People who keep their literary fiction noses to the ground will realise that "The Shack" has acquired the Number One best seller status in the United States. Once this happens, it's only a matter of time before it becomes the world's best selling work of fiction based on fact. As a resident of the UK, I haven't had the opportunity to read it, so I'm not yet in a position to make any comment regarding the storyline. Roll on August 7th when it will be released here.
However, the background behind how this book was written and finally published deserves more than a mention. As co-author to "The Meadow" I know how important it is to have the entire infrastructure in place to allow the finished product to reach the bookshelves. Assuming that the storyline is worthy of great merit, from hereon it is an uphill battle. And boy do I mean uphill.
The author of "The Shack", William Paul Young, originally had written this story for his six children. Because of his own traumatic background, he felt compelled to have his say and perhaps leave a very personal legacy for his family. Once completed, he must have realised that there had to be some kind of an outlet for his story, just so that it could at least reach the hearts and minds of those he loved most.
In the process of looking for ways and means to get his book into a more general mode of acceptance, he sought the help of a personal friend who, I believe, was a pastor and an author. Once his friend had received Mr Young's manuscript he screamed at him, just like my writing partner, Elfreda, did with me, to get this story published. It happened that Mr Young's pastor friend had just the right person to help him who was connected in some way with the media.
Apparently it was suggested that Mr Young should originally arrange to have only a few copies printed off, just to test the immediate market. For a cost of around three hundred dollars, he had managed to have enough books at his disposal to give to friends and relatives.
At this point we are about to witness the trend being well and truly bucked. To date, and by word of mouth only, William P. Young has managed to put out 1.7 million copies on to the open book market. This is an amazing feat and definitely one in the eye for all the publishers out there.
Mr Young suffered at the hands of the agents and publishers just the same way as Elfreda and I, not forgetting J K Rowling who experienced many hundreds of rejections. In fact we are personally marketing "The Meadow" because of the total disinterest of the publishing fraternity. Like us, he received stock, pre-printed replies, telling him that there was "no market for this kind of stuff". How many times have I heard that one as we awaited the magic acceptance letter to pop through the mailbox?
I commend William P. Young for what he has achieved and I am so in awe of his short-term, but massive achievements. He actually beat the publishers. I know that he now wants to be in a position where he can offer any help to others and share his experience. So, for the benefit of those could-be and wannabe writers who subscribe to MySpace, I would ask Mr Young if he would leave his comments and advice to this article, despite his busy schedule.
As a 'friend' on MySpace, I know that you probably have the opportunity to read this at some time, Mr Young, regardless of how busy you are. You are an example to all who aspire to the written word and I'm sure that I speak for all other MySpace friends when I say that we will be honoured to hear from you. Maybe you can share some of your background and a little bit about the storyline, especially for all my associates who don't live in the US. I sincerely hope that you will respond.
I only pray that this is a final lesson to the publishers. No longer are they prepared to invest in the unpublished creative writer. Unless you are rich and famous, an existing successful author, a high profile politician or sportsperson, then you have no chance of sharing your written word with the rest of the world, regardless of how good, or what you submit to them. It is more likely to be fact rather than fiction that most of the best literary fictional work is still lying dormant on the hard drive of a hard working and creative author.
Some of my 'friends' here at MySpace, have hundreds, even thousands of 'friends'; so sharing Mr Young's experience will go far. Maybe we can start a new marketing trend on this and similar social networking sites and illustrate to the public and the publishers that the Internet is definitely the way forward. In my book there are two recent stories worthy of public scrutiny. "The Shack" has already proved itself beyond all doubt. "The Meadow" now waits in the wings and I anticipate with great fervour when its own wings spread and lift off to share alongside the success of "The Shack." Perhaps they were meant to compliment each other? They both have profound messages to give to the world. I'll let the people decide who finally read it. With enough support, maybe this will reach the odd progressive publisher or agent.
Apparently, there are pigs flying high in the air.
~ Mike O'Hare ~