Why Does the RWA Implosion Matter to All Writers?
Where do I start with the issues surrounding the Romance Writers of America? *sigh*
No, seriously. Where do I start?
For those who got to actually relax and enjoy the holidays and are just now paying attention, I wanted to provide a primer on the situation. But trying to “sum up” the depth and breadth of the chaos and problems and “you’ve got to be kidding me” reactions had me staring at a blank monitor screen for hours yesterday.
So let me instead first start with why this matters. Why should any writer who doesn’t write romance care about a situation that could be dismissively considered “in-fighting”?
The Romance Genre Leads the Industry
The romance genre and those who write or read it are often laughed off as being the realm of sexually frustrated housewives. It doesn’t matter how much the evidence states otherwise—some will make jokes regardless, just because it is a female-dominated genre.
The romance genre dominates the publishing industry, so RWA's implosion matters to all writers. Share on XHowever, the romance genre is also the powerhouse of the fiction world, a multi-billion dollar industry. For some publishers throughout the decades, the profits from their romance lines were what kept the company afloat, allowing all that “serious” literature to even exist.
That power and size has also created countless situations where the romance industry led the way. The innovations sprung from the romance genre carry through to the entire publishing industry.
Ebooks and ereaders/Kindles? Romance authors, publishers, and readers embraced them first, making them popular enough to change the whole industry.
Self-publishing? Romance authors were there first, showing everyone else the way. Even today, many of the best marketing insights and examples come from those in the romance genre.
The successes of the romance industry help every other writer, no matter their genre. Without a strong romance industry, the entire publishing industry would suffer.
RWA: Voice of the Romance Industry
With a membership of almost 10,000 romance writers and industry associates, the Romance Writers of America has been the voice of those working in the industry for almost 40 years and one of the biggest (if not the biggest) writing organizations in the world.
Unlike most other professional writing organizations, RWA welcomes not just published authors, but also unpublished writers—in addition to agents, editors, librarians, and other associates. Their focus on educating and connections has been essential to many now-successful authors, and that education also trickles down to writers of every genre through workshops and writing blogs and whatnot.
That large membership has also given RWA clout to address issues like #cockygate, where an author tried to prevent any book from using a word she’d somehow managed to trademark. Without RWA’s authoritative smackdown discouraging the practice, authors in every other genre would have soon suffered from the same problem as well.
In other words, the support that RWA has given to the romance industry has helped writers all over, whether member or not, whatever the genre. So with the threat of RWA collapsing under its own stupid, destructive decisions, the whole publishing world might lose an advocate.
However, that brings us to the start of RWA’s problems…
But They’re Not Supportive of All Romance Writers
Even though one of RWA’s founders was a Black woman, editor Vivian Stephens, the trade organization has historically failed to welcome, support, or advocate for writers from often-marginalized groups.
Hundreds (if not thousands) of examples of that failure exist, including:
- Last year was the first time a Black author won RWA’s prestigious RITA award, and finalists (much less winners) of any color have been disturbingly rare.
- In 2005, RWA asked the membership to define romance as between one man and one woman, and although this push was rejected, some RITA judges still refuse to accept LGBT+ romances, labeling them “not a romance” and causing their disqualification.
- The entire “inspirational” romance subgenre is assumed to be Christian only, and throughout even the umbrella of the whole romance genre, stories centering other religions are sometimes challenged.
- Writers with disabilities are often dismissed when questioning whether chapter meetings or conferences are “disability friendly,” and many writers think disabled characters need to be “fixed” before their story’s ending can truly be happy (implying that people with disabilities can’t ever be happy).
At the same time, many members wanted—and tried to make—the organization to do better. Over the past few years, the membership has been electing Board members with more diversity and wider experiences and perspectives. This past summer, members elected the most diverse and inclusive board yet, giving many hope that the organization was headed in the right direction.
Now with that context, let’s try to “sum up” for those who haven’t been following the scandal on Twitter…
The Many Layers of the RWA Implosion
On December 23rd, news broke that RWA had suspended and banned Courtney Milan, bestselling author and former board member, as the result of two related ethics complaints. The complaints focused on Courtney’s Twitter threads pointing out racist writing in a writer-turned-editor’s book (even though she was far from the only one pointing out the issues). An outcry against the punishment erupted, especially on Twitter, where the hashtag #IStandWithCourtney trended.
