And because this just popped into my inbox, this is something I am very pleased is happening:
The FSU Writers’ Advisory Council – a call for authors!
Since the FSU launched in February 2020, a growing number of authors have come to us for advice and support – Gillian Philip, Julie Burchill, Helen Joyce, Allison Pearson, Holly Lawford-Smith – and over 250 authors have joined as members. It has become increasingly clear to us that freedom of expression is under severe pressure within the literary world, with publishers and literary agents often failing to defend their authors when their speech rights come under attack.
Some of the threats our writer members have flagged up include:
Publishers including morality clauses in contracts.
Sensitivity readers vetting manuscripts.
Editors removing content to avoid giving offense (e.g., ‘cultural appropriation’).
Bookshops refusing to stock books or, if they do, their employees refusing to display them properly.
Authors being no-platformed from speaking events, such as literary festivals, at the behest of other authors, sponsors or venue staff.
These issues are of great concern to the FSU, and not just because they directly affect our writer members. The freedom of authors to express themselves and of people to read their work without interference or mediation by self-appointed censors is a fundamental human right.
To make sure we’re able to give these issues a proper airing in the public square – and that the speech rights of our writer members and authors more generally are protected – we have established a specialist Writers’ Advisory Council (which we will unveil on Sunday). Our hope is that this will lend the FSU’s voice authority when it speaks out in defence of freedom of expression and comes to the defence of beleaguered authors.
To better support our writer members, the FSU will:
Ensure that a member of our case team specialises in protecting them from the kinds of censorship listed above and is always available at the end of the phone.
Cultivate good working relationships with third party providers of specialist advice to authors on issues such as contracts, tax and insurance.
All of these services will be provided either pro bono or at a below market rate to our writer members. In addition, any writers who join the FSU will have access to all the usual benefits, such as:
Invitations to members-only events with people like Kathleen Stock, Jack Dee, Andrew Doyle, Graham Linehan and Helen Joyce.
Discounted tickets to parties, conferences, and comedy nights.
FSU weekly and monthly newsletters.
Individually tailored advice from our two full-time case officers, two full-time lawyers and specialist media advisors.
As with our existing members, from 2023 writer members will also have access to paywalled content on our website, such as:
FSU authored news articles, videos, and podcasts.
FAQs on what to do if you’re asked to do something you don’t want to do, such as declare your gender pronouns in the workplace or take an unconscious bias training course.
Research and briefings on where free speech needs to be better protected in the UK.
We hope that as many authors as possible will join the FSU, whether to protect themselves, to defend their peers or to build a public voice capable of putting the case for freedom of expression as robustly as possible. If you know of any friends or family that might be interested in our offer, please do share this news with them.
Missed You (and Nellie) last week. Glad to "hear" the old ticker is still tocking. And glad Your book is progressing along nicely. I assume Jan 13 deadline is no problem if the revisions aren't too bad.
Me? I'm getting *real* tired of the TRAs. They're against everything. I just hope this Claire Coutinho's message gets out there and is *enforced.* I know.. But I can dream, can't I?
I'm dreaming up a Merry Christmas for Ya, Michelle, I case I don't "see" You before then. (And TY again! :-)
Sorry to "hear" about last week, but glad You're better now. If You get time for one next week, You know I think that'd be great. But You deserve time off as well, so there is that. No worries.
Sorry to hear about those women who were attacked. TRAs? <puke>
Merry Christmas Michelle! Hope you have a wonderful holiday. Over here in New Jersey we have a Nor’easterner raging dumping cold rain, but I’m a winter girl so I’m enjoying it.
I saw the statements on Twitter from the people involved with showing the film in Edinburgh who said it was a “transphobic” film. Seems this has a very long tail.
Michelle, do you have to be a published author to join FSU? Could a Yankee across the pond be involved?
No you don't have to be a published author and yes they have a US branch. Toby Young has actually been successful with this. People laughed when he started but he has got results, most recently with Gillian Philip and getting the courts to agree that she as a contracted ghost writer was indeed covered under the Equality Act 2010 and her views were protected.
Oh the film is causing conniption fits over here as it is peaking many people. It is more about the silencing of women and how they have lost jobs etc. You can download it for free.
and Merry Christmas. I do think houses in the colder parts of the US are built to withstand the awful weather much better than draughty ones over here.
And because this just popped into my inbox, this is something I am very pleased is happening:
The FSU Writers’ Advisory Council – a call for authors!
