What did you blog about today?

Today was just a (fittingly) tiny review of Flash Fiction Online but yesterday was the not-so-tiny annual summation.

Annual Summation: 2017

This summation has three parts. The first is a list and slideshow of the magazines Featured Futures covered in 2017, with statistics and lists of the stories read and recommended from them. The second is a list of this blog’s popular posts and most-visited stories, with a pitch for some “underclicked” stories. The third is a note about some non-webzine readings I did for Tangent.
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Jo, the cold fish of reality slaps us all in the face.

Well, except for those bestselling types...

I agree with a lot that you wrote. One thing (and this is sort of on-topic) I've been thinking of doing is trying to set up a review site or blog. The market's saturated and it's very hard to make a living. Anyway, once I've finished with current large works (Crown of Blood and Sir Edric and the Plague) I'll see about doing that.
 
Jo Zebedee said:
Anyhow, I blogged about publishing and where my income came from and what it means for the future. I doubt it will cheer anyone up#
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Well...
There is no right way to do things anymore. There is no perfect career trajectory.
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I think that's true in general terms (there's no correct path for everyone - or even most people)
but I think the good news is:
So, the first thing I thought I'd look at is where the market currently is for me.
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I think that's all any of us can do - find the best approach for ourselves, whether it's making oodles of money or enjoying what you're doing

Even better:
But I do know I'm going to enjoy the hell out of it. Because I came into writing because I love doing it. I came into it to tell my stories.
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You've won!!!!:cool: Anything else is a bonus, right?

I'm not entirely sure I'd agree with this bit though, Jo:
But I genuinely feel that these next few years will shape the future for writers, and their income, and not, I fear, for the better.
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I think it's certainly true for most writers, but my experience here is that we are (mostly) not most writers.
There is, of course, a global tightening of belts as taxes rise etc, and writers and others artistes will feel the pinch (because many people view such things as non-essential to survival unlike, say, food) but will this be proportionately different to any other sector/industry? I'd guess not. However: many more people write/publish now than 10 or even 5 years ago, and for many more reasons (fame, career, just for youself, writing up someone else's account, etc.) so there may be considerable diversity among writers and their income (some will do much worse than average, some will do much better).

I think the key question was, as you pointed out:
So, is there anything to be done?
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1. For the writing community/industry as a whole: probably not.
2. For a lot of people here on Chrons though: yes
  • We are luck that we have a global community (thanks @Brian G Turner !) and that nearly all of us are interested in Fantasy/Science Fiction (we therefore have common ground)
  • SFF is so big that all of us are particularly good at one or more specific 'bits': whether reading, picking up tpyos, spotting tropes, influences, stucturing a story, etc
  • SFF is geeky/nerdy, and so a lot of us get quite immersed in it. Quite a few of us get into reviewing, writing, editing, or publishing
  • After hanging out here for a while we get to know each other, and some people get really, really good and/or successful - whether it's becoming a best-seller, or - like @ratsy or @Gary Compton et al at TBP - starting a successful, vibrant publishing venture
  • Working together, people can accomplish more than alone, and we have lots of lovely people who excel in lots of different areas, and it doesn't matter whether people read posts but rarely comment (I spent a long time doing this, and know others have too), share their insights regularly, challenge views in a positive way, etc: every contribution is valuable. So, I'd say:
I think Chrons already offers the opportunity for members to be more successful (according to whatever standard they value, e.g. happy, published)
than they might otherwise be if they didn't participate. Is there anyone who can say they've never learned a thing here? I know I can't.
Certainly it looks to me like the sucess of many Chrons authors with TBP and @ratsy's Woodbridge Press, and the way authors support each other (twitter, reviews, guest blogs) is just one example of how success is relatively different to what might otherwise be expected.*

Personally, I view this place as far, far more useful (and fun) than any other forum, or things like Facebook, Twitter, etc. and I think the truly remarkable thing is that it isn't a multi-million international company with tax havens, but the work of one chap in his spare time along with a few volunteer moderators (Mods) who put up with us in exchange for mostly digital cake and a lot of grumbling. sometimes it's not even digital cake.
I intend to buy the next mod I see a drink. Then grumble a bit:D Then talk SFF:cool:

*And I only use writers as an example, not as any judgement on the usefulness of any/all interactions with the forum
 
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