Well, Polly Courtney, author of IT'S A MAN'S WORLD, did just that.
Why? She didn't like the title and she didn't like the cover. She felt it was sexist and degrading to women and didn't accurately reflect the sober content of the book.
Isn't this something that we all secretly fear? That we'll hate the cover and/or the title because we know going in that we have no say. Fortunately, most authors I know who are traditionally published like their titles and covers, or at least they made peace quickly.
Polly Courtney is a woman of conviction. This isn't the first time she left a job because of sexism. In fact, her experiences working for the City gave her fodder for this novel.
And she got a multi-book publishing deal with one of the big six (a dream for many of us). It takes a set to walk away from that based on personal principles, I'll give her that.
This isn't the first time this book has made the news in a less than flattering way. I first heard from Passive Guy about a cover scandal (also not the first cover scandal for HC).
So, what's Polly Courtney going to do now?
Self-publish.(Is it just me, or has the publishing world turned on its head in the last year or so?)
What about you? Would you quit a Big 6 Publisher for these reasons? For any reason?
Tough question. I"d have to be in the situation but yes, I think at this point there are reasons I'd walk away.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be very, very hard, but there are definitely reasons I'd walk away for.
ReplyDeleteOh, this story has been everywhere all over the news in the UK. I know several people who were at Polly's launch. She was at the end of her three-book deal with HarperCollins, so she didn't fire them. And apparently, she was quite gracious with them, too.
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite sure what she was expecting as a cover... by chick lit standards in the UK, hers is NOT the 'worst' by any stretch of the imagination. It's not pink, it doesn't have curlicue writing like 99 per cent of chick lit books here in the UK do. And I'm not quite sure what she was expecting - her book is set in lad's magazine.
I think it was a very clever, savvy PR stunt.
Absolutely, positively with a resounding yes, I would definitely walk away. A cover can make or break your book, so I think she had every right to tell them good-bye. Especially if the cover was nothing like the content. It's misrepresentation.
ReplyDeleteI guess it depends on your situation...if she can walk away and still have a magnificent career self-publshing or going somewhere else, kudos for her.
ReplyDeleteGood for her! If you have standards, you can't lower them for anything, not even for the Big 6. I'm so proud of her!
ReplyDeleteWhy did she announce her separation at her launch? Authors know what their covers look like long before that. I'm kind of inclined to agree with Talli. It will make her popular. She will still sell books. Maybe more.
ReplyDeleteJessie and Talli - Interesting point. But still, she's pretty much cut her ties with all the big 6 for future books, so would this, as a publicity stunt, be worth it?
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree w/Talli. This sounds like a marketing stunt. And when I read that she's posted pix of herself pole dancing, well... it doesn't strengthen her cause.
ReplyDeleteBut! It's an interesting question you raise. And I suppose if my name were big enough, I'd have no problem going into self-publishing. Like many of the big names are doing.
If not, well, it'd have to be a pretty big conflict. :D <3
So, I followed the link and read the Daily Mail article. I have to say, I'm conflicted. Why would she fire HC AT the book launch stating she was unhappy with the cover/title? Those decisions are made MONTHS before the book release. She would have known this was the title and cover art chosen for the book well in advance. Any gripes she would have had could have been settled in pre-production. If they'd agreed not to use the cover and then sprung it on her, I could totally understand. But as the article reads, I can't help but interpret what she did as nothing more than an attept to garner publicity for herself.
ReplyDeleteMy publisher is a "big 6" publisher, and my experience so far has been wonderful. Any concerns I've had were addressed quickly and to my satisfaction. I just can't understand her motives for firing her publisher at that particular time when she should have had months to make that decision.
Amanda - It's hard to understand her motives without actually talking to her. I wonder if her beef was she did take a stand with the title and cover but wasn't "heard". It's no secret that authors don't (generally) have a say when it comes to the cover.
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting. It's interesting to hear everyone's perspectives. In fact, on my facebook page, a guy chimed in that he wouldn't give that book a second look, because of the cover and title. Interesting.
That's an interesting possibility--that it was a PR stunt. Still, very interesting to see what happens and if she stays indie.
ReplyDeletePR stunt huh? Interesting. As an unpublished unagented author, this is a terrifying concept. But, if I was confident and had good folks advising me...maybe.
ReplyDeleteInteresting question and interesting possibility that it could be a PR stunt.
ReplyDeleteAs to the question: I would hope that I could discuss the situation and issues with my editor and agent before the situation came to a breaking point. However, I can see making this decision if I felt strongly enough about the issue at hand. I think it would be important to keep in mind, though, that cover art is about sales and marketing, which are not areas where I am oozing expertise.
I am sure Courtney will do fine.
ReplyDeleteYes, the publishing world has been turned on its head. Fiends of mine who were previously traditional published are turning toward self publishing. Once you have name recognition and a reader following, self publishing makes a lot of sense, as far as dollars and cents, creative freedom, and marketing. This may be one way Courtney is marketing her brand.
There has never been a better time to be a writer, and I would love to be in a position to have to make that kind of decision. Only then could I say for sure what I would do.
Imagine how frustrating it must have been for authors who had no real choice. They had to either stay the course or kill their career.
Jack - Yes, we certainly have it better than ever now. There's nothing like having creative control over your work, and having to line up to the tastes of one or two other people (agent and editor) can be stifling. Plus, you don't have to do near as much waiting!
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