With everything that's going on in the world right now, it made me ponder how big changes almost always start subtly and brew over a long time horizon.
In fact, some changes can be downright invisible to the human eye.
Let me 'splain:
The same way you don't realise you've put on 10 pounds until you put on an old shirt, the same is true with almost everything. Be it geopolitical conflict…
Inflation…
Eroding relationships…
Or the old, creaking pipe that finally gives out.
Eventually, it comes to a head.
It always does.
And we've even seen this play out in fantasy.
For years, a silent war has been waged on traditional fantasy by progressive publishers and critics forcing their ideologies onto authors/readers.
If you think I'm throwing stones here, then you'd be sorely mistaken, Legionnaire.
I'm quite liberal in that I couldn't care less about what tickles your pickle.
If you love reading about orcs and human orgies, great.
If you want an all-gay cast for your epic fantasy, have at it!
What I'm not cool with is when writers feel they 'have to check boxes' in order to get their work published and read. If that makes me an old, crotchety 'right-wing' git (which is hilarious as I don't play politics anymore), then so be it.
Antics like this are exactly why I built my Storehouse and continue to drive 90% of eyeballs to it.
I don't want to be competing in an Amazon category overrun with romantasy books…
I don't want my book to be in the hands of algorithms programmed to reject anything that goes against the status quo.
If that means having to work harder to market my wares, or be willing to piss off some readers to attract my ideal ones…
THEN SO BE IT.
And if you'd like to support the work we do around these parts, you can do so by going here:
https://www.djjwatsonstore.com
Have a great weekend, Legionnaire. Stay classy out there.
DJJW