Since the FSU launched in February 2020, a growing number of authors have come to us for advice and support – Gillian Philip, Julie Burchill, Helen Joyce, Allison Pearson, Holly Lawford-Smith – and over 250 authors have joined as members. It has become increasingly clear to us that freedom of expression is under severe pressure within the literary world, with publishers and literary agents often failing to defend their authors when their speech rights come under attack.
Some of the threats our writer members have flagged up include:
Publishers including morality clauses in contracts.
Sensitivity readers vetting manuscripts.
Editors removing content to avoid giving offense (e.g., ‘cultural appropriation’).
Bookshops refusing to stock books or, if they do, their employees refusing to display them properly.
Authors being no-platformed from speaking events, such as literary festivals, at the behest of other authors, sponsors or venue staff.
These issues are of great concern to the FSU, and not just because they directly affect our writer members. The freedom of authors to express themselves and of people to read their work without interference or mediation by self-appointed censors is a fundamental human right.
To make sure we’re able to give these issues a proper airing in the public square – and that the speech rights of our writer members and authors more generally are protected – we have established a specialist Writers’ Advisory Council (which we will unveil on Sunday). Our hope is that this will lend the FSU’s voice authority when it speaks out in defence of freedom of expression and comes to the defence of beleaguered authors.
To better support our writer members, the FSU will:
Ensure that a member of our case team specialises in protecting them from the kinds of censorship listed above and is always available at the end of the phone.
Cultivate good working relationships with third party providers of specialist advice to authors on issues such as contracts, tax and insurance.
All of these services will be provided either pro bono or at a below market rate to our writer members. In addition, any writers who join the FSU will have access to all the usual benefits, such as:
Invitations to members-only events with people like Kathleen Stock, Jack Dee, Andrew Doyle, Graham Linehan and Helen Joyce.
Discounted tickets to parties, conferences, and comedy nights.
FSU weekly and monthly newsletters.
Individually tailored advice from our two full-time case officers, two full-time lawyers and specialist media advisors.
As with our existing members, from 2023 writer members will also have access to paywalled content on our website, such as:
FSU authored news articles, videos, and podcasts.
FAQs on what to do if you’re asked to do something you don’t want to do, such as declare your gender pronouns in the workplace or take an unconscious bias training course.
Research and briefings on where free speech needs to be better protected in the UK.
We hope that as many authors as possible will join the FSU, whether to protect themselves, to defend their peers or to build a public voice capable of putting the case for freedom of expression as robustly as possible. If you know of any friends or family that might be interested in our offer, please do share this news with them.
Great!
Ahhhhh! TYTY, Ma'am.
Missed You (and Nellie) last week. Glad to "hear" the old ticker is still tocking. And glad Your book is progressing along nicely. I assume Jan 13 deadline is no problem if the revisions aren't too bad.
Me? I'm getting *real* tired of the TRAs. They're against everything. I just hope this Claire Coutinho's message gets out there and is *enforced.* I know.. But I can dream, can't I?
I'm dreaming up a Merry Christmas for Ya, Michelle, I case I don't "see" You before then. (And TY again! :-)
The rev deadline is no problem and my editor is on leave for most of the period (vacation time is so much better in the UK)
I am v tired of the TRAs. I knew some of the women who were in Edinburgh. It was not v pleasant.
And a very Merry Christmas to you as well. I am hoping to get one more in next Friday -- I was just worn out from the stupid flu/cold thing last week.
Sorry to "hear" about last week, but glad You're better now. If You get time for one next week, You know I think that'd be great. But You deserve time off as well, so there is that. No worries.
Sorry to hear about those women who were attacked. TRAs? <puke>
And happy holidays to you, jt!!
Alison! Bless Your pointed li'l head!!
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and/or Kwaanza, or *whatever* floats Yer boat!
Happy New Years as well, but I suspect we'll "meet" again before then. :-)
Merry Christmas Michelle! Hope you have a wonderful holiday. Over here in New Jersey we have a Nor’easterner raging dumping cold rain, but I’m a winter girl so I’m enjoying it.
I saw the statements on Twitter from the people involved with showing the film in Edinburgh who said it was a “transphobic” film. Seems this has a very long tail.
Michelle, do you have to be a published author to join FSU? Could a Yankee across the pond be involved?
No you don't have to be a published author and yes they have a US branch. Toby Young has actually been successful with this. People laughed when he started but he has got results, most recently with Gillian Philip and getting the courts to agree that she as a contracted ghost writer was indeed covered under the Equality Act 2010 and her views were protected.
Oh the film is causing conniption fits over here as it is peaking many people. It is more about the silencing of women and how they have lost jobs etc. You can download it for free.
and Merry Christmas. I do think houses in the colder parts of the US are built to withstand the awful weather much better than draughty ones over here.