A note about "Rat-Catcher."
Feb. 6th, 2015 06:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
seanan_mcguireThe Toby-universe short I probably get asked about the most often is "Rat-Catcher," a novella which first appeared in the Subterranean Press anthology A Fantasy Medley 2, and later in the 2012 Hugo Voters Packet. Mostly what people ask is "Will you send me a copy of this story?" and "Why haven't you posted it for free?"
Um.
So there are two kinds of short stories around here. There are the ones I write for my own amusement/based on the most recent tip jar, which are posted, for free, either here (as in the case of "Velveteen vs.") or on my website (as in the case of the majority of the Johnny and Fran stories). And then there are the ones I write because someone offers to give me money. I like money. It lets me eat; it keeps my lights on. I know it's considered crass for me to say, flat-out, that I enjoy money, but it's true. I grew up incredibly poor. I know what it's like not to be able to keep the lights on. This is much more fun for me, and hence for everyone who has to deal with me ever.
When someone offers to give me money for a story, it's generally because of the assumption that my presence in a publication will help them sell copies of the publication. I have a good relationship with many of the editors who buy my stuff, which means they think of me early in the process, and I am incredibly grateful for that, but it's not all altruism. They keep buying things from me because I continue to help them sell things. That matters. Which is not to say that y'all have a responsibility to buy everything I am published in! That would be...a lot of things. I have copies of everything I've been published in, and at this point, we're talking about five shelves, between the novels and the anthologies and the collections. Sometimes, you're going to have to make choices about your money that do not include supporting my career, and that is more than okay, that is the correct way to do it. Pay your bills before you pay mine.
That being said, because of that initial "Seanan will help us sell things" assumption, I am not comfortable posting stories from paid anthologies for free until those anthologies have become completely unobtainable. The limited edition of A Fantasy Medley 2 is still available from the publisher. Looking at the ordering system, it appears that twenty-five copies remain.
Basically, until those twenty-five copies are gone, I won't post the story anywhere, no matter how often I'm asked.
I have been reluctant to say this, both because a) I don't want people who have already bought the collection to feel cheated; it's a beautiful book, and if you have the money, it's absolutely worth the price, and b) I don't want anyone to say I'm holding "Rat-Catcher" somehow "hostage" to extort people into buying things. I'm not. I don't make any money from sales of the collection at this point; I've already been paid. Yeah, I'd like to be asked to contribute to books in the future, which does sort of inform my position, but more than that, it feels unethical to take money in exchange for helping to sell a book and then turn around and give the goodies away for free. But the question keeps coming up, so it feels like I need to say something.
For those of you who want to read "Rat-Catcher" and can't afford AFM2: please, be patient. Someday, the book will sell out, and I will be able to consider posting the story on my website. In the meantime, it's not essential to understanding or enjoying the series; it's an extra, it's deep background, and while I love it, it's not going to suddenly change everything. I promise.
For those of you who have already purchased AFM2: thank you so much. Isn't it a beautiful book? It's a beautiful book. All the stories are awesome. I treasure my copy.
For those of you with room in your budgets for AFM2, who have been considering a copy: it's a beautiful book. I highly endorse it.
And that is that.
Um.
So there are two kinds of short stories around here. There are the ones I write for my own amusement/based on the most recent tip jar, which are posted, for free, either here (as in the case of "Velveteen vs.") or on my website (as in the case of the majority of the Johnny and Fran stories). And then there are the ones I write because someone offers to give me money. I like money. It lets me eat; it keeps my lights on. I know it's considered crass for me to say, flat-out, that I enjoy money, but it's true. I grew up incredibly poor. I know what it's like not to be able to keep the lights on. This is much more fun for me, and hence for everyone who has to deal with me ever.
When someone offers to give me money for a story, it's generally because of the assumption that my presence in a publication will help them sell copies of the publication. I have a good relationship with many of the editors who buy my stuff, which means they think of me early in the process, and I am incredibly grateful for that, but it's not all altruism. They keep buying things from me because I continue to help them sell things. That matters. Which is not to say that y'all have a responsibility to buy everything I am published in! That would be...a lot of things. I have copies of everything I've been published in, and at this point, we're talking about five shelves, between the novels and the anthologies and the collections. Sometimes, you're going to have to make choices about your money that do not include supporting my career, and that is more than okay, that is the correct way to do it. Pay your bills before you pay mine.
That being said, because of that initial "Seanan will help us sell things" assumption, I am not comfortable posting stories from paid anthologies for free until those anthologies have become completely unobtainable. The limited edition of A Fantasy Medley 2 is still available from the publisher. Looking at the ordering system, it appears that twenty-five copies remain.
Basically, until those twenty-five copies are gone, I won't post the story anywhere, no matter how often I'm asked.
