How much do you heed the gatekeepers?
Recently, I did an interview about self-publishing. I have so many reasons for self-publishing, more than I could express in an email.
But one feels especially relevant to mention right now: self-publishing is a way to bypass the gatekeeping of traditional publishing.
Because, boy oh boy, is traditional publishing super biased towards able-bodied, cis white men.
(Boy oh boy, indeed, let me tell you.)
There's nothing wrong with those voices. But they tend to bombard the shelves of many bookstores, reading lists, etc.
If you've read Still Moving, you know that it deviates from a typical illness memoir in several ways. All of those things are deliberate, and all of them were non-negotiable for me in terms of publication.
So, rather than spend years—seriously, this is a typical publishing timeline—trying to convince agents and publishing houses to deviate from their usual ideas, I decided to manage it myself.
My point is that I hope you express yourself in your art regardless of the gatekeeping around you. You're not obligated to make art that's commercial—though obviously it's fine to do so.
But don't let possible commercial success stop you from making things that are for you, regardless of what others think.
I mean, art predates capitalism by millennia! The bigger context matters.
And full honesty - I hope that Still Moving shifts perceptions over what is a "likable" or "commercial" book. I would actually love to see more books like Still Moving be normal.
In order for that to happen, a LOT of people need to read, like it, and share it.
So if you want to read, I hope you do. And if you have read and liked it, I'd love for you to leave a review. When the Amazon listing has 15 to 20 reviews, the algorithm will share the book more widely. For example, when you search for books about Long Covid, the "recommended for you" section doesn't show my book. However, with more reviews, Still Moving will more likely be a suggestion for people searching for books about LC.
Thank you to everyone who's helping to shift the algorithm AND perceptions. I am soooo grateful and inspired.
Read something good, and go make some art that doesn't care about the gatekeepers.
In support,
S.
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skyeris.art
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