I just came from a Brandon Sanderson lecture (for fun) on writing and being a published author, and boy, am I glad that I made the choice that I did.
I read about Brandon Sanderson describing traditionally-published authors as being hounded by deadlines and forced to produce, produce, produce, to order like a factory, once they become a success.
Then I look at Horace and Virgil, their brilliant quality work, producing just a handful of brilliant works in their lifetime.
Not to mention the few brilliant novels of Jane Austen, and of the Bronte sisters.
And I now understand why the most brilliant authors of the past 120 years (as of 2025), in the English language at least, are two English professors who wrote on the side, and three (or more) mid-20th Century Science Fiction writers who wrote for the pulp magazines.
Neither Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Asimov, Heinlein, or Arthur C. Clarke had to support themselves in the traditional publishing industry to make a living.
Tolkien and C.S. Lewis could get away with publishing only occasionally since, after all, they were respected college professors.
And I am so, so glad that I made my choice to self-distribute in a super-indie way through Deviantart.
Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, and George R. R. Martin are supermen for making that unforgiving system work for them.
Some people have what it takes to make traditional publishing work for them.
A few even have what it takes to still be creative.
Thank God that there are so many self-publishing and Internet-based distributing ways available to us.
I made my choice. I can write a lot at a decent quality, but my Autistic self needs to be free from the pressure of such things as deadlines.
I thrive on the patronage system, just like Horace and Virgil. Only I get my patronage through SSI because of my autism.
Thank you, taxpayers!
I try to give back, including through my stories!
I am very glad that I made my choice!
If you wish to be a writer, look for a choice that suits you!
To have a normal job and simply write on the side is a perfectly good choice- it worked for Tolkien and C.S. Lewis!
Seek out whatever choice works for you!
God loves you!
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson
P.S. Notice that the greatest writers of the past 120 years (as of 2025) in the English language don't get $#it from the critics. Only grimdark ripped-from-the-headlines *(word omitted by the censors)* gets any praise from the critics. In film since Steven Spielberg started doing the great, wonderful things that the critics hate so much back in 1977, in music since 1992 or so, and in literature since the War of the Apocalypse began in 1914. In literature since the time of the American Civil War (at least), only ordinary, boring stuff got any praise from the critics, until they switched to grimdark ripped-from-the-headlines *(word omitted by the censors)* in 1914. Literature died in the English language before the America I was born into even existed. Fortunately, those aforementioned great writers resurrected literature as this freak counterculture that is despised by so-called literary circles, and prefers to go by the names Science Fiction and Fantasy. Sorry for the bitterness.
P.P.S. I should add to those greatest writers of the past 120 years the legendary beat writers (who have managed to get some critical acceptance largely through the massive influence of the counterculture press of the 60s rock scene) who published like Tolkien and CS Lewis did- occasionally, not expecting to make a living from it- and lived like I do, and like Emily Dickenson did- in happy poverty caring more for putting their writing out and (in the beat writers' case) changing the world than for success in materialism. I am their spiritual descendent.
(Happy poverty... I have enough to eat, friends around me, and I'm happier than many millionare CEOs! (some of them are miserable! I'm not!) You can find my monastic cell among 8 or 9 housemates from here and there who I care for as family.)
And yes, Allen Ginsberg, wherever you are now, the 'Blake Vision' is every bit what you thought it was. I've had one (at least) myself. Such is the divine substance of the cosmos!