August 1997 Online Bulletin

Subj: August 1997 Online Bulletin
Date: 97-08-05 11:55:53 EDT
From: ocls@ipa.net
To: ocls@ipa.net
Linguistics & Science Fiction Network Online Bulletin for August 1997
Greetings! I just got back last night from Conjuration -- a science fiction convention -- in Jefferson City, Missouri. As always after any time away from home, the amount of work that has to be done on return is exactly twice as large as it would have been for the same number of days if we hadn't been away. I don't understand this at all, but I recognize it as one of the set of Laws Of The Universe, and I don't struggle. At the top of my list for today, right after "unpack suitcase," was "get out the Online Bulletin, due today." Moving right along, therefore...
1. First I want to note that this bulletin is going out to a number of new members who have never seen one before, and I need to let them know that it is intended as nothing more than an informal personal letter from me and a way of staying in touch in between newsletters. If, after you've seen this example, you feel that you'd rather not get it from now on, please send me a message to that effect *by email* and I'll be glad to delete you from the list. So far as I know, future issues will be no more elaborate or elegant than this one.
2. Conjuration was what is known as either a "relaxacon" or a "leisurecon." Those of you who know me well are aware that I ordinarily wouldn't go to one of these, because I'm definitely not a Party Animal, and I would rather be at home getting my work done. I made an exception this time, because (a) I graduated from high school in Jefferson City, and (b) the fact that it was a relaxacon -- so that I had free time galore and wasn't expected to be showing up for anything in particular -- meant I was able to go to Sunday brunch with people from my senior class, whom I hadn't seen for more than forty years. This was a wonderful experience, especially since I was -- bar none -- the most unpopular person in that senior class, and I have therefore been too nervous to go to any of the class reunions over the years.
I am pleased to say that no one did any of the gross things they routinely did to me in the early 1950s and a good time was had by all. I'm also glad I went to Conjuration because, having no "duties" to see to but one panel on sf languages and one reading, I had a chance to just sit and talk to a lot of writers, artists, and readers (and their families), and I learned some useful things. For example...
3. All the writers present were like me, pretty much convinced that soon all of us (with the exception of Stephen King giantname types) are going to be in the same position professionally as composers of contemporary classical music -- lucky to get an occasional grant that lets us write something for money, and dead as the dodo otherwise. The publishers really do appear to be mounting a concerted effort to drive all writers who are not superstars entirely out of publishing. The latest sf writer to be informed that based on previous sales figures his/her work is no longer welcome in U.S. publishing is Norman Spinrad, not exactly a minor figure.
A major publisher who has been paying $25,000 advances for one of the media tie-in book lines, with royalties, so that the writers were earning roughly $100,000 per book over time, has announced that from now on the payment will be a flat $40,000 fee and no royalties. They feel that the writers have been getting too large a share of the earnings on the books, you perceive! If they can make that stick, every publisher in the mass sf market will undoubtedly follow suit and try to go to straight fee-for-hire books, with no royalties.
Every writer at the con had a personal horror story or two to add to the collection. (Stephen King wasn't there.) And it's not just fiction -- I came home to a message that a new book of mine has been rejected by an editor, sight unseen, because of my poor sales on a book that *has not yet been printed.* That is, we writers are now facing rejections on the basis of unsatisfactory advance orders for books as yet unpublished!
A lot of passionate discussions erupted -- and "erupted" is the only accurate word -- as the non-writers who were listening to all this heard what we were saying. They were alarmed, and rightly so -- as a reader myself, I am alarmed too. And the writers told them: As long as readers are willing to buy garbage books on the grounds that there's nothing else out there, the publishers will continue to believe that they don't need writers and that they need only publish garbage books.
They will continue to believe that what matters is the cover and the marketing campaign and the toys, with the printed content being irrelevant. And there is not, so far as any of us can figure out, anything that the writers can do about this. It would take all of us, or nearly all, to have any effect, and that's just not possible. You have to realize -- most writers aren't business people; if they were, they'd be running companies, not writing books.

