Thread: Suddenly unsure that I even want to be published...

As a reader, someone who read the song of ice and fire, and want to know more of the story. I think that if you really publish your work, you must be committed to at least finish your story. I do not think it is fair to your reader if you publish a book of a trilogy and then decide not to publish the other two books of your work because you just have other things you want to do in life.

Originally Posted by chongjasmine

I do not think it is fair to your reader if you publish a book of a trilogy and then decide not to publish the other two books of your work because you just have other things you want to do in life.

Wait... What?

The readers don't own the Author's life, just because they want to see more of his books..What if the Author wants to raise a family, become the president, or find the cure for cancer? I mean seriously..

I guess if the Author has already indicated that there will be a series of books, than maybe he owes his publisher something, but I don't see how he would owe the reader's anything unless specifically indicating it to be a trilogy, such as (Book 1 of 3, The Beginning of a Trilogy, 2 more on the way: Song of Ice and Fire)

Your agent, if you get one, is only interested in selling your books. It's the only way they make money. Also, don't you enjoy writing? Or are you just talking about disliking the pressure of deadlines?

Couple of things come to mind when I read that:

If one were to become published through a work they had conceived, then felt pressed into publishing another one in the same universe (often, a novel and it's development, style, appeal and other such things will suggest whether or not a sequel is possible), it makes me wonder, 'what were their motives to begin with?'

Secondly, this is jumping the gun just ever so slightly, though it's a perfectly acceptable though nonetheless. I think everyone has thought about this at some point, at last in between the bouts of head-in-the-clouds fame (and fortune).

Thirdly, and somewhat off-topic, though slightly related at the same time: many painters and artists of all kinds, once tied to a gallery, are shanghaied into producing a range of works, sometimes several of them, just to satisfy gallery revenues, long-standing artist images, movements, etc. One reason why I have a growing contempt for such bodies.

Originally Posted by Logan Myrddin

So, I got to thinking about it, and I realized: If I publish something and people like it enough, they (the publisher/readers) are going to want me to write more. Now, I wrote a whole book once because I wrote a short story for a class and everyone wanted to know the rest (long story) but I'm wary of being tied down. Once I publish, what's really going to be expected of me? I write multiple genres of prose, I write poetry as well and I'm also an artist, so I've got a lot of things I want to do, but I'm afraid if I ever become even moderately successful in any of them, the others will suffer. I don't even know what I'm doing with some of it.

What exactly will be expected of me if I get published? I mean, I don't have to submit my work to begin with, but what good is a work of fiction or art if no one ever reads or sees it? It's like a tree falling in the woods with no one around. I'm not exactly worried about making money here, but I will be graduating college soon and then I'll have to make a living. That is going to cut time out of my creative life.

Looking for some advice, evidently...

Yes, quite reasonably tbh. But there's a way around it: write stand alone stories. If you don't want to be pressured into writing the next book in the series, make sure that each of your books are self contained, that way you won't be forced to come up with ideas for something that you're sick of, and you'll only write when you want to. As for the short story/ poem/ haiku thing, well, let's say you're well liked for a book you publish. There's nothing stopping you from following that up with a book of poems, and relying on your "brand name" to carry your poem book sales.

If however, you start writing a series and then stop writing it because you can't be arsed to continue it, people will turn away from you because they won't be buying what they want.

Originally Posted by Logan Myrddin

So, I got to thinking about it, and I realized: If I publish something and people like it enough, they (the publisher/readers) are going to want me to write more. Now, I wrote a whole book once because I wrote a short story for a class and everyone wanted to know the rest (long story) but I'm wary of being tied down. Once I publish, what's really going to be expected of me? I write multiple genres of prose, I write poetry as well and I'm also an artist, so I've got a lot of things I want to do, but I'm afraid if I ever become even moderately successful in any of them, the others will suffer. I don't even know what I'm doing with some of it.

What exactly will be expected of me if I get published? I mean, I don't have to submit my work to begin with, but what good is a work of fiction or art if no one ever reads or sees it? It's like a tree falling in the woods with no one around. I'm not exactly worried about making money here, but I will be graduating college soon and then I'll have to make a living. That is going to cut time out of my creative life.

Looking for some advice, evidently...

Better to publish one thing and never publish again, than to never publish at all right?


It sounds to me like you are scared of succeeding.. I mean AFTER you have succeeded you can always just decide from there what you're going to do. Unless you sign a contract, its your decision..