I recently came across a post about a new President for the SFWA. Normally I give scant reading to stuff like this - after all, it doesn't really affect my writing - but after the news of the last few months regarding turmoil within various writing communities, this one got my attention. The struggle seems to be over who is and who isn't included in the cool kids club when it comes to writing.
I've written about the woke-scolds before, and they appear to have grabbed most of the top spots in every writers' association that I can find. Their main goal, best I can determine, isn't to promote the best writing, but rather to promote the right kind of writing. Check off every box the woke-scolds can find and then pretend it's a good story that everyone must have. Beyond that, the wrong writers must not only be shunned, but shut down.
The writers I know tend to focus on writing good stories, and, like me, aren't very interested in who runs SFWA or any other organization. However, if we don't want to find ourselves out in the cold, we better start paying attention, for many of these people are gatekeepers of a sort. They can increase or deny exposure, and that gives them some modicum of control over our writing careers. Apathy is fine until you run into a true-believer whose power runs counter to your interests. Whether we normally care about the bureaucracy is irrelevant - we will either be made to care or be cast aside.
As painful as it may be, writers everywhere need to get more involved so that loud shrieking small crowds who would shut out folks they don't like don't gain ascendance. Yes, I'd rather focus solely on writing, but until I gain a large enough audience that likes my stuff and doesn't care what the woke-scolds think, then those who guard the gates are important. It'd be nice to reach a point where they no longer matter, but that day is far, far away for most of us...assuming it ever arrives at all. And if we don't take control back from the woke-scolds, like some courageous people have over at SFWA, then we have no place to bitch when we wonder why we can't break through.
I've written about the woke-scolds before, and they appear to have grabbed most of the top spots in every writers' association that I can find. Their main goal, best I can determine, isn't to promote the best writing, but rather to promote the right kind of writing. Check off every box the woke-scolds can find and then pretend it's a good story that everyone must have. Beyond that, the wrong writers must not only be shunned, but shut down.
The writers I know tend to focus on writing good stories, and, like me, aren't very interested in who runs SFWA or any other organization. However, if we don't want to find ourselves out in the cold, we better start paying attention, for many of these people are gatekeepers of a sort. They can increase or deny exposure, and that gives them some modicum of control over our writing careers. Apathy is fine until you run into a true-believer whose power runs counter to your interests. Whether we normally care about the bureaucracy is irrelevant - we will either be made to care or be cast aside.
As painful as it may be, writers everywhere need to get more involved so that loud shrieking small crowds who would shut out folks they don't like don't gain ascendance. Yes, I'd rather focus solely on writing, but until I gain a large enough audience that likes my stuff and doesn't care what the woke-scolds think, then those who guard the gates are important. It'd be nice to reach a point where they no longer matter, but that day is far, far away for most of us...assuming it ever arrives at all. And if we don't take control back from the woke-scolds, like some courageous people have over at SFWA, then we have no place to bitch when we wonder why we can't break through.
No comments:
Post a Comment