Journal Entry
SFWA etc…
A new brouhaha has exploded with the Science Fiction Writers of America. I’ll use snippets.
SFWA, the Science Fiction Writers of America, an organisation of which I am a member (on account of my having just a slight interest in writing and selling SF in that country) managed to get into a huge public relations mess back in August/September, when Dr. Andrew Burt, acting on his own initiative as a member of the SFWA e-piracy committee, caused a major screw-up in dealing with Scribd, a text file sharing website. (Details on the whole debacle start here; for SFWA’s response see here: more here
As a result, the old committee was disbanded. A study group set up to figure out how to do this better. Stross goes on to say:
The core of our report, in a nutshell, was this: SFWA should represent its members interests when asked to do so. (It should also poll the membership to figure out what they want to do.) In order to deal with members asking SFWA to act against copyright infringements, SFWA should establish a new copyright advisory committee to replace of the piracy committee, with set procedures (and a quorum of members required to implement them) to avoid anything like the earlier debacle recurring.
…snip…
A further recommendation was discussed, but the general feeling was that it would be inappropriate to put it in the committee’s formal report. It was my understanding that it would be brought to the attention of the president of SFWA via a back channel. This recommendation was simple: that at all costs, Andrew Burt must be kept the hell away from the copyright committee. In view of his earlier activities, his appointment to it would automatically destroy any credibility the new body would have — not to mention sending out a clear signal that SFWA is a dysfunctional organization, institutionally incapable of learning from bad experiences.
In the end, though Burt is back in charge. His first action:
To get back in the saddle against scribd, repeating many of the same mistakes in how to handle these things (negotiation and management) that annoyed many about him in the first place. In other words, no lesson learned.
There are more links:
SFWA Livejournal
Elizabeth Bear
Making Light
Cory Doctorow
Andrew Burt defends himself
Nick Mamatas
John Scalzi has his write up. He isn’t upset, just puzzled that Burt was chosen.
That said, I think the board choose puzzlingly, to use as polite a word as possible, in its choice of chairman for the new committee, for some of the reasons which Charlie outlines in incendiary but not unreasonable fashion. It would not have been my choice, for those reasons and a few others (the suggestion in the board’s statement that our committee recommended installing the chairman of the new committee is quite obviously in error).
My buddy Jim Hines summarizes his feelings in a manner very close to my own:
-The focus of the committee was to put forth recommendations that would work regardless of the individual in charge of the committee. I would like to believe that those policies, if followed, will still help to prevent messes like the one that first propelled the excrement toward the fan flabellum**.
-I’m disappointed to see Andrew Burt once again in charge.
My own take is that I’m not surprised to see Burt back in charge. I expected him to use every means at his disposal to remain there. As he pointed out in the last election he has set it up so that nothing can be done without him (due to his volunteering for every committee he can and designing a lot of procedures and technical stuff so that he’s the bottleneck, it’s completely unsurprising). I’m just disappointed.
I do think that the committee did good work. I hope all their points are taken.
That being said, I did have another personal reaction. To frame this one, we need to travel back in time a couple months to when I was finishing up my last book.
I had a bit of a health scare. Something with symptoms that were eerily like a form of cancer. I made a doctor’s appointment, but I had a day before I could get in.
So I didn’t sleep. At all. And really late into one night I did that thing you do where you sit down and reevaluate your whole life on a sheet of paper in list form because you’re staring death in the eye a bit, or at least, more aware of your mortality than normal.
To frame that, every once in a while in life, I list things that are getting in the way of my hopes and dreams and seek to eliminate them. In college I restructured where I lived on campus, moved to a single room, and completely ended a long list of friendships that I felt got in the way of my pursuing writing. I shifted everything around. And I turned my life upside down.
I list ‘emotional blackholes,’ things that suck away your energy to enjoy life, keep a positive can-do attitude, or that otherwise chip away at your attention.
And one of the things that leapt to my attention two months ago was what I felt was the toxic atmosphere of some aspects of SFWA’s private newsgroups and how that was one of those blackholes. Faced with my own mortality during the cancer scare I thought “would my life be better without all that crap?”
The answer was a big “yes.”
