Comments on: Internet Sea

By: Paul Clayton

Paul Clayton — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:57:32 +0000

Simon, thanks for weighing in (anchors aweigh?) Later, Buddy!

By: Paul Clayton

Paul Clayton — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:56:40 +0000

Don, it’s all good. Yeah, the mega authors and the political biggies all generate revenue. I must confess to being jealous however. If someone, a MegaWriter, sells ten thousand Times the number of books I do, I just cannot accept that he must be ten thousand times the better writer. I think so much of it comes down to advertising and how enthusiastically the house gets behind the particular writer and his/her book. Let’s face it. Some books are published and some are printed. M.J. Rose did a good piece on that and I agree with her wholeheartedly, having been printed. But even that is good. I still catch the fish. You know, lately I caught a couple crabs (no! not that kind) and that put me off. But, hell, I’m just gonna reach in the cooler here and pop the top on a cold one and see what else happens. Best!

By: Don Mitchell

Don Mitchell — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:43:13 +0000

I’ve been in a commenting funk for a week or more — I look at postings, look at the comments, and can’t think of anything to say. Blank mind. I hope it passes soon.

So I’ll say something a little off-topic here, to try to get back into it. I’m thinking about those factory ships, and the notion of readers-as-fish, which all seems right on, to me. Straining the metaphor a bit, those fish aren’t just fish, but a revenue stream. (Wow, so MBA-like.)

The off-topic part is that it’s easy to diss the factory ships (and for very good reason) and I do it too, but one time a writer I know (Anthony Doerr) reminded me that it was the revenue stream those factory ships generated that made it possible for the big corporation that owned quite a few of them to give him advances and pay him royalties.

Just something to think about. I don’t think it contradicts anything Paul says, all of which I liked.

By: Simon Smithson

Simon Smithson — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:07:54 +0000

We’re going to need a bigger boat.

(OK, I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t really know what that quote means in this context. But I just really wanted to say it. As boats go, TNB’s a pretty big one).

By: Paul Clayton

Paul Clayton — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:55:07 +0000

Way to go, David. Bait your hook with your heart and go for it!

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By: David S. Wills

David S. Wills — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:19:08 +0000

I agree. I really like the ’sea’ metaphor. I’d never thought of it that way, but you’re absolutely right. I’ve spent several years trawling for readers online, with various degrees of success. But now I’m about to head back, armed with phrases like ‘bait’ to help me catch more.

By: Paul Clayton

Paul Clayton — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:31:17 +0000

Indeed. You tell me where your lucky fishing place is and I’ll tell you mine. Best!

By: Brad Listi

Brad Listi — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:17:26 +0000

This was fun, Paul. I like the “Internet as sea” metaphor. And agreed: all of the many writers out here are indeed trolling for fish.

Good thing there are a lotta fish in the sea, I suppose.

Catch and release….