The second coming of the Messiah hasn’t happened yet, neither has the Jedi returned, but my two books have been resurrected, one year after the last distributer went broke and left over a thousand authors in limbo, owing us royalty statements and payment. Both books are self-published, were first distributed by Palmer Higgs, then by Dennis Jones, and sold through Amazon, Kobo, Books a Million, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble and numerous other on-line retailers. On par with many other authors, my seven years of experience with the publishing industry has led to disillusion and frustration with an incompetent industry, most of which deserves to be shut down. Trying to find a new distributer I was met with the traditional ‘total silence’ that facilitates the notoriety of the publishing industry. There comes a time when your patience wears thin, so I made the executive decision to take things into my own hands and take control of the marketing of my books. With the help of a couple of trustworthy experts, both English language e-books, ‘Journey of Life’ & ‘Real, Bold, & Simple’ are now available for download from my website www.hubertschaub.com, for the modest price of $8.21 incl. GST each. The German translation of the first book, ‘Die Reise des Lebens’ will follow soon. You’d be lucky to get a pint of beer or a coffee & cake for $8.21, here is some potentially life changing philosophy at your disposal.
On Writing
When I read expert advice on writing books I frequently hear about setting targets to the extreme such as ‘write ten books a year’, closely followed by guidelines on grammar, being conscious of politically correct sensitivity and market trends, encouragement to participate in writer’s competitions etc. Much advice is given on how to appease potential publishers, most of whom couldn’t care less about authors. A pretty rigid stress packet I say, ‘how could anyone possibly enjoy one’s work and be creative’? What I have learned from one author’s advice and more so my seven years of authorship is this: ‘Don’t follow any rules’. Invent a new word, phrase or concept. Push the boundaries, then go as far as intuition will take you. ‘You know you are wise and enlightened when intuition has replaced the script’. Technology and political processes require regulation, but art doesn’t, if it is ethical and practiced within the framework of morality. Listen to your inner voice and be true to your conscience. Don’t write under stress. Avoid deadlines. Relax, let your mind flow. When the mind clogs up, have a break, savour a coffee or something, do some exercise or gardening etc. Write out of passion, not for reward. Liberate yourself from expectations such as honour, money, fame, prizes and awards to be won. As I always say: “Travel the way, don’t worry about the goal”. In the art of welding you make yourself as comfortable as possible, this helps to enjoy your work and ensures a steady hand producing a sound, high quality weld. Any tension is counterproductive. Study and creativity are no different. A stressed painter with a shaky hand produces a messy portrait. A relaxed mind is perceptive, open to creative thought and inspiration, logically most of what I write reveals itself during my breaks, away from the narrow, tense world of the screen.