Mr. Harlan Ellison, a writer who has never been known as a shrinking violet, once had a slight disagreement with his publisher. That incident is recounted here.
Tell us, have you ever wanted to react just that way? What were the circumstances? How did you handle it? What would you counsel a young writer regarding when to be, er, demonstrable in his or her ire?
Killzoneblog.com
Ha! I hadn’t heard this Ellison story before but I am sure all writers can relate. It can be a hugely frustrating biz. But here’s the advice I would give any writer:
First, keep cool and carry on. The publishing world is a very small one and everyone knows everyone’s business. If you feel you are wronged (and you will be) and do something stupid, you will get a rep as a diva, an a-hole or worse. And the stink will stay on you forever be it from editors, agents or fellow writers. And if you get a bad review, don’t attack the critic. They have long memories and chances are the review had something in it you need to hear about your work but don’t want to.
Second, don’t burn any bridges. If you leave a publisher or agent, do so with grace. Five years down the road you might be submitting to your old editor again (who changed jobs) or you might have to deal with a house that holds your backlist rights.
Don’t get mad. Get even by proving them all wrong for whatever you think they did to you.
I wish I had an agent to assault. Beating up yourself isn’t very satisfying.
Brian,
Agents are like husbands. You’re better off with none than a bad one. Keep looking!
Yeah, I remember, early on, seeing editors roll their eyes at the mention of a certain author, who managed to be toxic with every contract. Don’t want that for a legacy.
Not with a publisher, but I sometimes have to manage my Irish temper. I come from a long line of women who settle things the old-fashioned way. I hold back because, basically, I’m not willing to do the time, lol!
Not many took the bait on this one. Basil!! Where are you, Basil?
On one project I did tell the data architect I would throw him out the window (2nd floor) if he ever addressed me in a certain way again. He never did and we got along famously. So…
Sorry, I just got released from the hospital after being treated for blunt trauma injuries after I beat up my publisher.
One of the major downsides of being self-published.
You should get a restraining order…and a straitjacket.
Unfortunately in trad publishing, agents/editors hold all the cards. This means writers with short fuses (that would be writers like me) must invest in punching bags, breathing-exercise programs, etc. As PJ says, “Burn no bridges.” That’s the ultimate best advice. And the best question to ask yourself is, “What’s more important, feeling vindicated for the rest of the day, or leaving the door open for the next time around?”
Actually I have had those urges on many occasions with my IT customers. The most frustrating are the ones I try to take care of over the phone who lack the ability to communicate what they see.
Like this actual conversation I had with a customer who’s accent (he is American, but his accent must only be spoken in one single and small village in a swamp somewhere where everyone has the same last name).
Poopiehead: “Ah kaint get mah Sentrex logged ohn, Sentrex just keeps kicken’ me ow.”
Me: “You mean Citrix?”
Poopiehead: “Yeah, ets wuddeye seh, Sentrex. It ain’t let me in since yestiday, I didn’t call yestiday cuz o’ the rain, I thought maybe the weather was causin’ it.”
Me: “Uh…the weather doesn’t have anything to do with your network logon. Anyway, so you are on the black screen that asks for your domain, username and password right?”
Poopiehead:”Yeah, Sentrex.”
Me: “Okay. Put domain name in the domain box.”
Poopiehead:”Done.”
Me: “Put the username in the username box.”
Poopiehead:”done”
Me: “Type your password in the password box.”
Poopiehead:”Done.”
Me:”Click the button that says ‘Logon’ and tell me what happens.”
Poopiehead:”Done, but the button don’t say ‘Logon’, it says ‘Connect’.”
Me: “It does?”
Poopiehead:”Yeah. Sentrex has a gray box that says ‘Connect’ right under the password line.”
Me: “So you are at the black Citrix screen that is open in Internet Explorer right?”
Poopiehead:”yeah, except it’s gray.”
Me:”What’s gray?”
Poopiehead:”The background of the screen is gray. And its not the whole screen just a box on the screen.”
Me: “So you’re not on a black screen that you opened in a web browser?”
Poopiehead:”No, I opened it with the link that says ‘Rescue’, the one that opens Sentrex every morning.”
Me: “Uh, that’s not Citrix, that’s Rescue. That’s the one that connects you to the network before you can open Citrix. Citrix is a web page.”
Poopiehead:”yeah, that’s what I’ve been sayin’.”
Me: (to self) breath deeply….slow your heart grasshopper…
And then there was this conversation just a few days later, this customer had no accent, nor much of anything else:
Did turn your computer off and on again? … no…not the monitor, the computer.
… No ma’am, the power button on the monitor only turns off the monitor.
… Do you see the round button on the computer?
… the box on your desk.
… the box is the computer.
…I just heard your CD-tray open, that was the wrong button.
Okay, that sounds like the computer turning off.
… Yes, the monitor goes black when the computer turns off, its supposed to do that.
Now push the button again to turn it on.
… Not the monitor, ma’am. The computer. … Same button you turned it off with.
No, not the rectangular one, that’s the cd tray
…corrects it’s the same one that didn’t work last time
…okay the round one, yes I hear it starting up now.
Log back on and it should work now…thank you for calling IT and have a nice day.
*click* …
Twenty plus years of being an IT guy and endowed me with great patience for dealing with people.
I do not hesitate to point out the manifest failings of Penguin NZ staff. They make lots of money out of my books to pay their salaries. They Failed to sell my books anywhere or in any format other than print. So soon as that was obvious I asked for & got my unused rights
That’s excellent that they did that. Good on you for going for it!
I’m assuming you didn’t have to break any furniture or anything?
Back. They have begged me for digital rights but I declined when they admitted they had no marketing plan & were only going to pay me 10%. Then they belatedly wanted my erotic romances repackaged so I forced them to a new tight contract with higher royalties and ALL non print rights are now mine. Plus they have to open their books to accurately account for sales made. If they hate me who cares? I pay their bills!