Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Somebody Redux

Only a couple of days after making my somewhat tongue-in-cheek post about being someone because I am listed on Wikipedia, I discovered this volatile article. In it, the unfortunate author launched some poorly-researched negative opinions about Podiobooks.com, which touched off a minor dust-storm of flames. The article maligns authors for releasing Podiobooks of their novels stating:

“If you are a hopeless unpublishable author yourself then the site might get you some exposure, a fan base or even lead up to a book deal. It won’t though.”

The article also states:

“The most popular and downloaded book on the site is Ravenwood by Nathan Lowell, a man so un-famous he doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page, unlike – for example – George Kobayashi, a Brazilian footballer who played for Japan in 1972.”

The truly fascinating thing here is that Mr. Lowell was signed by Ridan Publishing (my publisher) in early January 2010 who will be publishing his Solar Clipper series of science fiction novels. Aside from disproving one of the number of mistakes in the article, (which I won’t bother discussing here as there are numerous comments following the original post that do a fine job--kudos to the University Observer.ie for allowing both to remain up,) it brings up the question, why doesn’t Mr. Lowell have a Wikipedia page?

I’ve read his first book—-or rather listened to him read it—-and it’s wonderful. Addictive and insightful in the way you end up interpreting aspects of your life through elements of his story, and yet so original in idea and style that major publishers would have a hard time figuring what to do with it. And the man has a horde of fans. Not the nice quiet, stately and reserved types I have, but the rip-up-the-bleachers, paint-themselves-in-team-colors, wait-in-line-all-night, crazed fans. And there are thousands of them. His books have more than a million downloads!

So yesterday, I thought I was finally somebody, but today I have to wonder about an award from an academy who never gave an Oscar to Richard Burton, Cary Grant, or Steve McQueen.

6 comments:

  1. Actually, I used to have one, but I was deemed "not sufficiently notable" and the page was deleted.

    I think I even voted for the deletion. According to their rules of notability for people, I don't qualify. Nobody has written *about* me and none of my works -- either as an academic or as an author -- have garnered the kind of recognized note that Wikipedia requires. Downloads don't count (too easily manipulated), the charts at Podiobooks don't count (they don't recognize them as an authority), the 27,000 references to me and my work on the web are not sufficiently credible because they're just - you know - people who like my work and they could all be my mother (except she's dead, but you know what I mean).

    You, on the other hand, Michael, are encrusted with notability. Award winning, print reviewed, and participating in a market that they recognize as legitimate and notable in its own right.

    In ten years we can compare notes again.

    By then our movies will be out and you can have your people call my people and we'll do lunch in Paris on Thursday.

    Ok, well maybe Paris, Texas.

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  2. Thanks for stopping by Nathan. I always think there are only three or four very bored people who read this blog, so it always surprises me when a new face shows up.

    Yes, we will need to have lunch and discuss the the headaches of dealing with studio producers and lament the lack of live actors in the all digital motion picture world of the future. It just won't be as much fun if you can't get a four foot model of the Lois McKendrick as a keepsake.

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  3. well, maybe they'll have good food on Craft Service :)

    And if I don't get a model of Lois, I'm not gonna do it.

    Ok, well .. maybe .. but only if I get my own trailer.

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  4. Michael, install a sitemeter and you'll know how many people are visting the blog. http://www.sitemeter.com/

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  5. I always wanted to become a writer and get some orders to write something interesting. That's why I found resume writer to get perfect resume

    ReplyDelete

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