leahbobet | The Importance of Saying No

There is this thing I do. There is a list of markets I will not work with.

I have not made large flailing noises on the internet saying so, or sent them snippy letters so they know how much I'm too cool for them or some like bullshit. Because this isn't about exercising power over someone, or being too cool. It's about what directions I want to take my business, the business of writing, in which I as CEO must decide with which other businesses to associate my name.

Here is why I am talking about this today. Take a break. Read the link.

I am not the arbiter and validator of other people's business decisions. Their businesses are not mine, and I am not placing judgment on the authors who work with Helix and are protesting people's responses to its editor's behaviour in that post and its comments. Helix, however, is one of the markets that I will not work with. That initial decision was not made entirely because of its editor's propensity for spouting off at the mouth in a racist and sexist fashion, but that was at least half of it. I don't want my name associated with Helix or William Sanders.

In that linked post and its comments, you have some pretty good authors who are now in a bad position: they're forced not to defend, but to not entirely condemn the bad behaviour of someone to whom they owe a professional obligation. I don't believe that any of those authors agree with this editor's attitudes regarding women and Muslims or find those attitudes acceptable. But their names are tied in now with Helix and William Sanders, and there is only so much they can do.

What you are seeing in

nojojojo's post is called damage control. And fairly gracefully done. But learn from it, all ye readers: when Nora says "But don't tar and feather the authors in Helix just because of their association with him. That's just not right." it may well not be right.

But it's gonna happen nonetheless.

I'm bringing this up to point out one of the more important things I've learned about publishing:

Selling fiction, at whatever cost? To markets with sketchy reputations, or whose editors and publishers behave in sketchy ways?

Not worth it.

Publishing should be fun. Yes, it's a business pursuit, but it should leave a warm glow in your tummy. You should be able to look back in a few months or years at that publication and go "yes, that was a positive experience for me and the other guy too".

It should not be damage control.

Do business with people who will deal fairly with you and conduct themselves in good faith, who demonstrate an understanding of the social mores of the genre community and the standards of professionalism. Do business with people who give you contracts you actually want to sign, without that little qualm in your belly at 2am.

It is perfectly permissible to look at the behaviour of a market, or its proponents, and say to yourself "I will not submit my work there".

Yes, this is sometimes hard, especially if you're just starting out and have zero to a few sales to your name. They have something you want. And when you want a thing very badly, it is hard to cut people out of the herd who may be able to give it to you. But think about how you want it, too, and how you want to feel about it when you look back in ten years.

So set a standard for yourself. Apply it rigorously. And when someone does not meet it, even if they have an offer in hand?

Say thanks, but no thanks.

Because you don't want to be in that shitty situation. And because it'll make you a lot happier, as you chase down the path towards making your business a career.