3. Another good thing about Conjuration was that I had free time enough (by not going to parties) to read Mary Doria Rusell's "The Sparrow," at long last. MJ Hardman had gallantly offered to lend me her copy and it arrived -- serendipitously -- in the mail the night before we left; I took it with me and managed to read it all. (As soon as UPS gets itself back together, MJ, I'll return it with thanks!) I thought it was spectacularly good, and I recommend it with all my heart. I had been uneasy about getting to the ending, because I've read some reviews complaining about that. I can say only that (a) I didn't want the book to end, and (b) when I finished it I sat and cried for ten minutes -- it hit me that hard.
However, by and large it's a joyful book filled with characters that I was mad about. Wonderful women as well as wonderful men, which is not always true. I'll take "The Sparrow" up again in our next print issue, so will say nothing more here. If you'd like to send comments, they'd be welcome.
4. Finally, because this is getting overlong, the next travel on my list is to Columbia, Missouri, on September 13, 1997. The Missouri chapter of N.O.W. is hosting a conference. I'll be doing a half day workshop on verbal self-defense for women in the morning, and then a keynote address that evening on something related to "feminism and science fiction/women in science fiction." (As you can tell, I haven't decided yet exactly what that speech will be like....I'm working on it.) I had a chance at Conjuration to ask some people for their suggestions, and I am as always asking for yours.
What could I say about this aspect of science fiction, in one hour, that would be useful and interesting? Your comments would be welcome. If any of you are interested in going to the conference and need more information, send me a note -- by the time it arrives I should have worked my way down through the pile of mail to the conference brochure and be able to help.
Next issue of L&SF is the Women & Language one....
Best wishes to all of you, and many thanks for all your help,

Suzette

All text formatting errors are the responsibility of Steve Marsh and not the fault of Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin. All copyrights remain in Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin. [return to Lingua]

