on Harlequin, sadly.

[lagilman]

Jackie Kessler breaks it down for you, so I don't have to


SFWA's response:

http://www.sfwa.org/2009/11/sfwa-statement-on-harlequins-self-publishing-imprint/

RWA and MWR comments, via Pub Rants:

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2009/11/harlequin-news-flash.html

----------------------

As a Harlequin author and a SFWA member, I agree with my association's position on this. The establishment of a "pay-to-play" imprint damages the standing of the entire company in the eyes of both writers and readers, and cannot be condoned.

I hate this. I hated it when my then-employer did something business-wise I strongly disagreed with, and I hate it when a company I publish with does the same. It doesn't affect how I feel about my tiny corner of Luna, but... I'm really uncomfortable, all the same.

I love my editor and the rest of the folk on the front lines, and I understand that they are required to walk the company line -- been there, empathize with that. My complaint is not with them, but with the Corporate decision-makers who a) thought this would be a marvelous idea and b) don't see/care what this is doing to the reputation of a company that, until now, had the respect of many of us for doing a difficult job, well.

Comments

[lagilman]

I think you need to clarify your question a bit -- are you speaking specifically of the Horizins program, or in general use of an established freelance editor to help you with self-publishing? Because the two are vastly different.

The argument against self-publishing (dreck or otherwise) is that it requires the writer to be a small businessperson in order to actually accomplish anything other than spending money, and that a) is a tough thing for most people to do and b) keeps the writer from their most important job -- writing the next book.

[timwb.livejournal.com]

I am not aware of the Horizins program, and Google isn't helping here.
True, in self-publishing the author is required to be a business owner and that takes away resources from writing. But so do solicitation of agents and publishers, attending cons and award ceremonies, book-signings, participating in Odyssey or Clarion (in that you pay to do something that you are already doing for free), and even Mill-and-Swill.
I'm currently of the opinion that if there is a difference between self-publishing and use of a freelance editor is that with the editor you can learn something.
But in a life that is brutal, nasty, and short, there is much to be said for just getting your words out to the few hundred people who may enjoy them.

[lagilman]

You might want to follow the links in the post you're responding to, read up on what we're discussing, and then come back to this conversation.