Being a published author is a delicate balancing act; you want to be easy to work with, but you certainly want to be treated with respect. To do that sometimes you swallow problems that go on behind the scenes. It’s not different to any other kind of business dealings really, except authors are their own brand that can be easily damaged that can ruin careers.
So when Phil Foglio took his problems with his publisher, Tor to the street last week, I was one of those who was kind of surprised…at least at first.
On his blog, he ripped off the bandage in public to reveal what most writers do not care to; sometimes things don’t go to plan. He hadn’t heard from his editor at Tor for nearly a year, and neither had his agent.
It’s business, things happen in business, but writers are afraid of labeling themselves ‘problem children’ by talking about what goes on with the gears get gummed up. If they do it is with their agent, or perhaps their authors friends on back channels or while at the bar in conventions.
Phil went against all that.
Miscommunication occurs often. People have different expectations, life problems happen, things get forgotten, spats and arguments happen. Writers might not have the same reputation for breakups that bands do, but they do happen. The fact is publishers and agents break up with authors all the time and readers seldom notice.
That’s a good idea.
To my mind there is no need to discuss the spats that occur behind closed doors. Fans, listeners and readers do not need to know that (it probably disrupts their enjoyment of a book knowing the ignominious background), but what happens when there is a more serious problem?
What happens if you have an issue with a publisher that begins to become apparent to your readers? ‘When is the next book coming out?’ was I am sure the clarion call that Phil was hearing all the time, and I am positive that eventually having heard nothing for a year, he just got sick of being unable to respond to those questions.
I would hope he discussed all his options with his agent thoroughly—I would bet for sure he did.
However the Foglios are in an enviable position; they have multiple Hugos, and a huge online following (just look at the massive amounts of money they raised from their latest kickstarter). Even in the worst case scenario, if they blew up their relationship with Tor, they would still have their self-publishing empire to fall back on.
Most writers do not have that luxury or that power. Big publishing is still an important game in town, and I have heard many rising authors talking about ‘wanting to impress a gatekeeper’ so they still matter. So for them taking it to the streets is not an option. To do so would mean blowing their career up on the launch pad.
Yet there is no getting away from it; for Phil it actually started a conversation they had wanted to have for a year.
They did finally did get a response from their editor at Tor—so in the end taking it to the streets at least got them further down the road than they were really at.
Yet it is one that a less accomplished, less popular, less awarded, less successful indie published, author would be have to be Hemming-way level drunk to consider. My fear is that other authors will think this is an option for them. Seriously, I hope no other author takes this option unless they are the at the same point at the Foglios. Ever.
Work your craft. Be as professional as you can. And above all don’t burn your bridges unless you never want to use it again, and you have other rock-solid ones you can take.