"However reasonable or unreasonable it is to write expecting some reward, (financial or otherwise) I'm not sure it's wise - that is, I'm not sure it's healthy or productive."
You're right, but hence my original point - your take on this is mainly from a 'positive thinking' point of view. It's not healthy or productive to get angry and bitter about anything, but people still do it. If you can rein in that bitterness, then all well and good - you don't need to concentrate on the specifics of the publishing industry - you can just say, "Life is unfair, but there's no use dwelling on it."
Equally though, I don't think we can accuse writers who *are* disillusioned and cynical of being any more lazy/pitiable/misguided than the average human. We're all susceptible to uselessly negative emotions.
So basically, I sympathise with them. I mean, I feel that way myself sometimes, so I'd be crazy not to. And although I do agree that such a response is not the best way forward, emotion is not the easiest thing to command, especially when it's a reasonable response to a negative situation.
"If writers think that it is against them then that is just plain silly."
No, I don't think it is. Sure, the publishing world is, in its own mind, interested in publishing great fiction. But they're human, and humans are more comfortable with what's familiar to them - also greatly influenced by the whims of fashion, and each others' opinions. So, while a publisher doesn't take on a book because he thinks, "Hey, this is fashionable and will make us some money," his reasons for thinking its great - however much he may protest on the basis of 'experience' or otherwise - probably have something to do with fashions, trends and familiarity. It's easier to really believe something is great if you've seen a similar thing work wonders elsewhere, or if other people are also raving about it.
So authors who are producing work that is genuinely different, that hasn't managed to fit into some cultural trend, are not being entirely irrational in thinking that the publishing world stands opposed to them.
'So authors who are producing work that is genuinely different, that hasn't managed to fit into some cultural trend, are not being entirely irrational in thinking that the publishing world stands opposed to them.'
Yes. Qualified thus, I agree. And I also agree that, while it may not be ideal for a writer to feel aggrieved at their lack of recognition, it's understandable and very human, and I daresay most of us have done it to a greater or lesser degree.
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