I have been reluctant to say this, both because a) I don't want people who have already bought the collection to feel cheated; it's a beautiful book, and if you have the money, it's absolutely worth the price, and b) I don't want anyone to say I'm holding "Rat-Catcher" somehow "hostage" to extort people into buying things. I'm not. I don't make any money from sales of the collection at this point; I've already been paid. Yeah, I'd like to be asked to contribute to books in the future, which does sort of inform my position, but more than that, it feels unethical to take money in exchange for helping to sell a book and then turn around and give the goodies away for free. But the question keeps coming up, so it feels like I need to say something.
For those of you who want to read "Rat-Catcher" and can't afford AFM2: please, be patient. Someday, the book will sell out, and I will be able to consider posting the story on my website. In the meantime, it's not essential to understanding or enjoying the series; it's an extra, it's deep background, and while I love it, it's not going to suddenly change everything. I promise.
For those of you who have already purchased AFM2: thank you so much. Isn't it a beautiful book? It's a beautiful book. All the stories are awesome. I treasure my copy.
For those of you with room in your budgets for AFM2, who have been considering a copy: it's a beautiful book. I highly endorse it.
And that is that.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 03:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 03:49 pm (UTC)I'm sorry you have to re-explain the economics of publishing again, and I appreciate that you take the time to do so. It's so easy to credit/blame the author for story availability when copyright and publication rights are far more complicated.
In short - I hope you are doing well and that you have many opportunities to sell your stories for real money.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 01:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 04:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 01:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 04:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 04:38 pm (UTC)And, I have also had times in my life when no way could I have shelled out that kind of money, and I completely empathize with everyone who can't; I've been there before and will probably be there again. But in this moment when that kind of disposable income does exist, there is nothing I want more to spend it on than supporting stories that I love. :-)
(ETA: and I have lent my copy to friends who couldn't afford it, and will gladly do so again; and, I so appreciate your willingness, Seanan, to teach/remind us how this whole system works and why you make the choices you do.)
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 04:41 pm (UTC)You put up so much bonus stuff anyway, that I feel especially good supporting my local bookstore. 😸
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 04:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:08 pm (UTC)I just hate telling people "no."
(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 05:32 pm (UTC)You're extraordinarily generous with your fans already. That doesn't mean you shouldn't get paid for your work.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 05:33 pm (UTC)* Even Hugo voting is a calculation on the publisher's part: that the free stories it gives away make a Hugo win more likely by making sure voters can read the story, so more people will buy things from that publisher. Especially for shorter works that can be hard to find.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 06:16 pm (UTC)If I want to read one story in an anthology, I tend to get it from the library unless it's cheap. If I find myself loving the whole anthology, I'll probably buy it later, but if I'm not real into the other stories, I won't unless there is an ebook available cheap at some point. I've read a lot of books from the library over my life - I've always read a lot, and if I'd bought every book new I would have some serious budget problems and book storage problems all through my life.
That said, given the chance to pay money for a book that I love in its entirety, I will do it. I might not buy the most expensive edition, or buy it right away, or buy it new, but I will buy it, and probably reread it. And if Seanan sets out the tip jar again to write Toby stories or Velveteen stories to post free online I will put some money in it, because I very much appreciate them.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:38 pm (UTC)yay books!
Date: 2015-02-06 07:07 pm (UTC)Liz
RE: yay books!
Date: 2015-02-07 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 07:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 07:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 12:53 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 08:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 08:29 pm (UTC)It *is* a beautiful book. I love mine.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 09:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 11:51 pm (UTC)(For the record we did purchase a copy of AFM2.)
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-06 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 01:51 am (UTC)You are allowed to get paid for your work. You don't have to feel guilty about that.
You are also allowed to choose when you do or do not get paid for your work. No one is allowed to make that choice for you.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 02:07 am (UTC)I was very sad to think I wouldn't get to read it for a long time, but I figured that was my problem. And then I got a little extra on-call money and bought it, so the sadness was short lived. (It is, indeed, an awesome book.)
But...while I have a right to be _sad_ if I don't get to read all of canon because ridiculous number of books and cost...that doesn't mean I'm entitled to it for free or should ask you for same.
I'm sorry you're having to field that and explain it, and once again I want to thank you and the various anthology editors and publishers whose actions, choices, and money result in there being _so many_ of your stories for us to read, or want to read.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 12:34 pm (UTC)Thank you, Seanan for letting us know the ways we can get your writings--both on your website and ways to find the obscure bits that we all crave. :) Growing up, this type of interaction with an author was unheard of and I treasure every moment of it. Thank you!
no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 05:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 06:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-10 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-07 06:30 pm (UTC)Now time to scrape together money and buy it for his valentine's gift.
no subject
Date: 2015-02-10 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-08 01:04 am (UTC)(I should also add that I know how lucky I am to be able to pay for that - but it's clearly not your job to get your work out there for free. You already put out more free stories than any other author I read.)
no subject
Date: 2015-02-10 04:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-08 06:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-02-10 04:36 am (UTC)