Authors quit JK Rowling's literary agency

[donquixotedelamancha]

www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jun/22/authors-quit-jk-rowling-agency-over-transgender-rights

The ever entertaining TRA power couple Fox and Owl were apparently represented by the same agents as the wonderful Ms Rowling.

They, along with some bloke called Drew Davies, have severed ties because the agents refused to issue a public statement slagging off their biggest client.

Being bastions of professionalism they left by telling the guardian.

Judging by how clunky some of their writing is I feel like their self identification as writers could use a bit of challenging.

After J. K. Rowling’s — who is also signed to the agency — public comments on transgender issues, we reached out to the agency with an invitation to reaffirm their stance to transgender rights and equality.

we feel strongly about having an agency that supports our rights at all avenues

Imagine being their editor. Someone should buy that poor bastard a celebratory drink.

The screaming hypocrisy of quitting a publisher because of JK Rowling, but not because of Tyson Fury is just bonkers.

I think I sense some publicity seeking and bandwagon jumping...

@TheProdigalKittensReturn

Judging by how clunky some of their writing is I feel like their self identification as writers could use a bit of challenging.

After J. K. Rowling’s — who is also signed to the agency — public comments on transgender issues, we reached out to the agency with an invitation to reaffirm their stance to transgender rights and equality.

we feel strongly about having an agency that supports our rights at all avenues

Imagine being their editor. Someone should buy that poor bastard a celebratory drink.

Rights at all avenues?

Do they write the Highway Code?

I imagine the amount of time it took for Hachette to decide between JK Rowling (best selling author in history) and the five nonentities is so short science probably can't measure it.

Plus: Fox and Owl. Always good for a laugh. I hope no one else publishes their self-important nonsense.

@Flapjak

I am glad the publishing company recognised how problematic 're-education' is and let the authors go

Agency, not publisher.

But it all ends up the same. The agency will still earn their 15% from all future book sales of this book -- more than they themselves earn. It's their only book and has an abysmal Kindle ranking (409,035 Paid in Kindle Store) and their paperback rank (34,853) is nothing to rave about. Unless they have written a new and truly groundbreaking book they're finished in the publishing world. Nobody is going to snap them up.

It's a great lesson in reality training, after the bubble that is Twitter.

It's a bit of an aside but on the same site as Owl, Fox and the other one's statement there is a little lecturing piece called

A Quick Read for White People Who Don’t Consider Themselves Racist

which includes this little gem

But in my lifetime I have carelessly used the termmy nig*awhile speaking to a white friend, I have laughed at racist jokes, I have passed judgements about people who do not look like me without knowing enough about them and I refer to the corner stores in Barcelona asChinosorPakis, similarly to everyone I know in Spain

Now I freely admit to mentally passing judgment about people's clothes and that is regardless of sex, ethnicity or whatever but the other things? No.

So "racist assumes everyone else is as racist as they are", then?

If they're not happy at the agency, good for them for getting out. Better tactics to find a new agent and strategise a positive announcement about their new inclusive home. Because as things are, they just look a bit sad and delusional.

Tbh also that film is very weird. They must know they don't pass, so why make a film where the plot is based on the sad old Karen being obviously female and old, while the hip young thing passes as a woman? It doesn't really work if they don't. Passing is a bit 2011 isn't it? Why not do something more non-binary?

@DidoLamenting

It's a bit of an aside but on the same site as Owl, Fox and the other one's statement there is a little lecturing piece called

A Quick Read for White People Who Don’t Consider Themselves Racist

which includes this little gem

But in my lifetime I have carelessly used the termmy nig*awhile speaking to a white friend, I have laughed at racist jokes, I have passed judgements about people who do not look like me without knowing enough about them and I refer to the corner stores in Barcelona asChinosorPakis, similarly to everyone I know in Spain

Now I freely admit to mentally passing judgment about people's clothes and that is regardless of sex, ethnicity or whatever but the other things? No.

Grief! That's shocking!

I'll hold my hand up to unconscious bias and over time forgetting how serious an issue racism still is.

That?! That's shocking.

Never heard of these people but they all sound like utter twats, and tee hee, cutting off their noses etc.

Oh my, look what IMDB says! I must watch it again, I clearly missed something!

"Get Off My Turf! is a short fiction exploring a friendship between a trans woman and her neighbour, who turns out to be transphobic. The film delves into the conflict and nuances between them, as well as exploring how two very different women come together in their shared experiences of womanhood."

I believe that their little flounce has had the opposite effect to what they thought it would. People think they are a) ridiculous for doing it and b) asking who the hell they are as they will know to avoid.

They all look incredibly daft.

If they're not happy at the agency, good for them for getting out. Better tactics to find a new agent and strategise a positive announcement about their new inclusive home.

I’m sure the well known agents are lining up to sign them. 🤣

@DidoLamenting

It's a bit of an aside but on the same site as Owl, Fox and the other one's statement there is a little lecturing piece called

A Quick Read for White People Who Don’t Consider Themselves Racist

which includes this little gem

But in my lifetime I have carelessly used the termmy nig*awhile speaking to a white friend, I have laughed at racist jokes, I have passed judgements about people who do not look like me without knowing enough about them and I refer to the corner stores in Barcelona asChinosorPakis, similarly to everyone I know in Spain

Now I freely admit to mentally passing judgment about people's clothes and that is regardless of sex, ethnicity or whatever but the other things? No.

Literally never done any of those things, because I'm not racist

@WhatTiggersDoBest I would guess it's still a legal and logistical nightmare for the author due to contracts.

It's actually easy to switch agencies and is quite common. The new agency would receive money for any new books that are published but wouldn't get anything for any old books.

However, they seem to have left without getting a new agent first. They might find that quite difficult to do.

@DidoLamenting I lived in Barcelona for a looong time and while I’m aware a small minority of people had a racist name for corner shops I certainly never used it nor did any of my acquaintances, much the same as in the UK.

Still mulling over the older woman character in that film.

Do they have so little understanding of what older women think or look like? Starting to wonder if they've ever met one.

It's actually easy to switch agencies and is quite common. The new agency would receive money for any new books that are published but wouldn't get anything for any old books.

It's easy if you have a brilliant new trendy book, and if your book sales for your previous book(s) are good.

Generally, though, agencies steer clear of narcissistic "difficult" clients. They take up too much time and energy.

It's all about book sales, not popularity on Twitter.

Expelliarmus!

No one in that film is who they are claiming to be, permanent.

we feel strongly about having an agency that supports our rights at all avenues

But what about boulevards? Aren’t they valid too?

No I can see that pickle. But they're supposed to be writers and actors, it's really shocking to see how ineffective they are at creating another reality.

It's a case of a piece of creative work telling you nothing at all about the world in general and absolutely everything about the people who made it.

I see they have made a donation to Shakti women's charity which is great - who wants to tell them that the Shakti website repeatedly uses the term 'women' and they state any vacancies are only open to women using the exemption in the equality act

Is no-one thinking of the cul-de-sacs!?