In recent months, I've confronted a number of authors who, well, I'm going to be brutally honest, reeks of an unprofessional. While I've noticed that since I first started to be an active author online, I chalked it up to the same reasons everyone says. Not hearing tone of voice, bad communication, inexperience, etc, etc. There are always unprofessional people just about anywhere, whether it's online or an office. But, on the internet, it's gotten out of hand.
This lack of professionalism isn't
exclusive to genre. I've met just as many romance writers who are
just as bad as horror writers. It's the internet culture itself that
has taken on a whole new life and rearing it's ugly head, making a
very bad name for the rest of us who actually have a clue.
For awhile, I shrugged it off. It's
only a small handful of people behaving like trolls, right? But the
numbers have increased. A lot. People aren't behaving like trolls
only. Schoolyard bullies, self-appointed authorities when they have
no authority, aggressive popularity games, threats and bashing,
borderline fascism. It's getting downright scary in cyberspace.
I'm 34 years old. High school was a
long time ago. I have zero interest in being involved with petty high
school games. I know I'm not the only one who has confronted this...
attitude. And I know for a fact it's not coming from kids. Full grown
adults, behaving with less maturity than a daycare, in their 40's,
50's and 60's. It's quite sad.
I've thought about writing a guide to
professionalism, using my ten years of working experience in
publishing, advertising and marketing. I love helping to build and
maintain a community, which I feel is sorely lacking in today's
world. But you know what? It doesn't matter. Real professionals
already know.
Professionals know there are no
shortcuts in life and the internet isn't an exception. We already
know that the rank system on online book retailers isn't reflective
of sale numbers, it's reflective of the number of clicks because
that's how computer language works. We know the real money isn't in
book sales, it comes from selling rights for movies and TV shows, and
for that, an agent is needed. We all know this and more, because
professionals have common sense.
So as much as it frustrates me to see
writers behaving badly when I'll think, if they just knew what I know
about being professional... I've realized that at the end of the day,
it makes no difference. I can only be myself, take full
responsibility for myself, and devote my time to my own projects.
Because that's being a professional.
