What happens when it’s an American’s dream to achieve The Great American Novel?
There is a significant reason why I decided to start this imprint and publish my books through All Dreamers Read. It somewhat connects with the idea of having creative control over my own work, but also delves deeper into the reason I want to write novels. If you haven’t noticed, much of my rhetoric is, and will be centered around the ideal of The Great American Novel. I want my stories, and this imprint to reflect the passion I have for the ideal.
I know there will be those of you who look at everything I say and do with condescension and cynicism because I’m making it known that I’m striving to achieve The Great American Novel. That’s all expected and understood. But hopefully, all of you will also see that over time that the absurd ideal really is what has pulled me to writing, and express my thoughts with all of you.
Out of all the concepts and ideals that make up American literature, nothing makes me more curious than the ideal of The Great American Novel.
When I first learned about the ideal, I had so many questions:
What makes a novel Great American novel?
What makes America great anyway?
What makes anything great for that matter?
Why do we love discussing the idea of having some Great all encapsulating novel, but also dislike discussing the nature of its existence?
How can such a strange ideal become so intertwined within the genetic makeup of our literature? How has such a simple ideal become so established in our literary world but still remain so mythic? There’s something about it I find exhilarating, and I can’t stop thinking about it, even if I tried.
I’ve studied the publishing world and its norms, and understand that the ideal of The Great American Novel has become somewhat of a running joke or in the publishing and literary world, and honestly I get it. But I genuinely believe we’re thinking about the ideal in a two-dimensional sense.
That’s why I was hesitant before about submitting my first manuscript to literary agents and publishers. When I did reach out to literary agents, published writers and other publishing houses, I was scoffed at, ignored, or flat out rejected.
But I believed it’s an idea worth trying, and still do. Unsure, I tried to forget about it. Thankfully, the idea stayed with me, and let me to another thought-an imprint dedicated to the ideal of The Great American Novel! This way I can explain and share the full scope of my idea without being turned away or misunderstood.
I don’t believe the ideal of The Great American Novel should simply be viewed as a competition, it can be, but that’s not all it should be. I think I understand the absurd tragedy of American society as it stands; its contradictory beginning, the tragic nature of our past, and how those problematic nuances of our past has brought about a conflicting and contentious present. There’s more nuance I wish to understand, but shouldn’t the of The Great American Novel encapsulate the very worst of us at the very least? Shouldn’t it also transcend to reflect our unification, understanding, faith, and hope? Of course, the ideal should reflect our worst attributes, but shouldn’t it also convey our romantic promise too?
I don’t simply want to publish novels for the sake of it of publishing novels. I want to add another dimension to the ideal of The Great American Novel. I want the dream of our national myth to feel alive. I want to set up another paradox in relation to the paradoxical nature of The Great American Novel-What happens when it’s an American’s dream to achieve The Great American Novel? I don’t want to tell a story that’s great to you, I’m aiming to tell a story that is great because of you.
All of this will remain between you and me, no one else. No one else can be held accountable for my potential failure, but following that same logic, no one else can deny any possible success. You, the reader, each and every one of you will have the ability to decide for yourself. That’s why All Dreamers Read will be different – this imprint challenges you for The Great American Novel!
