I love seeing stuff like this, but it annoys me at the same time.
Here’s a screengrab for those who don’t do ‘X’ or ‘Twitter’ or whatever it’s called today:
Why am I annoyed by this? Because authors getting paid for their work shouldn’t be shocking. The fact that an author is surprised that we’re paying her for her work irks me to a degree that I’m not exactly sure I can articulate properly.
Why is it that a pack of misfits with brain-squirrels, bumbling around with only the SHAG Principle* as a guide-lamp, and happily making Every Mistake Known To Man is held up as an example of “what SHOULD be” in an industry that’s been around since the 19th century?
The gratitude the we get from authors for just … treating them right … shouldn’t happen. Treating authors right should be the bloody norm, and not something worth being grateful over.
Soapbox Rant time.
When I first started this, I was told that “Anthologies will lose you money.”
Well, we’re doing it our way, and we seem to be doing fairly well.
I was told, “You can’t tell your authors how many books are sold, or how many pages are read.”
Well, we’re doing it our way, and yes you can.
I was told, “LawDog, you can’t keep open books.”
Well, we’re doing it our way, and it turns out that you certainly can.
I was told: “There’s no way you guys can publish an anthology every two weeks.”
Well, we’re doing it our way. And we can.
At Foolzcon and other cons, I’ve been told, “You can’t change the publishing industry, Ian.”
Huh. Maybe not. But you know what? NextGen presses like us, Three Ravens Publishing, Jumpmaster Press, Cannon Publishing, and others will continue to treat authors as valued partners, instead of cash cows to be milked dry and discarded; to treat authors as we would like to be treated; to just be decent human beings — and those who follow the predatory model of publishing can either evolve out of being parasites, or fall by the wayside as authors find that there are options who will treat them fairly.
By God.
LawDog
*Scientific Hairy-Arsed Guess
Woo-hoo!
There are “a great multitude” of folks not captured by the moral oubliette of tradpub who want to see you succeed, and succeed wildly.
Count me among those folks, please!
Wait. This isn’t how every publisher works?
Not just Boom, but Whompity-Boom, as Shai would say.
It will be interesting to see what happens to the BIG publishers over the next few years. The edifices are crumbling, and indie presses like this one here are going to be poised to step in and provide what people want to read. The wrinkles are not completely ironed out just yet, the biggest one, IMO, being how to get hard copies manufactured in an attractive and timely fashion.
I think the main question is, will any book stores survive long enough to realize they need to start selling Indy and small press books.
I read a lot. So somebody putting out stuff I like every other week is great. Just for grins, this is a breakdown of what I have bought so far in 2024.
Trad. Pub. Baen – 6
Trad. Pub. Other – 1
Independent/ Small Pub. – 3
Raconteur Press – 11
So for an idea that supposedly won’t work, who’s getting my money?
Hopefully you can handle the inevitable rapid growth.
A most excellent post and a noble undertaking done for reasons that are just and right. Thank you, Lawdog!
I have to say I was a little dubious when I saw the schedule you’d set up for this year. But I’m impressed as hell that you’re pulling it it off, and doing it well. Which includes all the stuff you referenced above.
(Data point: one outfit I sold a story to only paid after I gave up on sending reminders and just put a snarky note in my unsubscribe message.)
You guys are the kick ass publishing group that gave me a place to get my first story published. Since I have gone off as an ,independent author and publisher, Ive put out nine stories in my Breaching Ain’t Easy universe and the tenth one is with the editor. I have usually learned tons of information five minutes after I hit send. The support and advice that the RP guys and girls have given to me is priceless. I can’t thank them enough and know I suck considerably less with their assistance.
Well done!
My first stories were published by Rac Press. Now I’m spoiled: I expect good treatment and open communication from my publisher 🙂
People laughed at Chip Davis when traditional record publishers wouldn’t record or publish his Mannheim Steamroller albums. So he started American Gramaphone.
And people laughed at recording artists selling through MP3.com and other on-line services.
The ‘traditional’ way of publishing and recording houses screwing over their clients. But, like cockroaches, ‘traditional’ managers and accountants don’t do well in light.
Keep it up. Your way, the open way, is the way business should be handled.