Why is the RWA implosion more than just “in-fighting”? Share on XAt this point, some defended the complaints (even though critique—even from fellow authors—is just part of being a writer). After all, many have expressed a dislike for Courtney’s outspokenness or aggressiveness over the years, so they saw the punishment as justified. Plus, the complaints claimed serious damages, such as loss of contracts, and threatened lawsuits.
So this was just a case of she-said/she-said, right? Or just another example of Social Justice Warriors Gone Mad or the “cancel culture,” right?
Not quite. This is a story of racism, yes, but also of entitlement, ego, power, lies, cover-ups, and more…
Failed Policies and Procedures
Those of us who dug into the legalese, the many pages of complaints, Courtney’s formal responses, and the report of findings by RWA’s Ethics Committee saw discrepancies that revealed issues going far deeper. Even though one of the complaints contained the chilling phrase about Courtney, “She cannot be allowed to…use her voice to urge others to follow her lead,” those protesting the situation weren’t focusing only on defending her personally.
At every step of the process, RWA failed to follow their own policies and procedures, as they:
- allowed a publisher to file a complaint against an author
- didn’t require proof of damages
- processed the complaint despite RWA’s Ethics Code specifically making exceptions for criticism of a book and for messages on social media
- forced Courtney to resign rather than recuse herself as chair of the Ethics Committee
- set up a secret second Ethics Committee (with who knows what qualifications for judging ethical issues)
In other words, the complaint should never have been allowed to be filed at all, much less passed on to this secret shadow committee. And that was just what was known in the first 24 hours.
History of Issues
In addition, the outcry freed others to share their stories of valid ethics complaints that were ignored by the RWA staff. The RWA staff (which are long-term paid positions, unlike the volunteer Board and Committees) were also at the center of many newly shared stories of discrimination over the years.
(A daily update of the quickly changing situation and links to many stories can be found here. For additional news, Romance Sparks Joy has compiled a Twitter Moment with all the most import Twitter threads here. A new article from Vox also includes much of the backstory other media coverage is missing.)
More Failed Policies
By the 48 hour mark, 9 board members had resigned in protest (and in a shocking lack of transparency, apparently the President did too, which was announced only as an aside with no details or a resignation letter). By that time, the Board had been able to see the actual complaints and Courtney’s responses on Twitter like everyone else and perhaps for the first time fully understood what it was they’d been forced to vote on (rather than relying on only the President-Elect’s word for the details behind the Ethics Committee 2.0’s recommended punishment).
As RWA chapters and members pointed out the discrepancies, RWA’s answers just created more policy holes. They defended their decisions by saying there was more to the judgment than anyone—including Courtney—ever saw, which of course, violated her right to respond to every claim.
Conspiracies and Cover Ups?
In the 2 weeks since, the problems have compounded. RWA’s messaging has ranged from “sorry, we’ll do better” to “shut up if you know what’s good for you.”
Add in an utter lack of transparency, silence from the President-Elect (now President) Damon Suede and most of the remaining Board, and outright falsehoods and threats when they do speak (implying RWA would fold and go into receivership if members force recalls or resignations), and we have the current situation where much of the membership has lost confidence in the President, Board, and RWA staff.
Topping it off, this past weekend, Kathryn Lynn Davis (one of the complaint filers) backtracked, admitting she hadn’t lost a 3-book contract after all and claiming RWA staff had “encouraged” her to file her complaint. (Oh, and her book at the center of the Courtney’s Twitter critique that she was so defensive about? Surprise! She’s now edited it for its racist writing. *sigh*)
Ignoring…and then Maybe Progress???
A recall petition against the President has been submitted (twice), 19 former Presidents and board members have requested answers to policy discrepancies (and been ignored), huge numbers of chapters and members have demanded an investigative audit (and been ignored), agents have cut off their partnership with RWA (with no response), and so on.
