Wicked Pretty Update #5: Wick Harder

[cleolinda]

I know people were getting lost trying to catch up on the previous five entries ( Livejournal) (Dreamwidth mirror)--I would suggest you read those in order to get the clearest version of the story. But here's the nutshell version:

Comments

[shiraz_wine]

It's very sobering to see what can go on behind the scenes before books appear in the bookstore

[cleolinda]

Yeah. I made $10,000 for the non-North American publication (long story) of a nonfiction pop-culture book, and that was before my agent took 15% (standard). So that left me with--$8200, $8400? I forget the precise number. And this was for a project I spent months working on. I spent it on replacing my dead computer and grad school. This is why they tell you to write because you love it, not because you're counting on winning the Harry Potter lottery.

[shiraz_wine]

Wow, that's all you made? Now I know that not everyone is willing to talk about how much they make as a writer (and they definitely don't have to), but I wonder if it would be more effective to break it down - a writer's salary vs. the average employee - than just saying that writers don't make a lot of money. I think too many people not in the industry think they know what the terms "advance" and "royalty" mean, but then don't see what those terms actually mean in terms of cold hard cash for the average writer who's not J.K. Rowling or Stephen King.

Also, as a side, side note, I feel so honored that I've gotten to read so much of your work for free - the online Movies in 15 Minutes, SLoD, Varney the Vampire - that I wish I could give you ALL THE MONEY, because your writing has definitely gotten me through some tough times. Thank you. (The next time that my bank account is not glaringly in the red, I'm definitely contributing to the tip jar.)

[cleolinda]

Aw, thanks.

But yeah, huge advances and movie deals and what-not are statistically rare. You hear about them a lot, but they're the top percentile, not the vast majority of writers struggling to pay the bills or even get published at all. I remember someone in one of my writing workshops--after I'd made the book deal but before I'd turned in the manuscript--talking about how they wouldn't sign a contract for less than $100,000, but that just be the kind of pennies a first-time writer makes, you know, she would make a lot more after she'd made a name for herself, and I nearly laughed in her face.

[evewithanapple]

I hate this. I hate the way publishers and editors can control what gets seen by the public- like you said, they don't have as much power as they used to, but they still have Publishers Weekly backing them while Verday only has her blog, and her story still isn't going to be published. The power imbalances in this sytem drive me crazy. It shouldn't be like this. Most days I feel good about the direction publishing is going in- with Lulu and the OTW and fanfiction, authors are gaining more ground in what they can and can't do with their work, and that's a good thing- and then something like this happens, and I feel like we're backsliding into the old power structures.

[cleolinda]

Well, my glass-half-full attempt is, at least we're seeing the old power structures exposed. But then, I'm a Sagittarius.

[r_a_black]

And that's why I disagree strongly with the commenter who said that this fiasco would end Telep's career.

I think instead it will end Verday's.

Brb, adding Verday's books to my to-read pile. Because this is the only way I can think of remotely being helpful if Arachne's views are accurate. I'm hoping it won't actually end her career, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's what was being attempted here, esp. considering that article.

And as for your own possibly situation Cleo, at least you also have loyal readers. I've been here for years, and I'll be here for years to come, so I'll be here every time you've got a book out and I know I'm not the only one that can say this. Not that this makes everything okay, but at least there's that?

[cleolinda]

Aw, thanks. I think it'll be okay, if only because I have more options now than I would have ten years ago, and that in itself takes the teeth out of a threat. But I feel like the possibility of a threat to Jessica and the other writers (and, to a lesser, theoretical extent, me) needs to be raised so that people can recognize attempts to damage them.

[caersidi]

I find myself also worried about Jessica V's career though as cleolinda has said these days authors have much more recourses and any whiff of a campaign to ruin her would be met by quite suitatable censure by readers.

I really enjoy her writing and nothing - except a real decline in her writing - would cause me not to read and promote her books.

[ceilidh_ann]

I do occasionally wonder if continuing to post about this is going to affect my future publishing career...

Well I already fucked that up for myself so I'm good to go on this! To be honest, I have no problem posting on this. Running Press are screwing a lot of people over.

I hope this doesn't hurt Verday and the other writers. A lot of people have been criticising her for doing this, saying she was only able to do so because of her extreme clout as a massive bestselling author. But she's not. She's got 2 books out with another one on the way. She's not pulling Stephen King money here. She took a serious risk in blogging about this and in doing so she really showed a lot of the dark parts of publishing (seriously, $250 for a story? Phoebe North told me on GoodReads that, to the maximum word count, that works out at about 1 cent a word, while most magazines and such pay about 5 cents a word on average. Daylight robbery.) I wish Verday and the other writers nothing but the best and will support them all the way.

[cleolinda]

Well I already fucked that up for myself so I'm good to go on this!

Heh.

Yeah, I was like, I don't know what "massive clout" you think any of these writers have with the publishers themselves, but not really, no. And I say that not to diminish their accomplishments, but to say, this is a really brave and risky thing they're doing.

[vzg]

A lot of people have been criticising her for doing this, saying she was only able to do so because of her extreme clout as a massive bestselling author.

This, I do not get. I mean, let's assume she was pulling big money and had the world falling at her feet. I still don't see how standing up for something like this (especially in light of the revelation that Telep told her three times to change the story, which is less "oh, it's a mistake" or "oh, it's a one off and not that big deal" and more "WHAT THE SERIOUS HELL") is so wrong. One author out of a book like this is not going to topple the whole thing. Yes, other writers pulled out too, but that was their personal choice, and supporting their beliefs too.

I find it really hard to believe that Telep and Running Press won't find writers to replace them all. Writers who need the money a little more, or who don't care about this kind of stuff, or who are even in agreement with Telep's apparent original views.

Besides all of that, even if people think she's causing some Massive

[wumbawoman]

I guess I'm replying more to support you. I've played in the corporate world playground and I'm all to familiar with the rules of the monkey bars and the who goes down the slide first. To sum it up, this situation is FUBAR.. Fuck Up Beyond All Recognition. I think it's been mentioned before but I'll mention it again and go a step beyond; the Anthology should be killed and all parties involved should put a new one together to mend the professional relationships.

But like I said, I'm replying to support you. You have always portrayed yourself as someone fair and neutral. You don't come to conclusions quickly and you back your conclusions up with fact. It is a tightrope to walk and you walk it very gracefully and adamantly. I have nothing to do with the publishing world but if it plays like other worlds do, which I suspect it does, the only effect you're making on your career is a good one.

:) Keep the faith Cleolinda.

[cleolinda]

Aw, thank you. And I hope so.