What Once was Gold

I don't blog often. When I do, it's because I have something important to say. What I want to talk about today is something that, quite frankly, has been under my skin for a few months now, and I'm not going to bite my fingers any longer. It needs to be said. I know others have already talked about it themselves, because they feel the same way I do about the subject: Titles.

 

These used to be gold. If an author had an 'Award Winning' or 'Best Selling' title, it meant something special. Those were coveted titles, things that really made an author stand out. They were titles that every author dreamed of having, but not everyone succeeded in obtaining.

 

Now those titles have dulled. Why? Because authors (some, not all) have lessened them. What once was gold has become copper. It used to be a milestone to be able to add such titles to a bio. They were an immense achievement, something worthy of recognition. They've gone from gemstones to colored glass.

 

How did such things become commonplace? Simple. Instead of earning those titles, authors created their own contests for best looking covers, best fantasy, romance, and sci-fi books, etc. Such contests were nothing more than he/she-who-has-the-most-friends-wins contests. And when they 'won', they slapped that Award Winning title to their name.

They put their books up for free, and the instant that book hit #1 in the free store (not too difficult of a thing to do, since everyone loves getting something for free) they added that Best Selling title to their name.

Or they called themselves a business and after selling a single book they put the Best Selling title to their names. Why not, right? After all, they're obviously the best selling author - in their business of one. Cue the Darth Vader voice: "The sarcasm is strong with this one."

 

In doing so, such authors have lessened the worth of those coveted titles. It's a shady loophole cloaked in deceit that they willingly abuse, just so they can increase their book sales and put themselves on a pedestal - one that they build themselves.

 

In short, it's a piss-poor tactic that quite honestly, I find repulsive. It's a dishonest ploy that readers are the unknowing victims of, because those titles do draw attention. Readers are our customers, and whether they like our work or not, whether they leave us glowing reviews or not, they are to be met with nothing less than the utmost respect and held in the highest regards - not conned by using titles that were never truly earned. Because what happens afterwards is that those titles are no longer glorified as something great or worthy of seeking out like they were before.

 

Not every author does this. There are those out there who want such titles but refuse to stoop to those levels just to obtain them. Personally, I am among that (sadly, it seems an ever-shrinking) group. Believe me, I would love nothing more than to add those titles to my own bio. Those are milestones that I am striving to reach, not only for myself but as something that my family can be proud of me for achieving. But those are titles that I must earn.

 

That's what upsets me about the whole thing. I see those titles as they were always meant to be - achievements that are sought after by many, but obtained by few. They're titles that are earned through contests that are recognized by thousands, like the Reader's Favorite Award Contest that is held every year. Sure, there's an entry fee. Official contests always have one, because the awards one can receive can't be made in a few minutes on the computer or purchased in a store; they can only be obtained through the contest itself.

 

Cover image used with permission from CK Dawn

CK Dawn (www.ckdawn.com) is an author who, while I don't know personally, I am acquainted with through an author group we are both members of. I'm mentioning her and plugging her website because Cloak of Shadows won such an award.



The 'Award Winning' title she now carries wasn't obtained through some most-friends-wins popularity contest just so she could slap that title onto her name... CK earned it. And though I've never met her, I'm damn proud of her for that achievement. She's one of the authors who didn't give herself a copper title - she earned the golden one.

 

Flashy covers and well-written blurbs aside, those awards and titles are coveted by authors because they're golden. Readers are drawn to them because they've been earned. Readers don't want or deserve cubic zirconia. They want and deserve gold. The award says it all: CK Dawn is a golden author.

 

 

And honestly, it goes beyond just these titles. When I was growing up, like many kids, I played sports. Teams worked hard and did their best, because they all wanted that first place trophy. There was no 'participation' trophies to be handed out. Either you won or you lost. The winning team got the trophy. The losing teams went home with nothing. Was it harsh and cruel that those losing teams did their best and didn't get anything for their efforts? No. What it did was instill the desire to work harder, practice more, reach higher... to strive for improvement in order to obtain that which was so highly sought after.

 

But then what happened is those kids who never earned a trophy grew up and had kids of their own. Some of them remembered never winning any kind of trophy and decided that wasn't fair. So they raised a fuss because they didn't want their kids to go through the same thing. When enough of them made enough noise, along came 'participation' trophies.

I bet those parents feel real good about themselves now that it doesn't matter if their kid is good or not, they'll get something regardless. Congratulations, you've lessened the worth of such achievements. It no longer matters how well a kid plays. They don't have to try as hard, practice as much, or stretch any further than they feel like stretching, because they know that they're going to get a trophy regardless now. What once was gold has become copper.

 

Some time ago, I submitted one of my books, Province of a Thief, to Reader's Favorite for a review. It was given the Reader's Favorite 5-Star Review award. When I received it, I was ecstatic - because that is the only way one can obtain the silver seal that now adorns that book's cover. And yet, my bio does not contain the Award Winning title. That award was an achievement, and I'm proud of that achievement... but that award is not to the height that I feel honestly warrants being able to add that coveted Award Winning title to my name.

 

Am I losing out on book sales because I don't have any such title attached to my bio? Perhaps. But some things are more important than book sales. Like honesty. Integrity. Respect. You can't buy those things, no matter how much money you have or what shady tactics you use in order to give yourself those titles. When 'Award Winning' and 'Best Selling' adorn my bio and my books, they will be there because I covet those titles for what they were always meant to represent.

What others choose to lessen and obtain as copper, I will earn and achieve as gold.