(no subject)
The unnamed agency in our previous post has chosen to come forward to present their perception of our exchange. We confirm that it was the agency we referred to. We stand by every word we wrote in our original article.
We did not wish to name them, because we preferred to focus on the larger issues. We did not spread rumors about them, and we don't know who did.
This is why we went public: After the initial exchange a month ago, we spoke in private to a number of other writers, without mentioning the name of the agent or agency. There was an overwhelming response of "Me too!" Many other writers had been asked by agents and editors to alter or remove the minority identity of their characters, sometimes as a condition of representation or sale. Sometimes those identities had been altered by editors without the writers' knowledge or permission.
That response, and posts like
Malinda Lo's recent statistics make it clear that the problem is much larger than a couple of writers and one specific agency.
We urge you all to continue focusing on the bigger picture.
Discussion is welcome, but please keep the discussion to issues and not personalities.
EDITED TO ADD: Anonymous innuendo against anyone involved in this exchange is being deleted. So are personal attacks. The sooner we can get back to the real issue, the better.
We did not wish to name them, because we preferred to focus on the larger issues. We did not spread rumors about them, and we don't know who did.
This is why we went public: After the initial exchange a month ago, we spoke in private to a number of other writers, without mentioning the name of the agent or agency. There was an overwhelming response of "Me too!" Many other writers had been asked by agents and editors to alter or remove the minority identity of their characters, sometimes as a condition of representation or sale. Sometimes those identities had been altered by editors without the writers' knowledge or permission.
That response, and posts like
Malinda Lo's recent statistics make it clear that the problem is much larger than a couple of writers and one specific agency.
We urge you all to continue focusing on the bigger picture.
Discussion is welcome, but please keep the discussion to issues and not personalities.
EDITED TO ADD: Anonymous innuendo against anyone involved in this exchange is being deleted. So are personal attacks. The sooner we can get back to the real issue, the better.