The Current Era of Writing
Hello, Timmy, and greetings to you too, Neophyte. Today, I’m addressing both of you because the topic I want to explore, while not part of any formal curriculum, holds significant relevance for the craft of writing. It’s something that may feel discouraging for new writers. We’re diving into the current state of our beloved craft.
Thanks to a peculiar combination of factors—my social background, the city I was born in, the era I witnessed, and several other elements—I belong to a generation that acts as a fulcrum. I’ve had the unique experience of seeing the analog world yield to the digital realm as I grew up. I remember what life was like before the hyperconnectivity we take for granted today. I’m a bit of a person between two realities, but that’s not the main point. What I want to convey is that, especially in writing, we find ourselves in a bewildering and somewhat intimidating stage, a time of both confusion and uncertainty.
On one side, we still have publishing houses that exist and even thrive. Why wouldn’t they? They possess well-established systems, extensive contacts, and resources that independent writers can only dream of. Moreover, they have manpower and the sheer numbers to back them. A ten-person team can accomplish in a single month what a solitary individual might struggle to achieve in a year. Yes, the landscape has shifted a bit for them, but they haven’t suffered as much as you might think.
Who has felt the impact are the brick-and-mortar stores, the physical locations, but they won’t simply vanish; they will evolve. The advantage of moderate cynicism, my dear readers, is that it enables you to see things without sugar-coating and cut through the layers of bias because, well, most of us tend to prioritize ourselves. As humans, we often let momentum carry us along, fearing change because breaking free from routine and the security of certainty is no small feat. However, change is inevitable, and eventually, someone, somewhere, will discover a way to keep these physical stores from shutting down. Change is on the horizon; it’s just a matter of time.
Then we have the independents, those who champion the “new” ways, although they still find themselves dealing with middlemen, albeit in an online context. For online publication, you’re navigating online stores, essentially publishers by another name. You grapple with payments, fees, and all the responsibilities that a traditional publishing house would handle for you. It’s not entirely novel; what is new is the fact that anyone, even a penniless individual from the other side of the planet, can launch their own career in the medium independently. But even with this newfound accessibility, you still must master many aspects beyond just writing. The significant change lies in the writers themselves, who choose to bear the weight of full responsibility for their careers and work. It’s a daunting prospect.
As if all of this weren’t complicated enough, there’s a new concern for new writers: the Golem, the artificial product that has been prophesized to replace humanity in various fields. Don’t fret, Neophyte, and Timmy, you can ease up and consider it from a more traditional perspective. Firstly, it’s not true intelligence; it’s essentially an exceedingly complex computer that can react to your input—it’s just a tool, no more and no less. Its impact will be determined by how it’s used; that’s where the real challenge lies.
In my view, albeit uncertain and incomplete due to skewed priorities, largely influenced by life’s demands, many prominent figures in the industry, not limited to writing but across various sectors, may pivot toward the Golem because it promises immediate results and earnings. However, the Golem’s potential is limited to what it’s taught by its creators, and if it learns only from its own works, saturation becomes a reality that forces change. I don’t have all the answers about the Golem’s future in our society, much less in the industry, but I can tell you this: it has yet to replicate the human factor, the chaotic inner world of the human mind. I’m unsure whether it’s even possible, but for now, it hasn’t achieved it. To any aspiring writers out there, take a deep breath, release your fears, keep moving forward, and adapt to the changing world.
Not too long ago, but for a considerable stretch of time, the world of writing remained so rigid and stratified that it’s no wonder many of us still tend to think in such fixed ways. And I’m not excluding myself from that group; the weight of tradition is challenging to shake off, after all.
So, to any free spirit who stumbles upon these words in this humble corner of the vast internet, take heart. Look around you. While everything may have changed, you’re still here, and as long as you endure, you can change and adapt. The current field is one of transformation, demanding adaptability. You’ll have to adapt, maybe with some fear, maybe with some trepidation, but adapt you must.
Until next time.