	Subj: August 1997 Online Bulletin Date: 97-08-05 11:55:53 EDT From: ocls@ipa.net To: ocls@ipa.net Linguistics & Science Fiction Network Online Bulletin for August 1997 Greetings! I just got back last night from Conjuration -- a science fiction convention -- in Jefferson City, Missouri. As always after any time away from home, the amount of work that has to be done on return is exactly twice as large as it would have been for the same number of days if we hadn't been away. I don't understand this at all, but I recognize it as one of the set of Laws Of The Universe, and I don't struggle. At the top of my list for today, right after "unpack suitcase," was "get out the Online Bulletin, due today." Moving right along, therefore... 1. First I want to note that this bulletin is going out to a number of new members who have never seen one before, and I need to let them know that it is intended as nothing more than an informal personal letter from me and a way of staying in touch in between newsletters. If, after you've seen this example, you feel that you'd rather not get it from now on, please send me a message to that effect by email and I'll be glad to delete you from the list. So far as I know, future issues will be no more elaborate or elegant than this one. 2. Conjuration was what is known as either a "relaxacon" or a "leisurecon." Those of you who know me well are aware that I ordinarily wouldn't go to one of these, because I'm definitely not a Party Animal, and I would rather be at home getting my work done. I made an exception this time, because (a) I graduated from high school in Jefferson City, and (b) the fact that it was a relaxacon -- so that I had free time galore and wasn't expected to be showing up for anything in particular -- meant I was able to go to Sunday brunch with people from my senior class, whom I hadn't seen for more than forty years. This was a wonderful experience, especially since I was -- bar none -- the most unpopular person in that senior class, and I have therefore been too nervous to go to any of the class reunions over the years. I am pleased to say that no one did any of the gross things they routinely did to me in the early 1950s and a good time was had by all. I'm also glad I went to Conjuration because, having no "duties" to see to but one panel on sf languages and one reading, I had a chance to just sit and talk to a lot of writers, artists, and readers (and their families), and I learned some useful things. For example... 3. All the writers present were like me, pretty much convinced that soon all of us (with the exception of Stephen King giantname types) are going to be in the same position professionally as composers of contemporary classical music -- lucky to get an occasional grant that lets us write something for money, and dead as the dodo otherwise. The publishers really do appear to be mounting a concerted effort to drive all writers who are not superstars entirely out of publishing. The latest sf writer to be informed that based on previous sales figures his/her work is no longer welcome in U.S. publishing is Norman Spinrad, not exactly a minor figure. A major publisher who has been paying $25,000 advances for one of the media tie-in book lines, with royalties, so that the writers were earning roughly $100,000 per book over time, has announced that from now on the payment will be a flat $40,000 fee and no royalties. They feel that the writers have been getting too large a share of the earnings on the books, you perceive! If they can make that stick, every publisher in the mass sf market will undoubtedly follow suit and try to go to straight fee-for-hire books, with no royalties. Every writer at the con had a personal horror story or two to add to the collection. (Stephen King wasn't there.) And it's not just fiction -- I came home to a message that a new book of mine has been rejected by an editor, sight unseen, because of my poor sales on a book that has not yet been printed. That is, we writers are now facing rejections on the basis of unsatisfactory advance orders for books as yet unpublished! A lot of passionate discussions erupted -- and "erupted" is the only accurate word -- as the non-writers who were listening to all this heard what we were saying. They were alarmed, and rightly so -- as a reader myself, I am alarmed too. And the writers told them: As long as readers are willing to buy garbage books on the grounds that there's nothing else out there, the publishers will continue to believe that they don't need writers and that they need only publish garbage books. They will continue to believe that what matters is the cover and the marketing campaign and the toys, with the printed content being irrelevant. And there is not, so far as any of us can figure out, anything that the writers can do about this. It would take all of us, or nearly all, to have any effect, and that's just not possible. You have to realize -- most writers aren't business people; if they were, they'd be running companies, not writing books. 3. Another good thing about Conjuration was that I had free time enough (by not going to parties) to read Mary Doria Rusell's "The Sparrow," at long last. MJ Hardman had gallantly offered to lend me her copy and it arrived -- serendipitously -- in the mail the night before we left; I took it with me and managed to read it all. (As soon as UPS gets itself back together, MJ, I'll return it with thanks!) I thought it was spectacularly good, and I recommend it with all my heart. I had been uneasy about getting to the ending, because I've read some reviews complaining about that. I can say only that (a) I didn't want the book to end, and (b) when I finished it I sat and cried for ten minutes -- it hit me that hard. However, by and large it's a joyful book filled with characters that I was mad about. Wonderful women as well as wonderful men, which is not always true. I'll take "The Sparrow" up again in our next print issue, so will say nothing more here. If you'd like to send comments, they'd be welcome. 4. Finally, because this is getting overlong, the next travel on my list is to Columbia, Missouri, on September 13, 1997. The Missouri chapter of N.O.W. is hosting a conference. I'll be doing a half day workshop on verbal self-defense for women in the morning, and then a keynote address that evening on something related to "feminism and science fiction/women in science fiction." (As you can tell, I haven't decided yet exactly what that speech will be like....I'm working on it.) I had a chance at Conjuration to ask some people for their suggestions, and I am as always asking for yours. What could I say about this aspect of science fiction, in one hour, that would be useful and interesting? Your comments would be welcome. If any of you are interested in going to the conference and need more information, send me a note -- by the time it arrives I should have worked my way down through the pile of mail to the conference brochure and be able to help. Next issue of L&SF is the Women & Language one.... Best wishes to all of you, and many thanks for all your help, Suzette
	All text formatting errors are the responsibility of Steve Marsh and not the fault of Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin. All copyrights remain in Dr. Suzette Haden Elgin. [return to Lingua]