The next day the doctor diagnosed me. “I’ll bet you you thought you had cancer, didn’t you?” he chuckled. I just had another random ailment, nothing special, thank goodness.
But that list sat on my desk for my consideration for a long time. (The new sports car is, probably, a result of that list)
Leaving SFWA wasn’t something I felt I could do now that I knew I was okay because I had 2 obligations I’d agreed to this year.
The first was that I had agreed to edit an anthology: South American Masters. This was to be in the vein of European Masters, edited by James Morrow. I have familiarity with the culture and speak some Spanish, and can read it/understand it better than speak it. I had agreed to head putting this together, an opportunity that I was honored to be chosen for and genuinely excited about.
The second, I had agreed to, including posting money of my own if necessary, lead revamping the Nebula related web side of SFWA. This was the largest obligation. I’d agreed to serve. My name is my name, it’s really important to me. Some people may not care for me, but going back on a big commitment is something I don’t want to do lightly. This was the agonizing thing.
I had invested a lot of time over the last couple months reviewing the content, and on the recommendation of the designer I talked to, looking at Expression Engine as an engine for the new site. I had a lot of planning already invested here.
But, seeing another huge flame war getting ready to brew over this, and just my general ‘tired’ feeling when I saw what was happening, I thought, it’s time to take a break.
I’m not demanding anyone step down, it’s not even a protest leave. I’m not sure if it’s a forever leave, there’s always the possibility that someone will report that the private areas are no longer acidic and nasty to people. It’s just that I’m tired and I have a writing career that needs close attention. I have books that need my love.
I know people online will fight. I know people will struggle over differing opinions. But still, I have this odd opinion that more gets done in forums where respect and civility prevail. Yeah, I’ve been mocked for expecting that civility and professionalism decorum prevail, and even tried my best to lead by example. But it made no difference. I would happily remain in SFWA, if there were some other way that news was communicated timely to members without my having to wade into the muck, but as it is, too many big decisions came about in there, decisions that if I were part of an organization, I wanted input on.
And if I weren’t a part of 3 professional organizations (2 writers ones) that had online civility and professional, I might even imagine that the mockers were correct. But I’ve seen how professionals can conduct themselves even with wildly differing opinions, and I know what it is.
Partly, in acidic environments, I worry about my own self getting dragged down to other people’s levels, as I get caught up in it. I don’t want that crap in my life. I’m tired.
I’m just tired.
So this is a very long blog entry saying, I sent in my cancellation. I passed on a recommendation to who could edit the South American Masters anthology. I offered a kill fee of 50% of the design fee to the designer in question in case SFWA doesn’t keep him on (I think they should, fwiw). And I asked that I right away get my username and password shut down.
I am being honest when I say that this was a hard, sad thing to do. I have a number of very close friends that I admire and trust who serve for SFWA, and in some ways I feel like I’m letting them down.
But I have novels to write, and my fiction makes about half my income, I can’t afford to let anything effect it, and this gets in the way. So it must go…
Filed under the topic Journal on November 30th 2007 at 5:45 pm. You can subscribe to the RSS feed for this entry to keep track of comments. You can also use to trackback.
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Tobias is a Caribbean-born SF/F novelist who lives in Ohio.
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tobias@tobiasbuckell.com
AIM: tobiasbuckell
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more at my bibliography
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Short Stories
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Her
The Shackles of Freedom (with Mike Resnick)
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1. ebear on Nov 30th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
You are a good egg, Tobias. You can only do what’s in your conscience, you know?
2. Jim Hines on Nov 30th, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Damn. I can understand and respect why you’re making this choice. And you have to do what’s best for you. It’s SFWA’s loss.
3. Laurie D. T. Mann on Nov 30th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
It sounds like you’ve done the right thing.
4. Steve Buchheit on Nov 30th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Tobias, you have to do what you feel is right. Those moments when you face your own mortality are the ones where you can see the bright line between Life and Crap, usually it’s pretty murkey in the Gray Fog. It’s good that you choose the Life side.
I second what ebear and Jim said; you’re a good egg, and it’s SFWA’s loss.
5. Charlie on Nov 30th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Toby, it was the right choice for many reasons. I’m glad you posted that you did it and offered your reasons.
Also, dude, what sports car?
