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roger, an art & literary magazine 
The Internet has opened numerous outlets that have changed the world that we are accustomed to. People not only have to adjust to these changes, but so do businesses. As an aspiring writer you go through a rigorous process of trying to express yourself through writing, and then finding the right person to publish it without changing too much of your piece. What if this process was just a part of history, what if the Internet has made it easier to be published? The answer to these questions may just be the “self-publishing revolution” that is upon us today.
As the Internet continues its dominating takeover of many industries, we are aware of the direct effect it has had on the literary world. I’m talking about more than just electronic books; the internet has actually led to more self-publishing and people are eating it up. It has created and unlimited place with no restrictions for writers to publish their works without going through an alternate party. Writers are taking their careers into their own hands and publishing their own works.
Writers benefit because they have the potential to share their pieces with millions of viewers for free. They simply have to create a web-site or a blog that is dedicated to their work; with the right tools they can become very accomplished. The Internet has created a form of marketing that the writer is in complete control of. They are able to express themselves without the input from other people that will not change their writing; they simply receive comments on what people think of their piece.
Self-publishing allows for writers to write about anything without the restrictions given by the publishing house. They can write on their own time without deadlines and not have to worry about things like book length and whether their agent is going to like it. A sort of pressure is eliminated from producing creative works. Along with enhancing writer’s creativity, they don’t have to worry about the hard times that publishing houses face, like publishing freezes and other various things that may hinder or make an author’s career harder.
Sure this seems like a great way for young aspiring writers to take the first step in their careers. However, this form of self-publishing does have some downfalls. People say that because writers now have the freedom to publish whenever and whatever they want, without using a publishing house or something of the sort; writers have become disconnected. They no longer have to work with other people to get the best out of their writing and get the criticisms that they need to grow as authors because they are doing it purely on their own. Everyone knows that two minds are better than one, and that sometimes an opposite force can drag the best out of you whether you want to do it or not.
As an aspiring member of the literary and writing world I think that this change in publishing clearly has its benefits and its downfalls. I do believe that yes too much of anything is not a good thing. I think that the advances and freedom that the internet allows should be used to help establish a writer and make them more confident before they rush into hiring and trying to publish the first good piece of work they have. Many of us are insecure in our writings and need to write all the time to find out voice and the things we want to write about. The Internet allows for this to happen and on more than a private level, criticisms of our work make us stronger, even though we might not like what someone has to say. However, purely publishing on the Internet I feel loses its credibility because people can write anything and put it on the Internet. There is also a sense of accomplishment and professionalism that comes with being published in a book or magazine.
I think that all of the electronic changes that are occurring in our society are not necessarily a bad thing; I think the answer for most industries is to find a balance between the old and the new. The Internet provides great opportunities, but it is important to still aspire for more than the “do it yourself” mentality that this “self-publishing revolution” offers.
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