Looks like Joanne Harris is facing a vote

Joanne Harris was I think re-elected as chair unanimously.

Sunny Singh, who was up for the committee and who is, shall we say, robust on Twitter, did not get in.

I could echo wintertrees post word for word - often thought about joining the SoA, never needed to, now never will. And also that most of my friends in the industry (many of whom have had to negotiate maternity leaves, unequal pay, lack of promotion - the less brave and stunning aspects of being a woman in publishing) also quietly think this is madness, and have disengaged from Twitter entirely.

Yep, WinterTrees. Most people don't say anything. They're more likely to just quietly leave.

There is the Writer's Guild, I believe - no idea what it's like but maybe worht looking into.

I've left too, and did wonder about re-joining to vote, but it's pricey and I've never had any benefit from membership (I've been lucky enough not to have contract irregularities or need any help my agent couldn't provide.) I didn't want to pay over £100 to an organisation in which I think the rot is set too deep to salvage.

I suspect Joanne Harris will win and she and the vocal Publishing Puritans will gloat on Twitter about defeating the evil transphobes and how good always triumphs etc etc. Meanwhile, in the real world Mermaids are crumbling, Maya and Allison were vindicated in court, the Cass report is shining a spotlight into safeguarding black holes, Stonewall are being exposed as a clownshow and the vast majority of authors I know well enough to be honest with are well aware that these are seventeenth century values repackaged for the social media age.

If Twitter is the public square, it's currently in the era of occupation and everyone knows you can't speak freely there. But those conversations are still happening in real life, and Joanne Harris and her ilk are foolish if they mistake lack of public challenge with agreement. She might win this election, but she'll be left at the helm of a discredited organisation with a declining membership, crowing about it on a platform that people are abandoning in droves.

I used to really admire her. I love her books. How disappointing.

It's self ID for authors, I suppose ... the fact is they make money from their members.

There's a parallel with the pre-Corbyn Labour Party there.

The SoA seems to have changed somewhat. It used to have fairly strict criteria for being a member (published book from a reputable house, etc), but has recently opened up to 'aspiring authors' - i.e. basically anyone.

Sorry, I wasn’t referring to JK, more the people that have raised the AGM motions in general and how they’re presenting themselves on Twitter.

Thanks. Julie Bindel has always been very outspoken and holds some (in my opinion) very robust, rather purist views, so it’s no surprise to me that you feel both sides are now being somewhat unreasonable.

Sorry, am struggling to follow this, and the articles aren't helping. Did Joanne Harris post something mean about Salman Rushdie in the wake of the attack on him ? What's it all got to do with the trans debate ? Is JKR directly implicated? And where does Phillip Pullman fit in?
Sorry to be so clueless!

Sorry, I wasn’t referring to JK, more the people that have raised the AGM motions in general and how they’re presenting themselves on Twitter. While I’m not a fan of JH’s conduct by far, I’m starting to think they’re all looking bad at this point. I worry that the people who could vote for the motions have potentially just left instead anyway. I wonder if they have a net loss or gain in numbers over this.

I agree with you re JK too - she’s come across as more ‘gloves off’ recently which I can understand, but yes, unfortunately looks less saintly (not that I think she should have to be!)

Well I’ve left already and won’t be rejoining unless the situation improves.

Sorry, I’ve not been watching on Twitter as I’ve left and accessing it via safari is frustrating as I can’t see entire threads.

Can you give some example where JK (I presume) has annoyed you? I noticed a while back that she was getting less polite, which I thought was completely understandable, but rather a shame, given that before that she had been so utterly reasonable that anyone criticizing her would inevitably look like an idiot to anyone who went and looked.

Is anyone else still following this on Twitter? While I'm more inclined to the JKR side of this debate and, for want of a better term, GC in my views - I'm starting to feel annoyed with both sides. They're coming across as both as bad as each other in the bickering on Twitter side. I think regardless of people's views, writers are going to be put off joining the SOA in future at all?

I'm guessing a lot of writers aren't eligible to vote after leaving the SoA in disgust at Harris' behaviour. So I'm expecting her to win it, tbh.

This has made the national newspapers though, so she's damaged more at least. She shouldn't be in this position given how partisan she is.

I’d be surprised if she isn’t elected, I think if you weren’t following this in general or not on Twitter it might bypass you?

I'm assuming Harris can summon enough flying monkeys and minions to win the vote, but would be delighted to be proved wrong.

From what I have seen of JKR's detractors they seem quite happy to play the victim whilst at the same time enjoying the publicity from it.

I think a lot of JKR’s detractors enjoy it, rather than are actually upset by it, like they want to goad her so they can have some gloriously self righteous hate. It’s like a raison d’être. I have no idea how she keeps any semblance of patience with it.

Right - responding on Twitter to a Twitter defamation is the restrained and proportionate response.

It's what anyone would do as a first resort.

So defaming someone with 14M followers is rather on you - you can't argue that "you can't respond to me because you've got too many followers."

The next alternative if she can't handle a Twitter response is the lawyer response. Is that what she wants?

There’s a lot of whining about JKR inciting pile ons due to her 14M followers - but then, don’t potentially defame her then?

Laura doesn't seem to understand what the words retraction and apology mean. Which is a bit worrying, considering she's a writer.

There's quite a long thread on JKR's own Twitter feed, calmly unrolling the situation, complete with 'commentary' from those who do not share her world view.

I would definitely send Laura a letter from my lawyer if I were her. This relentless smearing must be doing her head in.

Thanks Clymene. I'm feeling like JK is going to need to start taking people to court. I'm sure she doesn't want to, but if people are going to libel her and not back down then what choice does she have? It's about time some of these arseholes realised who they're trying to mess with.