"A Philosophical Treat on the Nature of a Published Author."

"Riches and Poverty, Fame and Anonymity, Critics and Fans and the Odd Man Out."

by Ken Pauls Milano

In the above heading, there are two analogies, though they are not paired as they should be—that is, riches and fame go hand in hand, just like poverty and anonymity draw from parallel circumstances; as the old cliché goes: they are like two peas in a pot.

On the other hand, critics and fans are as different from one another as it can only be imagined; they are utterly detached from each other’s frames of mind, and as dissimilar as a dog and a rainbow—to use another cliche I think I just invented, but despite that undeniable fact, many readers unaware that they’re being manipulated fall many times into the traps of the ill-advised and evil pennings manufactured by so-called critics.

I won’t disparage the whole of the critics’ community in this article, because that would be totally unfair. They are paid professionals that fulfill a niche in the publishing industry, and many of them are eloquent, fair-minded individuals that perform a contentious but otherwise benign surgery of the anatomy of the literature in front of them

Moreover, there are times when constructive criticism can be a plus but there are also times when immoderate criticism can be a double-edged dagger that can severe the arteries of the written speech and do more damage than help the intended target: namely the lone wolf that is the author himself.

And to be just, there are fans that take it into their heads to be cruel critics as if they had been cheated out of a huge inheritance, even though as a unit they are a more wholesome and forgiving community than that of the critics. Furthermore, fans’ critique can be very illuminating, since they are the backbone in any author’s career., even if that backbone is fickle and unstable at times like the shifting orbits of an asteroid field in the deepest reaches of space.Any writer, no matter what genre he’s in—can draw precious jewels out of the healthy criticism of his fans and the substantial harvest, he can reap after the seeds of judgement that had been sown down deep into his soul.

But I will digress now and ponder on the analogies I mentioned at the beginning of this article. By doing so, I believe I may yet untangle the web of uncertainty and mystery surrounding those subjects. I will analyze the ins and outs of riches and fame as well as poverty and anonymity in the publishing industry—a touchy subject of heated argument that spurts unequivocally in some circles concerning those subjects, and I will also dissect the direct effects they can have on an author, by either shrouding him with a veil of doubts or one of assuredness as they case may be.

A real writer should never write a single word with the sole purpose that money and fame will follow in his wake—it defeats the purpose of good and unselfish writing. Thus a real writer should mold and shape his words on a paper because he truly loves his craft—because he really loves to share his ideas and stories for the world to enjoy, and not the fame and riches that his work will eventually afford him. There’s no better feeling, than to hear a reader, unaware that you are listening, say commendable things about your work. That feeling can’t be beaten, not all the money in the world could buy that electrifying state of mind.

Of course, sometimes an author falls victim into the inevitable blackened, open pit that is poverty and anonymity and he anguishes and prays for a spark of recognition that never seems to materialize, which is a perfectly normal and human experience. Anonymity especially can brew dark doubts into an otherwise healthy mind and bring on the dreaded envy—enemy number one of any man no matter what his profession is.. Therefore, everything starts to revolve in a vicious circle from which is very hard to escape. However, the circle can be broken. The writer must maintain a positive attitude at all times and against all odds, even when everything seems to be conspiring against his person. His motto should be: "There will be better days, when my talent will be finally recognize." And he has to truly believe in it.

In a nutshell, and to finalize this article I must add that the author, well, he’s the odd man out. He gets to be thrown around amid the hurrahs and complaints of each contender, and you can guess already who’s doing all the hurrahs.

A last piece of advice. Hang in there buddy, your time of reckoning with the unpredictable business of publishing and money and fame and all that will eventually come, and you will take it by the horns and wrestle it down to the ground. Nary a wimp out of you from now on. Forward!