Quote:
Originally Posted by gmw
I might also add that statements like "I think you are missing out on a good story" are rather missing the point. We're all missing out on good stories. Of that 53,000 there are bound to be quite a few good stories, but we can't get through all of them. Our job as independent publishers is try our best to stand out from that crowd, and that means looking good as well as being good. It also means accepting that most of the time it's not going to work. Move on. Write your next story. And try again. Practice makes perfect - we hope.
Which brings me to your stated "unconventional style". This is going to mean an automatic rejection from many readers - especially on the first novel from an otherwise unknown author. Unconventional means that it takes time for the reader to settle in, and you don't have that time when you're still trying to make a first impression. Also, when it's your first novel it is not yet obvious that this is an intentional lack of convention, you haven't proven that you can do anything else.
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Interesting points, thank you for the thoughtful reply. I just see a fundamental difference in opinion between how you and I see things regarding the unconventional style. I see the unconventional style as something to set me apart, when readers want something different, something that might not be like every other ebook in the bunch, but still on the level of those ebooks. I figure if they read the description saying that it has stream-of-consciousness elements and an unconventional style, then they know it will take a little bit of time to settle in, and are ok with that.
And I believe that I don't have to prove I can do anything else. I have a free novelette on smashwords with a more traditional writing style, but it has been years and my writing style, I guess, has evolved to the style it is in the novella. Therefore, it's my style, and I don't feel I have to prove I can be just another nameless member of the "pack" on amazon today. Just my thoughts.
I really do challenge you to read "Silent and Abandoned". It's not your typical, every-day read, but I think it can really give context to what I am saying, and I really do think that you will enjoy it. - David