Dickens and Self-Publishing

A note of inspiration for self-published authors:

I just saw “The Man Who Invented Christmas” on a streaming service.

Coming off the success of Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens had three flops and his publishers were not happy. Unwilling to produce what they wanted, in six weeks he wrote, commissioned art for, and set up distribution and marketing for his Christmas Carol book.

Of course, he was an established author of a best-seller, but it’s interesting that he produced that all himself, or at least that’s what this movie shows. That was what fascinated me the most. This classic story was a passion project. It could have been another flop and crushed his creativity forever. But for those of us with a story in our head, you don’t just stop, you can’t stop, just because of failure.

I am going to pick up a copy of A Christmas Carol and read it. I just realized I might never have actually read this classic, or maybe I have, it’s just such a part of Christmas that you don’t realize there was a time when this story epitomizing the season for everyone didn’t exist.

Happy Holidays To All

 

Advertisement