My letter to the RWA Board can be found here, and as I mentioned on Twitter, given my epic-length blog posts, my letter is not surprisingly of manifesto-length. *smile*
Last night, RWA canceled their annual RITA contest, but not before over 300 authors had pulled their stories (many from underrepresented authors) and many judges withdrew from their commitment.
My email withdrawing from RITA judging can be found here. (Obviously, I sent my letter this past weekend, before the RITA contest was, indeed, canceled.)
RWA Could Be Great for the Industry, But…
My point with all this is that romance authors are used to innovating, breaking barriers, and getting things done. It would be nice if RWA can be salvaged so whatever remaining clout they have could be put to work for everyone.
None of us are perfect, and we all make mistakes. I’m sure I’ve said or written some insensitive (and maybe even harmful) words over the course of my 950+ blog posts, multiple workshops, and various books. For that, I am sincerely sorry, and I ask for the chance to learn and do better.
As with many newsworthy scandals, it’s not the mistakes, it’s the cover-up or the doubling-down. Too many times, we get defensive when confronted with our mistakes. But remember, we are allowed to make mistakes as long as we’re sincere in listening, learning, apologizing, and changing to do better.
RWA has yet to take those necessary steps. If—and obviously, that’s a big if—RWA can recover, they could become leaders in how to tackle these big issues. They could confront problems and make progress.
But given how deeply into the structures, membership, and permanent staff of RWA these issues seem to go, many have understandably lost all hope. And for a genre built on the hope for a happy ending, that fall from grace is a tragedy.
P.S. My follow-up post details the steps I see for how to fix RWA.
Had you heard of the RWA issues before this? What pieces had you heard about? Were there any here you hadn’t yet heard? Have you been following the situation, and if so, what do you think about it? Do you have any questions about the issues or events?
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I think this is a reflection of a more widespread phenomenon happening in this country. Comedians are struggling with “cancel culture” and “PC.” Unfortunately, it seems normal now for an institution or person gets completely shut down over these issues. And simply encouraging the RWA to be intersectional and to condemn authors that don’t fall in line with PC isn’t going to work. This is complex. They have to find a way to honor two different sets of values: more conservative leaning and more progressive. So far, no institution has been able to bridge this gap.
Personally, I find RWA to be haughty and arrogant. It wouldn’t be the worst thing for them to break up into parts and find a kind of humility that will get that back to who they used to be years ago.
Hi Hero,
I agree these issues are complex, but I disagree about the need to “honor” different values–at least in the way usually implied by politics. RWA represents authors writing stories about love–period.
Writers and readers are allowed to write and read whatever types of stories they want or that reflect their values. The organization shouldn’t need to be in the middle of that debate because people are free to not write or read whatever they don’t want.
All the organization needs to be concerned with is ensuring that members aren’t harming others based on personal facts and traits. (CW: harmful language) For example, in the forums I’ve seen some members say LGBTQ+ or interracial people (and thus their stories of romance) are an abomination. Regardless of personal values (people are allowed to believe whatever they want), those types of statements are harmful and not acceptable behavior in a professional forum.
All that said, you’re absolutely right that a lot of work needs to be done, and yes, humility is a good word to describe what’s needed. Thanks for the comment! 🙂
Wow, I had no idea people could be so hateful. When I said two different sets of values, I was really referring to people that have more traditional values, but in that I was assuming these people would be tolerant at the same time. LGBTQ should be just as welcome as Christian writers and vice-versa.
After I wrote this I read the NY Times article about what happened and honestly, I feel like both sides reacted too quickly and without enough effort to understand the other position. I understand why Milan took offense at Davis’ wording in her book, but I do not believe Davis wrote it maliciously or in a racist spirit. Her book reminds me of Joy Luck Club which was hugely popular in the 90s. Ironically, one of Amy Tan’s premises was that Chinese women were taught to be just how Davis describes. Demure. Submissive. It was a book that helped non-Chinese women to empathize and understand the Chinese American experience. I wish Milan had just paused first. But then the RWA dove head first into the situation without pausing either.
Thank you for you article. I am a romance writer in the first stages of building a career and out of all the newsletters and blogs I subscribe to, yours may be the most informative, interesting one I get. Thank you.
