The way these idiots are ripping into Anne is much the way people like Ed Champion are ripping into Millenia Black for speaking out and for suing her publisher. It’s outrageous. And when Monica Jackson jumped in (one of the few to openly speak up in defense of MB) they started attacking her too. These people really need more fearless souls to put them in their place.

Poor Anne and Millenia.

She wasn’t saying that the publisher was screwing her,cheating her or any other such MAJOR accusation. She simply said that sometimes she feels like the publisher simply treats her like a number. It was discouraging to her and I can see how it would be.

Readers are interested in this industry. Some readers, like me, feel that the midlist industry is all about formula’s. Rarely do I find an author willing AND ALLOWED to take a chance and be truly creative.

I see Stuart’s comments as another indication that there are some major problems with the industry today. As a reader, I know there are. Most of my fav authors, with the exclusion of Ms. Roberts, are only putting out 1 book a year. And many like Katherine Sutcliffe are simply disappearing from the scene altogether. My autobuy list has dwindled to almost nothing. I buy approximately 50% less books today than I did 5 years ago.

Oh, for major bestselling authors who truly have power at this point, this would not be a problem. But authors that are still on that level for which ms. Stuart represents, and she actually feels this way, how do the midlist or new authors feel?

Do I think she is going to be “dressed down” for making those comments. I doubt it. Because the industry is truly about the numbers. As long as she is selling, I doubt seriously if anything will be done.

I am more concerned with the comments from the fringe of the industry, fellow authors, agents etc. It smacks of “don’t let on how the industry operates” “don’t reveal the problems the industry has”. That bothers me because as a reader, how is it ever going to get better if someone is always trying to shut up those that are willing to talk about its problems openly and in good form.

I don’t think anyone should tell author’s to ’shut up and write’ because they are people too and have the same rights as the rest of us to blog, or comment, or state their opinions. On the other hand, I think everyone should behave like a professional with respect to their livelihood. That includes Authors.

what makes it tough is that by being a writer, you’re putting ‘yourself’ and your work out there on the line. I think that makes author’s vulnerable and people should be tactful and thoughtful when and if they comment on the writing. No one except my colleagues (all 45,000) has access to my work but I’d feel pretty bad if any Tom, Dick, or Harry starting slinging crap at me based on it.

My approach to authors has to take advantage of their e-mail address they always give in their books and write to them if I want to comment to them. I’ve been suprised by the few times I’ve done it and the fact that they usually reply.

If only we could all keep that in mind…

I wish more authors saw themselves as primarily *writers*.

Robin – Would you explain more of what you mean by this?

All I mean, Alison, is that I think there’s a substantive difference between someone who sees themselves as writing books and someone who thinks of themselves as a writer. The first is something you do, but the second is something you are. Anyone, IMO, can author something (I’m not commenting on quality here, just the act of placing one’s name on work one has done), but when someone thinks of themselves as a writer, when writing is literally part of their sense of personal identity, I think the work is informed from somewhere deeper, somewhere more personal and personally authentic. Of course, this doesn’t guarantee that any writer is a *good* writer, but I think it does communicate a certain passion that comes from the place where one feels *compelled* to write. It doesn’t have to be all flowery or sentimental; IMO a writer can still see their work in a business-oriented or professional light. But I tend to enjoy books that have a strong voice, and IMO that voice comes from a strong sense of identification with the act of writing even more than the actual piece being produced. I know I’m rambling a little, but I’m tired and have a cold (and I have to leave for Mexico in less than 48 hours, so I’m crazed with getting ready to go), so hopefully there is at least one coherent sentence here.

And then there’s this:

I don’t expect my readers to be brilliant. They are, however, not stupid.

And I can’t help wondering if it somehow messes up the rules of the universe if the roles get reversed and a smart person decides not to read the books either. Whatever.

And how does one figure out just how smart people are if one ignores them on principle. Another puzzle for the ages. Oh, well.

My attitude isn’t about arrogance. It’s about respect. I can either treat people like idiots and write to them like babies, or I can treat them like reasonably intelligent people and risk occasionally confusing an intelligent person as a result–particularly an intelligent person who’s used to being treated like a baby most of the time, anyway.

Hmmm, seems to me it might not be enough to treat people with this “respect” within one’s books. One might also consider doing it elsewhere in other communication. Just to keep from confusing anyone and everyone.

And we would both be right *g*.

I ADORE Anne Stuart. And have only read one book by her. I think Nora Roberts is beyond fab and have never read a book by her. I think Lydia Joyce needs to have her internet connection taken away from her and I liked her first book.

All those opinions were formed from things I have read by each of those authors online. Does that mean I would never read Joyce again? No not really, or at least not yet. I have all her books. Of course I haven’t paid for the last two. And I would never buy her again new.

In the case of Stuart… isn’t this pretty normal for her? I don’t think she has done something new or different with this interview. And omg I was so in shock when I saw who was on that blog. LOL I think I posted something long the lines of ‘one of these things does not belong’ *g*.