tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post6676810974342830622..comments2024-03-20T02:49:17.606-07:00Comments on Between Fact and Fiction: The Truth About The Author Caste SystemNatalie Whipplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09978251567306345129noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-85718305375819217722016-09-15T07:31:57.520-07:002016-09-15T07:31:57.520-07:00Late to the party over here, but thanks for writin...Late to the party over here, but thanks for writing this. It's truth speaks to a wound that many people (especially authors) have of wanting to be accepted and validated.<br /><br />It's so hard to give yourself permission and authority and space to be who you are creatively when the world/society is so eager to withhold those things.<br /><br />I'm self-publishing my first novel this year and trying to shore up my defenses against the emotional pain that I know these castes have the power to inflict on my insecure, self-conscious ego.<br /><br />Also, if it helps, I would like to remind you that I awkwardly fan-girled over you at the IndieReCon event a few years ago, just because I'd been a follower of your blog for a few years. And I regret nothing. I would totally, in all my social awkwardness, fangirl again if we were to meet at another event.fairbettyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641997265787156629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-90379584892348461662016-06-10T15:44:04.213-07:002016-06-10T15:44:04.213-07:00Thank you so much for your honesty! I'm an aut...Thank you so much for your honesty! I'm an author with a debut novel coming out and I've already started to feel this caste system. I recently attended a conference and experienced some of the things you mentioned. It's sad that it exists, but you nailed it.Kristin Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15119967346326579747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-52704266481271813172016-06-09T08:45:21.113-07:002016-06-09T08:45:21.113-07:00I always find your honest articles refreshing. Pl...I always find your honest articles refreshing. Please keep writing them.<br /><br />As an aspiring writer, I'd just come to this same realization from the many cons I've attended over the last 5+ years (though I'll admit your blog tells me I'd only touched the tip of the iceberg with what I'd gleaned so far).<br /><br />I'm still working on moving up from pariah in the author social caste to someone authors will actual talk to of their own volition. I realize much of it comes from the majority of us being introverts, so I won't hold it against them, but it's hard knowing that the only people I can really associate with (by some of the authors' own mouths) are the other pariah aspiring authors attending the con.David Hickenbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15114833910659451784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-2804271476890116322016-06-08T17:43:12.043-07:002016-06-08T17:43:12.043-07:00Super agree (same thing is true in the game dev wo...Super agree (same thing is true in the game dev world, <a href="https://twitter.com/adamheine/status/637649557531181056" rel="nofollow">case in point</a>).<br /><br />But what you said about that little girl... that's <i>everything</i>. Thanks for reminding me not to lose sight of that -- whether in writing or game development. Comparison kills. I create for me and my fans, whether they be many or few.Adam Heinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02225813532455467868noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-1966340544983519782016-06-08T16:04:05.345-07:002016-06-08T16:04:05.345-07:00Amen and amen. I've lived so many aspects of t...Amen and amen. I've lived so many aspects of the castes, and you're right on.<br /><br />The hardest part for me is writers who embrace the various castes when doing so is in their favor, who then treat lower-caste writers as less than. Some writers do that even if they used to be friend with the other person, or at least colleagues, or (worst of all) if the current low-caste person used to be considered a higher caste, but the roles have reversed, and the new higher-caste author uses the friend to climb to the next caste, never looking back. <br /><br />I have a really rough time respecting writers--no matter how talented, no matter their sales or awards or anything else--if they treat other authors with disdain. One author in particular has rubbed me wrong on multiple occasions: they mocked an award in the acceptance speech (an award many would have killed to get), they shared a signing with another writer and after finding out writer B was with a small press, seriously said, "Don't they publish low-quality stuff?" TO writer B's FACE. (What was WB to say, "Uh, I guess my books are crap"? Then this same writer got offended when someone else was considered for an award instead of them. And on and on. It's this arrogant, "I'm better than you" attitude that's tough to take.<br /><br />Granted, it's genuinely hard to handle seeing friend who started years after you soar past with raging success stories, but if they're genuine friends, and they aren't treating others with disdain--and they're still my friend--then I can be happy for them.<br /><br />But when I see a diva writer (male or female--I've seen both) acting as if the world owes them something for their glorious contributions, but I know firsthand that the writer has actually been a jerk behind the scenes, it's a challenge even to interact with them on a superficial level.<br /><br />On a happier note, when I meet a writer who is genuinely awesome no matter their circumstances or those of writers they meet, my respect for them shoots through the roof.Annette Lyonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12493583432919249814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-65007286737267783912016-06-08T15:09:55.741-07:002016-06-08T15:09:55.741-07:00I definitely agree with this post, especially the ...I definitely agree with this post, especially the first part. At first I didn't understand why celebrity "writers," who often paid other people to do all the writing for them, got huge book deals, although there are several legitimate celebrity writers who do their own writing and have written good books. But then I realized that a lot of people would line up in a bookstore for an autograph and a picture from a famous movie star or musician. Neurotic Workaholichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06775298184138766683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-12375603680841545932016-06-08T14:47:40.781-07:002016-06-08T14:47:40.781-07:00Great piece. Thanks for sharing.Great piece. Thanks for sharing.Jacqueline Howetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13522485407848765933noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-61141901926686807172016-06-08T13:37:13.127-07:002016-06-08T13:37:13.127-07:00That is food for thought, Natalie. Thank you for s...That is food for thought, Natalie. Thank you for sharing.William Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331324250821836822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-65607608547283389682016-06-08T10:59:19.931-07:002016-06-08T10:59:19.931-07:00Such a great perspective. Thanks for this. It help...Such a great perspective. Thanks for this. It helps tremendously to know what you're getting into so you can be prepared. :)K. L. Hallamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05672153195378644215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-28419902950656428572016-06-08T10:16:45.242-07:002016-06-08T10:16:45.242-07:00I have always loved you and your honesty. It'...I have always loved you and your honesty. It's so true.Staceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17462679207010674240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-14031465804304203592016-06-08T09:55:05.269-07:002016-06-08T09:55:05.269-07:00Vicious! Thanks for writing this :)Vicious! Thanks for writing this :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17737999058930186037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-48693353077861151172016-06-08T09:54:56.006-07:002016-06-08T09:54:56.006-07:00Vicious! Thanks for writing this :)Vicious! Thanks for writing this :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17737999058930186037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-49572849488307058912016-06-08T09:36:00.097-07:002016-06-08T09:36:00.097-07:00A great post, honest and true!A great post, honest and true!Lee Gjertsen Malonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05530491982643597404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-52394879776872281932016-06-08T09:15:26.595-07:002016-06-08T09:15:26.595-07:00Fascinating (and slightly depressing) post. But im...Fascinating (and slightly depressing) post. But important for new and aspiring authors to know.Nickihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02909549185909672642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5774363178370829558.post-8878506656626395832016-06-08T08:38:31.007-07:002016-06-08T08:38:31.007-07:00I had to laugh several times reading this because ...I had to laugh several times reading this because it's all so true. Also, 5 books at a signing is great! :) I do love your paragraph about that one fan who made the entire conference for you. I recently signed at a con with virtually no one coming to the table, but I had a similar experience with one fan who said my book changed her life. It's so easy to forget THAT's why I do this. ilimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17899071063752311737noreply@blogger.com