Hi Hero, Yes, unfortunately, there’s a lot of “backstory” missing from all the media coverage except this new article from today. (I didn’t even include the backstory in this post because it’s so convoluted to explain and it’s reflected in the documents for Milan’s responses to the complaints that I linked to above.) But literally the only reason that book was “picked on” was because that author-turned-editor (Davis, one of the ethics complaint filers) was an acquisitions editor for a small publisher (run by Tisdale, the other filer). Tisdale’s other acquisitions editor (Sue Grimshaw, who’s not in any of the media stories) had already shown a pattern of racist behavior going back years, and after Tisdale chose to insert herself into the situation and defend Grimshaw, people (many people, not just Milan) wanted to know if Tisdale’s other editor (Davis) was similarly problematic — and thus, whether authors should be warned before submitting to that publishing house. That question led others to ask Milan to take a look at one of Davis’ books because, being of Chinese descent, she’d know more of what to look for. And now here we are… So I agree that Davis didn’t “intend” racism, and I’ve seen Milan admit that she took the book’s depiction personally because of what her Chinese ancestors were subjected to, but intent doesn’t change whether someone was harmed. Davis could have thanked Milan for the feedback — or she could have just ignored the criticism and let the outcry fade… — Read More »
A tiny correction: the 2005 board of RWA, led by then President Tara Taylor Quinn, sent out a survey to the membership asking them to approve the definition of romance as “one man, one woman.”
The aghast membership pushed back and the definition of romance was not changed. RWA never adopted the one man, one woman language.
It’s horrible enough a survey was sent to the membership by the board, of course. And this was the same board that was responsible for the RITA ceremony in Reno that has become a byword for cringeworthy disaster in RWA lore.
The 2015 RWA board apologized for the survey.
https://booktrib.com/2016/04/romance-writers-of-america-takes-a-stand-for-diversity/
Thank you for that correction! 🙂 The survey was before my time with RWA, so I heard only about the apology for the phrase. I’ll update the post to reflect that detail.
Uh, what happened in Reno? It wasn’t Vegas, so I feel confident it doesn’t have to stay there.
Hi Jen,
Nora Roberts mentioned “the Reno incident” in her response to RWA the other week, so I saw this link with the details going around Twitter.
Is there any hope that RWA can recover from this? What steps would actually have to take place to regain the member’s trust?
* EDITED TO ADD: I’ve since taken my rough draft here and expanded it into a follow-up post. Hi Shannon, This is only my personal take, but for me the steps RWA would need to take to regain member’s trust would be: * Push out Damon Suede (the President who took over, might not even be eligible to hold the position, and has severe conflicts of interest with Dreamspinner Press that I didn’t even mention), Allison Kelly, and Carol Ritter (the latter two being the lead permanent staff in charge for the past many years) * Conduct an independent investigation into who did what, not only in regards to these current issues, but also with discrimination and ignored ethics complaints overall * Get rid of anyone involved with problems found in the investigation * Conduct an independent, forensic audit to learn if any financial shenanigans were at the heart of these issues, and also to see if staff has been properly prioritizing spending to meet RWA’s mission (the amount spent on member services seemingly has been cut in half over the past couple of years, etc.) * Force all remaining board members to step down (but eligible to run) in a special election to rebuild the Board from scratch * Provide full, honest transparency of findings and apologize to all affected parties (this includes the full membership, given the misleading and false information shared in official statements throughout this process) * Conduct an audit of the bylaws, processes, procedures, and… — Read More »
This sounds like a good plan to me. I’d vote you in to oversee it all! 😉 Thanks for keeping people like me in the loop.
Hi Becca,
*cringes* Yeah, I don’t think my health issues would allow me the necessary energy to do so — even if I wanted to. LOL!
Just to emphasize how difficult this process would be…
Even though my list above is extensive, I thought of several more issues last night that would need to be addressed:
“Hard work” doesn’t begin to cover it… *sigh*
Jami,
this sounds amazing. Can I add this link/discussion to the PAN loop!
