EBooks Don't Count

[Stephen Brayton]

As part of my marketing strategy to promote the release of Night Shadows (January 15, 2011), I have contacted several colleges and universities respectfully inquiring about interest in a guest reader, or, as a professor at my alma mater suggested, putting on a workshop with some of the creative writing students, offering critique, and editing and marketing advice. The professor I spoke with thought the workshop would be a better way to relate to the students. After my book is released, this professor will receive copy for reading, then we will talk about scheduling a visit.

On my website, www.stephenbrayton.com, I wrote about a recent visit to William Penn University. The professor I met at this institution was ecstatic about having me attend a couple of classes. As I mentioned, the first visit, I offered my writing experience and how I became contracted to Echelon Press. Afterwards, the professor offered me a short story written by one of the students and the next time I attended, I offered some critique.

We both felt honored by the experience and the last communication I had with her left the door open for a future visit to a beginners' writing course next year.

Currently, I'm in contact with other institutions hoping to schedule future workshops. However, I recently received two rejections I feel I have to discuss. I won't name the colleges or the professors I contacted, but I was bothered by their reactions.

When I received rejection notices from publishers and agents, I chalked them up to inexperience, felt bad, but continued to persevere. I do not know how many more workshops or visits I may have at various colleges/universities, but I will keep trying.

The first rejection came via a phone call. The professor sounded bothered I had contacted him in the first place, annoyed he felt he had to call back and, in my opinion, didn't really want to listen to my proposal. He said there was no interest, “at least in this school.” before a quick termination of the call. Fine. One can only try so long before one realizes, ahem, it ain't gonna happen. Oh, that I would have realized this many moons ago when asking women for dates...but that's another story for another time.

The second rejection I received through email. This particular institution selects guest authors a year in advance and chooses only ones with “significant publications and who have won major awards.” Absolutely understandable. I researched some of their past guests. Names include: Edward P. Jones, Adrienne Rich, Ana Castillo, and John Edgar Wideman. I'm not going to put down any of these people even though I've never heard of them. I'm sure other writers and readers are familiar with their work. These authors have written some interesting material and, yes, have won some pretty prestigious sounding awards. So, I can understand this particular college wanting to have them and not me. I do not have numerous books published...yet, and I lack the awards...so far.

What really burnt my toast, however, was the first line of the email.

“E-books are not counted at the university level.” Excuse me? I'd like to know the reasoning behind that statement. Was this person saying e-books aren't REAL books? Yes, there are sites where any schmoe can put up his story, worthwhile or no. Buyer beware. But if you're with a publishing company that has a number of years under its belt with authors and editing and with some know how, then the unreality of e-books idea is not credible.

Or maybe he was thinking e-anything wasn't legitimate. I counter with: then nothing on the college's WEBSITE is credible either. Or the fact the message was sent by EMAIL might be a bit ironic. I didn't do any investigating, but I wonder how many of this college's guest authors have their own websites. I guess Stephen King and several other successful authors had better be told the news their works aren't acceptable, at least at the university level.

I've lowered my blood pressure since reading the email and took a few days before writing this post. And as I mentioned, I shall persevere. In the following weeks, I shall present some fascinating people, their thoughts, their books (e-books and tangible alike), and their successes. I think they will be entertaining and informative. Some have won awards for their work, whether written or otherwise, and all enjoy what they do and what they write. I think all of them offer advice, intelligence, and exhibit intestinal fortitude worthy of any guest appearance anywhere.

So, starting next week, let's have some fun and on the count of three, everybody give a raspberry to the notion e-books don't count. One, two...

[Caroline Trippe]

Most are people of little accomplishment and large egos,

I just have to comment on this. It's almost a joke---anyone who has worked around and with academics (as I did for many years) ---has encountered this syndrome. The "scoffing" syndrome. Partly it's because so many academics were bruised and abused during graduate school, :D, and once they've got that degree, feel it must confer also a DEGREE of superiority. And because of this long-suffering, cut-throat scramble to make it to the "top " of the pile---or at least to get that DEGREE, there is also an innate resentment of gifted people who did NOT "earn" those degrees....who made their own way, were self-taught, etc., but did not run the academic gauntlet.
Of course this is not true of all academics by any means---there are many who are not only fine scholars but fine teachers as well. Still, there's no denying that in academia there is a kind of "club" for many. Oh, and there's plenty of "friendly fire" too! :) But outsiders are all fair game.

[I. J. Parker]

About those college programs on military installations, Dan: you may be right. But as a rule it's the institution that signs a contract with the military and then assigns staff to do the teaching. The staff is often part time faculty or someone whose arm is being twisted. As for the survey courses: my guess is that those programs only cover the first 2 years. And that's pretty much introductory and survey material. They like you to finish your degree on campus.

[Stephen Brayton]

Mr. Coleman, Forgive me for not responding to your initial welcome. Sometimes notifications and replies get marked as spam in my email or get sent to a spam email site that clean out infreuqently. I would love to discuss martial arts with you. I wasn't trying to outright snub you. I'm getting around to checking our other blogs here and other places and leaving comments.
Thanks for yoru reply and letting me know you had contacted me.

[I. J. Parker]

The truth of the matter is that anyone can publish an e-book. For that matter, anyone can publish a print book also, but that costs a bit more money, so self-publishers tend to go the electronic route. There is absolutely no quality control here. Hence the refusal of faculty to take you seriously.
As far as the universities are concerned, they ask themselves, "What can this person teach our students that we want them to be proficient in?" You need to find out what subject you are an expert in and then sell this to the various English and writing departments. If it's merely fiction, then you need some hard (major publisher and several books) evidence. It's possible that you write in another area than fiction, but the same rules would apply. They may furthermore ask for your experience in setting up and teaching workshops. This ability is not the same as writing a book.

[Caroline Trippe]

I think it's not because e-books are in and of themselves bad---we know there are good and bad books published in hardcover and paperback all the time---it's just that now they are just the publishing world's newest "step child" -- and because there is the perception in certain circles --especially academic circles---is that anyone can publish an e-book---the prevailing opinion is that the criteria for publishing e-books are not as stringent. So if you published only an e-book, you won't have enough "credentials". It will take time for this perception to change-- until there are many many e-books of consistent high quality. Of those writers you mentioned, who were desirable to said university, Adrienne Rich is a very famous American political/feminist poet with a long history of publishing, but perhaps not well known by the general public. You have just encountered a prevalent form of academic snobbery! But it's persistent writers who will have to make e-books count! :) This form is still too new to have sufficient literary "clout" for some. As for online journals, they are the same long-standing literary journals that they always were; now they are simply switching from one form to another---because the presses can no longer afford to do otherwise. But they have their "gatekeepers," and their standards of quality have not relaxed or been compromised just because they are online. That's why they "count."

[Stephen Brayton]

EBook publication doesn't count, but online lit journals will? How is that for ironic?

[Pepper Smith]

I have a friend who teaches college English, and is required to publish in order to keep her position. She's been told that ebook publication will essentially get her laughed out of English departments, although publication through online literary journals counts as publishing credits. Sigh. It'll take time before the dinosaurs move on.