Why Inexperienced Writers Gain More Attention
Because they have more courage to put their work out there
I came across a story that talked about how inferior writers are given more attention than established writers. And how publishers would reject great manuscripts from good writers but clamour around people who can’t explain what their title is about.
If there’s anyone who understands the pain of giving your best while you are not given the same opportunity as others, it’s me. I have to work twice or thrice if I want the opportunity someone from a certain national has. And this is not even about medium. I can’t view certain websites or apply for some jobs cos I’m from Nigeria. If I manage to get an interview and I’m being asked about my location, best believe that’s the end. It doesn’t matter how good I am.
So I get why an experienced writer with two to three books under his belt will be mad that a social media influencer whose whole platform is centred around a buzzword they can’t even define.
It’s maddening but it’s also the world we live in now. That is where the world is at.
If you can take advantage of the trendy things while they are trending, you will trend along with them. That’s why BuzzFeed magazine is popular. They know how to write captivating headlines about things that are currently buzzing to draw traffic to their website. Millions of traffic in a day. But the content is mostly disappointing once you are in.
If a beauty influencer with over 2 million followers writes a memoir, do you think it’s not going to sell thousands of copies?
Publishers will eat it up because there’s not much work to be done regarding marketing. They will leverage her large following. It’s even better if she has an occult following.
Her large platform is as a result of people who relate with her content. And wish to be like her. They are living out their fantasies through her.
If you have millions of people willing to buy everything you recommend, be it a Merch, a beauty product, or even cancel someone you don’t like, why not a book?
That kind of attention will make anyone bold and give them wings to fly even if they are the dumbest people on the planet.
People want a success story that can give them hope in their own lives.
If Khabi Lame writes a book about how a factory worker like him became an international sensation to the point he was featured on big screens like Mission Impossible, that people have spent all their lives honing their acting skills haven’t been in, or been a brand ambassador for companies like Binance. you think it won’t sell out in minutes? It will sell out and still have millions of people on the waitlist.
Funny thing, he doesn’t need to know how to speak to write it. He can just employ Mason Manson as Will Smith did.
Being an influencer or a celebrity is even a stretch. If you can be bold enough to pen down your views about a certain buzzword that is controversial. It doesn’t need to be controversial even. It just needs to be what the younger demographic is into. There is a spike in fantasy books about alpha males, toxic masculinity, and all. People want to read these kinds of content and even watch them. That’s why Netflix will be bold enough to produce and promote a movie like 35 Days. Were they wrong? Nope. It made mad numbers.
Gone are the days when publishers invested in what might be tagged as quality content. There are still a lot of them that still do but most want to make more money while spending very less.
That’s why I can write my honest take about not having the same opportunities to earn on medium and it will go viral. I don’t bother much about what class of a writer I am.
Some big accounts hate it, They probably think I’m inexperienced too but that’s okay. I get it. But I’m not just telling my story, I’m using my experience to connect to others who have been or are in my shoes.
My sentence structure might not be up to par. And my English might not be sophisticated enough for people to pay my work that kind of attention. But sometimes, people just want to support what they relate to. And it’s that simple.
I don’t write to go viral, I write based on my observations. And my honest and raw feelings about those observations. Yeah, maybe a catchy headline to make people pay attention. But if the content isn’t good enough for them, it won’t get a good readership.
There are still people out there who want to read great content that they relate to. Just don’t give up before your tribe finds you. There will be a lot of Nos but a Yes can change all that bitter history. What would you gain if you gave up anyway? Cankerworms of regrets?
I have a theory that one day, the world will start to gravitate towards authentic and educative content again. Content that isn’t all about money but about moulding the values of generations to come.
In the meantime, if you know a legit way one can earn online as a writer, please point me towards it. Or if you need a helping hand in any of your writing projects, please, do not hesitate to send me an email at claviafidelity@gmail.com.