-Erin Novotny
writing as Tobi Doyle
Hi Tobi,
I’m PAN but have been avoiding the loop. *sigh*
Feel free to share the link here to the loop. I’m also thinking I might expand these comments (I did a follow up reply too) into a post for tomorrow, so… Stay tuned, I guess? 😉
Thanks Jami!
-Tobi
Thank you for your take on it-I sincerely hope it can rise from the ashes. There are many positives from RWA worth saving. Hopefully the negatives can be fixed & the injuries healed if genuine apologies & change happen.
Very good post. And I agree…the lack of a good response from RWA to these situations is not encouraging.
I think you have nailed the core problem at this point. I let my RWA membership lapse before all this happened, but I still wished the organization well and saw them as an industry leader and innovator.
It is so sad that they have “circled the wagons” and are refusing to look at what went wrong and what needs to change.
I’ve been following this pretty much since it broke on Christmas Eve morning (I follow Courtney and several other romance writers on Twitter), and watched in shock as it got worse and worse over the next several days. It even made the New York Times Friday news quiz last week. (I got that question right, at least.)
I knew RWA had a diversity problem but didn’t grasp just how bad things really were until so many writers from marginalized backgrounds stepped up to tell stories about being excluded. Even though I’m a horror/dark fantasy writer, romance writers were some of my first friends and supporters when I started joining online writing communities, and I’m really hoping for a better, stronger organization for you all.
Thank you for pulling all this into one place! A friend mentioned something was going on on twitter but by the time I got around to looking there were SOOOOOO many tweets and it was hard to dig through it all!
It’s shameful the way it was all handled and it will be interesting what happens in the coming weeks.
Thank you, Jami, for your clear and insightful views. I have heard bits and pieces, helpful to have it encapsulated.
I joined RWA in the early EIghties, and I left twenty years later because, over and over again, the leadership at the top proved itself to be a Mean Girls Club, straight out of high school. Almost always behind the scenes. The final straw was the absolute abuse and hatred spewed at those of us who dared to enter the world of epublishing and the independant publishers who were the at the forefront of this revolution. Every time they pull another stupid stunt like what they are doing now I can only shake my head. Some things never change.
Hi Marilynn,
Someone on Twitter mentioned that there are some in RWA who understand that it’s a business trade organization, and there are others who treat it as a “ladies who lunch” social mixer. While the community aspect of RWA and the romance industry is very important, that shouldn’t be how RWA is run. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I have been painfully aware of RWA’s lack of support for those authors they do not value as top tier, but this mess brings the organization to an all time low. The lack of appreciation for underrepresented aspiring authors and the attempted cover up and attitude that there is “nothing to see here. Just move it along” ensure I will not renew my membership.
How very sad as I truly value many of the relationships formed while a member of RWA.
I will be looking forward to the outcome of the Presidential recall of Damon Suede who in my humble opinion contributed to this fiasco.
Hi Ane Ryan,
Yes, I was in RWA before they closed ranks on who “qualified” for General Membership so much, and the stories of staff saying that LGBT romances don’t count for earning voting rights, etc. has been shocking.
And yes, I know many who are holding onto their membership long enough to vote in that recall. LOL! Thanks for sharing your experience!
I joined the RWA (finally!) a couple weeks before all of this broke. Days later, my husband heard about it and linked me to the initial kerfluffle. Being so new, I didn’t feel prepared to comment about the RWA and/or their handling of the situation. I am astounded by both letters you wrote. That you managed to keep abreast of this, with all that you have going on…. *bows in respect*
Since this was my first year submitting to the RITAs, I was initially disheartened by the cancellation of the 2020 RITAs. I noted in your withdrawal from judging letter that you felt a taint would be associated to this year’s awards, should it go forward. I hadn’t stopped to consider that possibility, but I’m glad you mentioned it. It soothes my own frustrations, on the other side of my first publication, at having to wait another year.
Anne
Hi Anne,
I’m so sorry that you’ve had to face all this as a new member. Regardless of what happens with the organization, I hope the ties within the community will last so that we all can still be here for each other. 🙂
And yes, I didn’t get to relax during my visit with my extended family nearly as much as I hoped. Not to mention that due to yesterday’s construction in my house after our flood, I didn’t finish this post until 4:30am(!) last night.
