<— well not me *g*
8. The editors find out what is said about them on the loops and they track it down. Brenda Chin said directly to the whole room – if you are an idiot on the loops or are difficult to work with and she knows about it – she won’t buy your book.
I assume number eight is talking about the witch hunt from a while back… I still think it is stupid to ‘bash’ your publisher and such. It would be like me coming here and saying COMPANY X I work for blah blah blah. Then going huh, what? when I get fired.
And of course this is just a blogger saying what Brenda Chin said and not quoting (I think) but ‘an idiot on the loops’ is a touch subjective isn’t it? It reads like you better not be saying anything fucking bad about me or I will get you my pretty and your lil dog too!
Sadly, this does happen…but it depends on how bad you dissed the Agent/Editor, and where, forum post/open blog post…on live tv! 😉
We hear everything, eventually. When I worked in London, we had a listing at HarperCollins.
And of course this is just a blogger saying what Brenda Chin said and not quoting (I think) but ‘an idiot on the loops’ is a touch subjective isn’t it? It reads like you better not be saying anything fucking bad about me or I will get you my pretty and your lil dog too!
I don’t think that’s the case at all. First, I’m going to guess Brenda Chin didn’t say it quite like that (because I don’t know any editor who would and it sounds like someone’s casual spin on things).
Second, I’m going to go out on a limb and say her message was simply this: She’s saying that authors need to be aware that the editors aren’t living under a rock, they hear things just like everyone else, because the internet and publishing world is a small place. There are a lot of people who want to write for them. Why should they buy a book from an author who clearly doesn’t appreciate the editors/publisher and who can’t represent themselves and the publisher professionally, when there are so many talented authors who would? Editing is a hard enough job when the author/editor relationship is stressed by an author (or an editor) who disses the relationship in public.
And really, who can argue with that? As you yourself have blogged, Sybil, and authors behavior–online and off–can hinder their sales. And publishers are learning that. So for an editor to make it known that authors should mind their manners, so to speak, in regards to their editor and their publisher, isn’t a necessarily bad thing.
Of course, there are other layers to this, but I’m just taking it at basic face value.
it’s a reminder that bad behavoir can bit you in the but at anytime.
Sounds like good adviuce to me.
By the way, where has your word verification thingy gone? Dontcha need it now that you’ve gone all Beta on us?
If authors don’t know that when they talk shit about people who may have some kind of say in their future, they’re idiots.
Look, if you feel passionately about something, you need to weigh the importance of saying it out loud. Sometimes for me (a very mouthy girl) I say it, but I know it could come back to bite me.
Other times? Oh uh uh! that’s what IM is for. I check to see if Megan is online and I vent to her. Your friends are far better people to hear you vent about the business in some way than to air it on your blog.
Sometimes people forget that the internet isn’t a giant universe, but rather a series of small towns. The publishing world is definitely small enough that if you talk smack about an editor or publisher, it’s going to get back to them.
Blarg! I hate that I can’t edit comments!
The first sentence should read: If authors don’t know that when they talk shit about people who may have some kind of say in their future, it has the potential to be heard/seen by those people they’re idiots.
Yeah, when you are Nora Roberts say what you want. Until then, it’s yes, ma’am all the way.
I love snarky author blogs but I have yet to cross one where the author bad mouths their publisher or editor. In fact, most are very happy.
I was just happy to read that Harlequin is going back to HEA for all lines and I don’t even read them anymore!!
Cindy
I think it’s important to be polite, factual, and professional, regardless of what industry you work in. If I see something in publishing that worries me, I don’t have a problem with speaking up about it — politely, factually, and professionally. If this means whoever-it-is won’t buy my book, too bad. 🙂 There are other ways to make a living, and I’m not going to check my integrity at the door because I’m afraid someone will take offense that I’m not kissing ass enough.