So, much of the Internet’s time, at least on the spec-fic side of things, was taken up this week by recent convulsions surrounding Night Shade Books.
Night Shade Books is a small press run by Jeremy Lassen and Jason Williams. Among the books they’ve published are Paolo Bacigalupi’s The Windup Girl, Iain M. Banks’ The Algebraist, the novelizations of the Girl Genius books by Phil and Kaja Foglio, and on and on. In short, they publish excellent stuff.
Night Shade’s been having problems for years. SFWA, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, got involved in 2010. Within the past few months, the authors have been asking SFWA what’s up with Night Shade. Here, I get a little confused. I find it difficult to believe that any publisher is quaking in their boots at the threat of being delisted by SFWA. All that being delisted does, as far as I can tell, is prevent that publisher from being considered a “professional market” that people can use to qualify to become a member of SFWA. Big whoop. If this is the biggest club an author has in their arsenal, we are all in terrible trouble.
But perhaps I am misunderstanding that part. Anyway, what’s come out is that Night Shade has sold its list to another publisher, or rather a confusing combination of publishers Skyhorse and Start Publishing, but for that sale to go through, all of the authors involved must sign new contracts. And by all accounts those new contracts are shit. Some writers report that they are in the process of renegotiating those contracts, and that it’s a good sign that the publisher is open to amending them at least. However, those contracts ask for rights that were not included being in the original contracts, are substantially lower terms, and are presented in a way that forces authors who are willing to sign to pressure authors who are not willing to sign. And that is backed up by a letter from SFWA that apparently underscores that if the deal does not go through, Night Shade will most probably declare bankruptcy and everyone’s rights will be in limbo.
In all of this, no one seems to be clear what exactly SFWA accomplished, nor is the organization (and in the interest of full disclosure, I am a SFWA member, with access to its internal boards, and without betraying confidentiality, information on those boards has come pretty much entirely from people posting links to outside discussions) itself disclosing what’s up and whether they negotiated the terms from an even shittier state to the current crapfest or even what, exactly, they did, or why there is this Impenetrable Veil of Secrecy surrounding the proceedings. The first piece of information that came out during the period that the SFWA board was saying “Any day now we’ll have a statement,” was an ill-timed and now, it turns out, somewhat inaccurate tweet from Lassen:
Jeremy Lassen “@jlassen 2 Apr
My exciting news is that Night Shade is being bought by a larger publishing company! NS authors are recieving formal notification now. #nsb
Other people have analyzed the controversy better than I. Here’s some of the links:
- io9’s coverage of the deal and Lassen defending it.
- Some insight into Night Shade’s business practices.
- Joshua Bilmes discusses the dissolution of Night Shade and SFWA’s role.
- Night Shade author Michael Stackpole provides initial reactions to the contract and then further reflections.
- Night Shade author Kameron Hurley talks about considering the Nightshade deal.
- Night Shade authors Phil and Kaja Foglio talk about the pressures of the contract.
- Some insight into the publishing houses acquiring the rights.
- Andrew Zack on the deal and what needs to be asked about it.
Back when I was VP of SFWA, Executive Director Kate Baker told me she had a dream. “I want to make the Nebula conference -the- premier conference for professional F&SF writers,” she said. “Something that no one wants to miss. A conference so good that if someone has budget for only one convention each year, that’s the one they know they’ll get the most value out of.” 
7 Responses
I feel like SFWA’s power is perception-based. For myself (not yet a SFWA member), I consider SFWA membership as a sign of success and influence. Since my teens, I’ve considered it a goal, something that shows I’ve accomplished something in writing. If given the choice between a SFWA market and a non-SFWA market, all things being equal, I would certainly choose the SFWA market.
This is a…um…weird perception. Belonging to SFWA is not a sign of success or influence. You can join with three paid stories at 5 cents (not that difficult) and it doesn’t mean you become 10% more famous (or wealthier). I was a member for only a year because it didn’t do anything for me. SFWA can be a place to meet other writers or get some information about stuff like contracts, but it’s far from being a seal of approval and not much of an accomplishment. I certainly wouldn’t advise people to join any organzation because they think it is an accomplishment, bur rather because it can do something for them. Like lobby in their favour.
Well, but for a lot of us, it is/was a big deal when you’re starting out, qualifying for SFWA. It’s one of the milestones people get excited about. A pro sale doesn’t seem like as much once you’ve got some under your belt, but it feels HUGE that first time.
Wow, I had no idea any of this was going on. All I knew of Night Shade is that they were small but prestigious and had beautiful books.
It’s a shame to know this about them. I think some publishers offer the worst/lowest deal first in the hopes that people take it. It will be interesting how this plays out. Night Shade is not the first notable publisher to have issues and it won’t be the last.
And, by the way, getting into the SFWA is NOT easy. It’s not easy to find five markets that pay five cents a word. I would LOVE to qualify for SFWA whether I joined or not. I think it is a group that benefits professionals and it isn’t designed for the ‘up and commer’
There’s more than five, easily: http://www.sfwa.org/about/join-us/sfwa-membership-requirements/#shortfiction