So yeah, everything’s been disruptive for sure. LOL! Thank you for your comment and support!
As an author of color, bi woman who writes interracial romances in all gender mixes, I find this whole thing disheartening. I’ve been a member of RWA since 2012 and have published 10 romance novels along with 20 short stories/novellas. My first instance of separation in RWA was when I joined and I was looked down on because not only did I write erotic but…there was the challenges I face below: ePub vs print sweet vs erotic Het vs LGBTQ Novel vs Novella or short stories I’ve also been at meetings and conferences where I heard the whispers and felt the microaggressions directed at me, at lgbtq, disabled, and age…there are more but you get the picture. However, I stuck in. I was programs director for two years of my local chapter and then president of that chapter for two more. I also served as president for an online chapter. I am bringing this up because I have served and I have seen on the local level those same microaggressions as well as hearing POC’s couldn’t possible write great books. Or my favorite (sarcasm) “I can’t imagine reading a love story by a poc cause I can’t relate.” Really but you can relate to a time period you’re not from, vampires, werewolves are relatable but another human being isn’t? I ascribe to “love is love.” However, there are those who see people like me as lesser. I’ve decided to wait this out and keep memberships because I want to help… — Read More »
Hi Nikki,
I’m so sorry you experienced all that. It sounds like you’ve had the misfortune of being in the crosshairs of every stupid debate in the genre.
I joined RWA just before going to conference, so my first experience was Nationals. It was all very cool and impressive, but boy, did it stand out to me during book signings that Black authors had no lines (even the big names) because of the “can’t relate” b.s. *sigh*
So yes, as wonderful as my very first RWA exposure was, I also saw the racism from the get-go. (I can’t remember if I did a post about it at the time, but I’m fairly certain I’ve mentioned it here since then.)
I love what you said about why you’re staying, and as you said, if RWA falls, it won’t be for lack of trying. *hugs* Thank you for sharing your experience, and once again, I’m sorry for everything you went through!
Hi Jami,
Thank you so much. Yeah it does seem I hit every snag. The thing is though I am much better for it and stronger. Though I would have liked to gain strength from something positive.
I’m sad and sorry I experienced it too. This is what happens when you hold an organization on a pedestal. I kept thinking it would get better. I appreciate the apologies. Indeed I will keep trying, if this falls….we can at least say we didn’t go down without a fight.
Thank you for your service to your local chapter and to the genre, Nikki! As an increasingly old lady, as much as it is in my power to welcome you to a genre you are clearly ROCKING — welcome to the table!
Thank you, Evelyn. Romance writing has been in me since I read my first Mills in Boons that my grandmother had. She was a beautiful woman who loved reading and she had tons of books to show for it. I am thankful for her for that because if it had not been for romance books I would never have read and gotten over my learning disability that covered every subject.
I appreciate you.
Go Nikki!!! Nikki Prince for President!!!
LOL thank you Nikki!
Until recently, when its problems hit Facebook, I had never heard of the RWA. I am a member of the Romance Writers Organization of South Africa; but this is small beer in comparison with the might of RWA; and we are a little isolated down at the bottom end of the Dark Continent. I wonder whether the problems convulsing our big American sister will have any repercussions in other far-flung corners of the globe. What degree on influence does RWA have on the global romance writing scene? For example, I have had to learn the rules and conventions of modern fiction writing – terms like POV, show don’t tell, and character arcs have recently entered by vocabulary. I asked one author, when we were discussing POV’s, “Who decides on these rules? Are they legally enforceable?” and she was at a loss for an answer – other than that publishers would would not accept my story, and readers would criticize it, if I did not follow them. Does (or perhaps did) the RWA have any influence here? Who has banned any mention of sex unless it is consensual? I read one book last year which did include a rape scene, and although I have been a feminist longer than most editors have been alive, it did not offend me; as without it, the story would have lost its punch. I do not intend to offend anyone with my questions, or to criticize the RWA or anyone involved in romantic fiction: I… — Read More »
Thanks. I have been on committees and when they go sour, they go really sour. When they are working well they are fantastic for all concerned.