24 November 2009
the new RWA black eye
I have to ask it. What do you think of the new RWA black eye brewing over not allowing Jane from Dear Author to remain an associate member?
For those who've missed it...and I don't usually read DA, but this one caught my eye. National sent an e-mail to Jane Little at DA, stating that her "general" membership would not be continued (she's not a general member...she's an associate member), since she has no intentions of writing. She never did, which was why she was an associate member, to begin with. They further stated that, while they would typically extend an invitation to become an associate member (what she actually is), since she's been critical of RWA on her blog and fosters the #romfail, she obviously supports neither RWA nor romance authors. Therefore, she is not welcome to be an associate member.
This has many connotations that interest me.
If you're critical of RWA, you don't support them? The RWChange list and movement belies that fact. People who don't believe RWA has value aren't wasting their time suggesting how it can be improved. Why would they bother? Member or not, a lot of people want RWA to change with the times and improve. There's something wrong with that?
And secondarily... I'm not the biggest supporter of DA. I don't appreciate #romfail. But, 99% of the time, I'd have to say DA MEANS well, in its attempts to cover industry news. Are they perfect? Far from. But they do support the industry, though they also tear down individuals. Saying any one of the Janes/Jaynes doesn't support the romance industry is rather ridiculous.
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2 comments:
What an interesting blog topic, Brenna.
I love a challenge... as my favorite Reversi/Othello opponent says (electronically).
I don't like #romfail, I don't like mean-spirited, ill-informed witch-hunts and lynch frankly, I think my maternal grandmother (and many other Romance authors' grandmothers) were on target when they said "If you've nothing nice to say, don't say anything."
But... I also think the politician (whose name I cannot recall) was spot on when he said something to the effect of "I don't like what you have to say, sir, but --by gad-- I'll defend to the death your right to say it!"
So, I find myself coming down on the side of Jane Little.
On the other hand, if RWA had chosen to go after the Janes/Jaynes for encouraging of illegal file sharing, and for misinforming their Romance reading fans about First Sale rights (there are none with regard to e-books) and for denying that copyright grants an e-published author the absolute right to control the reproduction and distribution of her work... then, I should probably have sided with RWA.
Rowena,
As usual, my dear, you and I see so eye to eye on subjects near and dear to us.
Brenna
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