely.
It's interesting that a publisher tells you it's a beautiful and strong work that is highly readable, then determines that no one will want to read it :)
one thing all my recent study of english and world lit has taught me is that most of the stuff that is really worth reading met with rejection and indifference from publishers in it's time. so if that's a precedent, then you have no worries ;)
You are right Ryan and I am so sure of the path ahead of me.
It's interesting as the compliment from the publisher was sincere. I wasn't expecting any feedback at all when I asked for some. Most successful publishers are very traditional as more books than not don't make money. Anything that smacks of being different and new, is a high risk book. Being an author is a very hard dollar as far as earning a living. A Personal Tao with the Art pumps it up to being a more expensive book to publish, and the style places it in the high risk category of general market acceptance.
:) The market will catch up to A Personal Tao's vision soon enough.
Good luck with getting a publisher Casey; I'm sure someone out there is just waiting for an iconoclast without knowing it!
On a semi related note did you happen to catch this story floating around today?
What is the need of a printed version when I know you carry the content of your book with you and spread it over to others just by being you, Casey? I didn't have time to read it completely, yet, but it's already clear that this is your personal self trying to seek a way towards others. And I don't think you'll need a publisher for that. You just need you.
Anyhow, the moment you find one, I want multiple copies to be sent over to Belgium :)
Hi Bert
I think its ironic in what you say, as I am in at a point in my life where I am actually moving away more and more from society: and then I go and write a book which on one level does indeed show my personal self connecting and reaching towards others.
I suppose that's Yin and Yang in action. The funny thing (and ironic), I was even going to remove much of the personal references and all my reviewers all told me to keep them, as it gave the descriptions of the Tao and writing a more human connection.
It still bothers me slightly that so many personal references are in the book. But also I know deep down thats the whole point isn't it? We all do reach out to connect and thats part of our humanity.
We each live and learn the Tao by being ourselves while sharing our lives with each other...
Love and peace to everyone who stopped by. I so appreciate the support!
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