Institutions. They can take many forms and missions, but they all have something in common: they're collectives. They speak with the voice of many, while most of us speak with the voice of one. This matters if you're a writer. The world is full of noise. I'm older than the internet, and I remember when getting published meant writing a letter, by typewriter, to a publisher, asking about your book. I got turned down in those days too, but it was a lot less competition. Now, unless you have an institution to vouch for you, you can't shout with enough decibels to get any notice. Publishers are institutions. If you manage to get published, your voice automatically becomes louder. Even a small publishing house reaches more than most individuals. If you teach at a college, you have an institution to speak for you. Putting the name of a school after yours can open doors for you. Credibility comes with the prestige...
Blog of a struggling writer.