You said in the RWA Annual General Meeting (AGM) that the three week delay between RWA-recognized publisher books being submitted for the RITA’s and non-RWA recognized books was so to give authors who get their $1000 advance (or more) the advantage because that is what the BOD felt they deserved.

So you have, in one fell swoop, told me that I am not deserving even though I made well over that paltry $1000 advance in my first year of being published. Well to be totally accurate, I’d made over $1000 in my first six months.

As Adrianna Dane said on Twitter. It does not end here. Just a start to the next step. #rwachange

Then I started reading this thread again. I agree wholeheartedly with Michelle (MG) Braden, the VP of this chapter: we need to support change in RWA to benefit all romance writers. It’s not only the unpublished writers who need RWA, we published — ALL published — authors need our romance writers organization.

When I signed my epub contract, I did not “relinquish [my] rights without minimum compensation.” I have plenty of compensation. I get my royalty checks. Maybe my take is not so large as other writers, but it does help pay bills.

I helped vote Ms. Pershing into office, and RWA is my organization too. I love my local and special interest chapters and don’t want to leave. I don’t think I should have to leave. I paid my dues, but by limiting themselves to traditional thinking, RWA is not helping my “career-focused” goal. Yes, I actually do have a career plan (beyond get up and write every day).

I think RWA’s attitude isn’t just about the money/advance, whatever you want to call it, or about the GH/RITA issue, but a combination of those plus all the fast changes taking place in the publishing world. I don’t appreciate the harsh tone in Ms. Pershing’s response, which was defensive and yes, condescending. I don’t think Deidre Knight deserved such scorn when she was trying to help. I don’t think any RWA adult member deserves to be lectured to like that (which is how it came across to me).

But natural instinct when backed into a corner and /or when feeling threatened is to get defensive. As a Harlequin author with two novels digitally for sale, (http://ebooks.eharlequin.com/718B217A-166A-4854-A4C6-94A0D8F0BC5E/10/126/en/SearchResults.htm?searchid=14622558) I think Ms. Pershing could benefit from listening to the proposed ideas stated here.

I also think this is about the choices writers make to advance their careers. We need information, education, advocacy, and stable industry contacts in order to make “informed” smart decision whether in traditional OR digital publishing. To that end, I am CHOOSING to try and be part of the solution and continue my career as a digital author.

Raquel Rodriguez
Proud Digital Author
RWA #44098

“What does RWA do with all of the authors not at the top of the ladder, who are not published by the top two or three digital publishers? For authors who have slaved away for years on their books and then sold them to digital publishers and who get nearly no recognition, sales or financial return, who else will speak for them if RWA does not?”

How about all the “traditional” writers who slave away for years on their books, DON’T sell them at all to print publishers, and make bubkis on them? Hmmm?

No, not all e-pubbed authors clean up. However, there are authors, like myself, who are making decent (might I even hope, GOOD – projected as of right now to clear well over $20k this year in royalties) money with their professions. E-publishing, not print. And no, we aren’t signed by the “top two or three” digital publishers.

Why should WE or our publishers (who in most cases treat us dang good, I might add) be punished punitively?

Or is it because if you set a flat earning amount you’ll be cutting out a HUGE number of “traditional print” authors? I’d be willing to bet I’m making a LOT more than a goodly chunk of some of your “traditionally published” authors out there, and in a shorter amount of time to boot. Am I the exception? Sure. BUT… highly profitable print authors are ALSO the exception. This is the head-in-the-sand attitude that really burns my bacon. Trying to twist the situation to support your antiquated view of traditional publishing as the be-all, end-all.

It’s writing. We’re authors. The medium the works are presented in shouldn’t matter. “Protecting” authors? Bull pucky. If you presented relevant workshops on how to protect yourself from unethical business practices REGARDLESS of publishing medium, it would be a much more helpful situation than alienating a large number of members. How many potential members have never joined because they didn’t feel RWA met their needs? RWA is missing the mark and from not just my observations, but those of others.

I think I’ll go spend that renewal fee I’m saving on E-BOOKS!!!

Puh-lease, RWA, move into the new age with your authors. Who needs to be represented by a group that refuses to stay in the forefront of the industry?

“The Association of American Publishers estimates total Net Sales for all books in 2008 at $24.3 billion. That study also indicates that e-book sales increased by 68.4%. There is no doubt that the growth is impressive. However, the study also shows that, even though the segment is growing rapidly, it still represents less than 2% ($113 million) of total book sales, in all categories.”

The beauty of e-publication is that they are availble worldwide because they avoid the control of distribtuors who determine who can buy what, where and for how long.

I live in Australia (and am a member of RWAustralia). Many of your member’s books are not available here. Even top flight authors get pulped after a while. If I find an author I like, most times the only way I can buy it is through Amazon or Abebooks for $1 then pay $15 postage. None of that money gets back to your members.

If those same RWA members have an e-version, I can download them instantly. Royalties go back to them.

RWAmerica may represent their members, but you have to stop thinking that the world ends on the shores of the Pacific and the Atlantic.

Support e-publishing as much as you can. Break the stranglehold of the distributors.

Make your authors’ work available to ALL the world, forever.

The talk was a bit dry and clearly came at the end of a very long session, as tired PROs exited the room (or stood around and talked. Manners, people!) before the speaker took his place at the microphone. But I listened raptly, learned a lot about sales figures and projections for the industry and a new code system that will probably become universal. It wasn’t that much a writer’s talk, but it was informative about the future of the industry.

Since then I’ve recommended the recording of the session to anyone who has seemed the least bit interested in such. So here’s one person who greatly appreciated the talk!

So what do we do about it? What are the channels we take now? Do we contact our Board members? Do we inundate the RWR with letters? Do we crash the PAN meeting at Nationals? Do a sit-in at the Annual General Meeting of Members (that doesn’t even have an agenda, so I can’t instruct my proxy to participate)?

What are the points we’re fighting for? Is that to be found in the new RWA change Yahoo group? Great; I just joined.

And somewhere in here, could we please get some kind of associate or participating membership deal (at much-reduced prices) where we can join our local chapter but not the national organization?