6. Kelly McCullough on Nov 30th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Thanks for posting this, it sounds like the right decision for the right reasons. I’m very close to walking away from SFWA myself, despite having a life membership.
7. Karin on Nov 30th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Yeah, I’ve been mocked for expecting that civility and professionalism decorum prevail, and even tried my best to lead by example. But it made no difference.
This is really unfortunate. If people mock you for being professional and civil then you really have nothing to apologize to them for. I completely agree with your taking care of yourself and your career first. Petty issues are not worth the stress or headache, and neither are petty people. The other stuff that wasn’t petty but that you still had to let go of, well…in the priorities of your life, health and happiness…you do what you feel is right and your friends will understand that. I know we don’t talk as often but I respect you a whole lot, I love your writing and have from the first time I read it back in BH days, and this has only shown more that you are a good person. I wish you and your family well, bro.
8. Kristine Smith on Nov 30th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Health scares are little tastes of Hell. So glad to hear that you’re fine.
9. SMD on Nov 30th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Your health and your writing career come first Tobias. So I fully and completely understand your reasons for dropping out and I support them. I might not have made the same decision as I’m the type of person who takes things a little too personally at times, but you’ve got fans to please and more books to write
. I’m looking forward to Sly Mongoose and everything else you churn out, so if this SFWA thing is causing you emotional stress and hurting your writing in any way, then you should drop out.
Thanks for letting all of us know
. Now get back to writing 
10. Joyce Reynolds-Ward on Nov 30th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Sounds like you made the right choice for this point in time.
11. spyscribbler on Nov 30th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
I have a similar problem with RWA. There are some unfair practices, but whenever those are brought up rationally to be discussed, even the more even-minded people will hiss at those opening the closet rather than addressing the problems.
Their attitude is that you should be grateful for all the friends and just swallow or ignore the politics. Actually, it’s more like: How dare you bring this up! You should be grateful for the friends and keep quiet!
I don’t want to lose the friends, and I don’t want to swallow or ignore the politics. I can’t seem to figure out what to do.
12. Ken McConnell on Dec 1st, 2007 at 9:45 am
As a newby SF author, I have wondered about the benefits of joining SFWA. I used to have it as a career goal being how lofty their entrance criteria is. But lately, after hearing so many members in disagreement about what I consider to be ego related issues, I no longer pine for membership.
I support Tobias Buckell’s decision to get out. At least until the organization can conduct their business in a mature fashion.
13. Diana Pharaoh Francis on Dec 1st, 2007 at 12:37 pm
I have a great deal of sympathy on the emotional black hole front. Mine’s a different thing–and I’m working on walking away at the first possible moment. But your post helps me know it’s the right choice, even if it takes awhile. Thanks.
14. Nick Mamatas on Dec 1st, 2007 at 1:29 pm
Darn, now the secret “Draft Toby For SFWA President” campaign will have to work TWICE as hard to get you into office, with you leaving and all…
15. Martha Wells on Dec 1st, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I know what you mean about the emotional black hole thing. I’ve had to do similar things in the past, in getting away from jobs or people that were turning into energy and time vampires. I minimized my online involvement with SFWA a few years ago and never regretted it.
16. Jim Hetley on Dec 1st, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Damn. Sorry to see you go. Me, I’m just thinking of unsubscribing from certain private newsgroups. Signal/noise ratio unfavorable.
17. Chris Gerrib on Dec 1st, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Toby – you have to do what’s right for you. Unfortunately, it’s a shame what could be a worthwhile organization is driving people away.
18. Jason Sanford on Dec 1st, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Toby–everything you said rings true on so many levels. I now qualify for membership but hearing about all this from people like you has convinced me to keep my hard-earned money and sanity well away from this organization.
19. Mary Robinette Kowal on Dec 1st, 2007 at 6:43 pm
I totally understand why you are walking away. That said, I wish you weren’t canceling so you still could vote. SFWA needs sane people.
Looking forward to more novels though.
20. Samuel Tinianow on Dec 1st, 2007 at 10:56 pm
I know a lot of people are hesitant to leave SFWA because they don’t want to see it go down the tubes. But then, I guess the breakdown that’s most feared is, proverbially, the one that’s already occurred.
