March 12, 2013
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Unpublished
So I’m nearing the halfway point of my book and that fact has me thinking very hard about whether or not to pursue getting it published. Without permission from SquareEnix I doubt I would be able to other than as fanfiction, but it’s still interesting to think about. The thing about writing out a flesh and blood story to the skeleton that is Final Fantasy is that I get ideas for how to take these characters into all sorts of new directions. What began as a project to personally immortalize my favorite game as a kid has become a chance at a real career. But fame, as every celebrity(or non celebrity like the Kardashians) knows, has its’ pitfalls. So this had me thinking about the pros and cons of getting published. Perhaps the first book wouldn’t bring fame, but write out five or six of them to enhance what I’m calling the Final Fantasy Expanded Universe, and it will come.
So what are the pros? I would be able to afford a great many luxuries. I could buy my brother the Astin Martin that he drools over every time we watch a James Bond film. He loves nice cars, he just can’t afford them! So maybe I could earn some decent money and buy him one. As for my other brother, well he always beats me in poker. So maybe I could buy him a copy of supersystem for now and eventually pay his 10,000 dollar entry fee to the world series of poker one day. On a more serious note, I can easily see the ability to stockpile some serious money away to support my parents in their retirement. I can easily see the ability to stockpile some serious money for the retirement for me, my family(wife and kids), maybe even the grandkids if I make enough. Is that not a great enough reason to start getting published?
But what are the cons? Were I to start publishing books in the Final Fantasy Expanded Universe similar to what Timothy Zahn and others do for the Star Wars Expanded Universe, I would be under just as much scrutiny by the fans of Final Fantasy as they are by the fans of Star Wars. The characters and worlds I am creating from my imagination right now would pretty much enter the public domain and fans would feel like they are theirs, not mine. I know this because this is how I feel about Han, Luke and Leia. Yes, George Lucas created them, but they belong to the fans now. I don’t know how I would feel about Wes, Stan, Eve and Tova no longer feeling like they are my characters. And then there are other drawbacks to being famous. Yes there would be financial freedom, but how much personal freedom would there be. The life of a celebrity is always under a microscope. Right now I can ride the bus around Columbus and get pretty much anywhere at anytime. But if the local media gets wind of the fact that a well known writer is a well known rider, how long will that freedom last? Celebrities are supposed to have big homes, nice cars, and buxom wives. I don’t want any of that, but if I get published, will public perception turn against me if I don’t have things like that?
So I guess what I’m saying is that right now I’m just a normal guy who happens to write. I would like it to stay that way even if it means that my family(both now and down the road) have to deal with just being middle class citizens like everyone else. I kind of think that personal freedom is more important than financial freedom and all the fame in the world.
My question for you: If someone you were friends with became suddenly famous, would you think your friendship with them would change terribly much? If so, how?
Comments (10)
Be careful. They’re destroying people who rise by writing.
That’s why I make everything I write free.
If you do somehow escape the trap, then they will force you to write what they want to spread. If you go to an airport, it’s always the same list of authors and the same subject matter. It’s littered with subliminal garbage.
They sold their souls.
If I became famous, and I am kind of, it wouldn’t be for very long because I would get too nervous, even though I can’t feel much. I can’t tolerate a lot of people because I hate when they rapid-fire emotions at me.
The reason why I’m famous is because when I still had a brain, they thought I was somebody, and so they destroyed me, thinking that I wanted fame and money. They use opposites to get their fame and money. They’re not bad. I’m bad. This resulted in an average person being spread everywhere, but they won’t use my name. It’s a long story.
With an IQ of 116, it’s not very likely that I would rise up by myself. I’m simply not talented nor smart enough. However, I know a few tricks now, and I understand human vanity.
I’m trying to get something I want out of it. I want to start a decent group home for like 4 other people, and I’ll live in that prison for the rest of my life.
In order to escape this class, you have to have an IQ of about 140. You also have to somehow get around the trap to be a doctor, lawyer and or engineer. All those things will drag you down and slot you in a life. You’ll never get out of the middle class if you do that. In order to win the game, you have to be a banker, a politician or a celebrity.
Some people raise up others to use, but it wasn’t through the effort of the person.
Dream big my friend! As far as this particular book of yours goes, maybe it’s more personal than anything and you should wait until you’ve written something else for the world to see. It seems like a lot of great writers start out writing fan fiction. Just don’t wait too long or you’ll miss your shot of making all those millions! It also sounds like you have so many plans to give back to your family with your earnings, but what about you? What would you splurge on for yourself?
To answer your question, I would have to try hard not to let it interfere with our friendship. Money ruins everything, in all kinds of situations. So keep it away from me unless I’m totally rich too and we’re still good.
@specialxplaces - yeah, I’m still cringing at my first book. The book did okay though, which amazes me because I was brain dead when I wrote it.
Sometimes, we’re too excited about our little present to the world.
My slave masters came and punched me a bit for writing it. I don’t care about them anymore. They aren’t wise, and they aren’t clever. If they wanted to dominate the industry, they could. They could also use machines to write the books.
We can make writing worthless.
I like doing it. I will write no matter.
Sometimes the brain-dead come up with the best shit. What made you brain dead, drugs? Because Hunter S. Thompson did alright if you ask well, anyone. What was the name of your book? Can I find it somewhere on the shelves?
We all start somewhere, and as long as we’re content with our content then that’s what matters.
@Colorsofthenight - You have a reply over here.
@specialxplaces - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/rebecca-troup?store=allproducts&keyword=rebecca+troup
Did you sign a legal contract with anyone? Do you have permission from everyone that is involved with this book process if it isn’t your own creation that will be self published?
@hesacontradiction - Those are things I think about. For right now I’d just like to write it before settling on the idea of signing contracts. I wouldn’t publish it in any format without the proper permissions already in place.
Dream big and do it! I love you new pic