Prize Blogging

Good Morning World.  

This morning I have an itch to talk about independent publishing on the internet.  This came from a conversation me and a coworker were having the other day, reminiscing about the days when Mtv still played music.  In the mid to late eighties, when a major artist released a new video on Mtv it was a really big deal.  People got excited and when it was finally released you kept the television on all day and night in hopes of getting to see it.  

You youngsters have to understand that music videos were a big deal back then, combined with America's Funniest Home Videos it was the closest thing we had to YouTube.  The best were mini-movies, often ten to fifteen minutes long.  Ever seen the entire Thriller video?  It nearly has a plot it's so long.

 Anyway, enough of the way-back machine.  The point is, the system back then told you what to watch and listen to because you didn't have much choice.  Especially in a small town.  Mtv, the radio and what was stocked at KMart was all you had access to.  It was sad really.

Now, it's all changed.  Yay!  For the better right?  Well....not really.  Yes, anyone can publish their stories and music anytime they want.  Anyone.  Anytime.  That adds up a TON of material out there that is impossible to sort through.  At least in the old system we had a vast middle ground of indie-publishers that refused the obvious crap and offered up styles and artists that were passed over by the big time outfits.  There was a filtering process because the consumer needs one.  Now there is no filter, no crap by-pass valve and it's all mixed together in one big pot.  

There is still really good stuff out there though.  Good books, good music, good art.  We just have to work a little bit harder to find it but I think it's worth it.  Skip the cat pictures today, they honestly haven't been that funny for the last few years.  Go find some self-published music or a independently published book and give it a chance.  If it's good, or even just not-too-bad, tell people about it.  Be the Mtv of the future.  Help sort the crap.