It’s good that you’re doing it for yourself, though, rather than to spite anyone else.
p.s. I finally read Ragamuffin this week, and I just want to say, Thank You.
21. tobias buckell on Dec 3rd, 2007 at 7:47 am
Thank you all for your kind comments.
Samual: glad you liked Ragamuffin!!!
22. Hugh on Dec 3rd, 2007 at 2:36 pm
First off, I am a reader, not a writer. As such I do not, and very likely never will, qualify for SFWA membership. So everything I know about the recent ePiracy/Copyright Committee fiasco is what I read on writer’s blogs, such as your own, as well as Scalzi’s, Stross’s, etc. I’ve also read a few of the publicly available comments of Jerry Pournelle, and have made a mental note to myself to stay off his lawn.
As a non-member, I don’t have access to these private newsgroups I’ve heard about, but from what I’ve read on the above mentioned blogs, they sound like Usenet flame wars on steroids. As a reader, I am delighted that you will not only have more time to spend writing the novels I enjoy reading so much (Crystal Rain and Ragamuffin kicked ass, waiting most impatiently for Sly Mongoose), but that you also are likely to be in a better frame of mind as you’re writing them.
In any case, I’m glad to see that as one of my favorite writers of SF, you are taking care of not just your physical health, but your mental health as well. If that means putting an S.E.P. field around SFWA, so be it. Your health and happiness come first.
23. Matt Jarpe on Dec 3rd, 2007 at 2:39 pm
I completely understand your decision to leave. After all, I made the same choice myself three years ago for much the same reasons. Of course, I left before anyone knew who the hell I was, so it didn’t have as much of an impact.
GRRM has a good point that we should look to how we can benefit others through SFWA. But it seems to me you can pay it forward much more effectively if you don’t first have to pass your payment through a nest of snakes. The most useful help I’ve gotten as I’ve launched my writing career this past year has not come through SFWA. I got great information to help me pick an agent from Preditors and Editors, and the best business advice I’ve had has come directly from writers, including you. Thanks for your help.
24. Tobias Buckell on Dec 3rd, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Matt, I think GRRM has a good point, but as I read it I realized that all of what he said was stuff that I found I couldn’t do via SFWA b/c it would have had to be done through the newsgroups. Via my open blog, and my email, I’ve answered every question ever asked, helped 3-4 people get good paying gigs on pro blogs and with article writing, and some other stuff. I’ve helped a number of people find agents, and even an editor once. So I don’t feel like I’m slacking off on paying it forward, you’re right
And thank you for the thanks! And support
25. Tobias Buckell on Dec 3rd, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Jim Hetley “Me, I’m just thinking of unsubscribing from certain private newsgroups. Signal/noise ratio unfavorable.”
Yeah, I did that for a couple years, and then big things kept getting decided in those areas without input from people not in them. For all that some older members says the newsgroups don’t equal SFWA, everything else I’ve seen for almost 8 years indicates the opposite, as thats where a lot of business gets figured out, amidst all the signal/noise…
26. Amy Sterling Casil on Dec 4th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Toby, I’ve been keeping up so little I figured you’d stepped down, but I didn’t realize it was for such important personal reasons. I wish you all the best with your new anthology, all the best with your all-important health, happiness and well-being, and you made the right choice. Without any question or doubt.
http://asterling.typepad.com/incipit_vita_nova/2007/12/step-down-andre.html
I’ve had to make a lot of tough choices myself, due to health and family. Hard to . . . well . . . take care and can’t wait to read your next book.
27. Tobias Buckell on Dec 4th, 2007 at 4:47 pm
Hi Amy, thanks for the kind words! Tough choices, yes, but in the end, I feel relaxed and happy. It’s what counts
28. Naomi Kritzer on Dec 4th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Tobias, I know exactly what you mean about the private areas of the SFWA newsgroups. I venture in only when there’s a scandal and want to know what the heck is going on, and find myself wading through hip-deep muck just to get the basic gist. I have a very high tolerance for online vitriol, especially when it’s not being flung directly at me, and yet reading those conversations always leaves me feeling like I need to shower and brush my teeth.
29. Tobias Buckell on Dec 4th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Thanks Naomi!
Yeah, that’s exactly my feeling as well…