As (to say the least) an unfestive sort of person, who would ideally prefer to be temporarily deactivated, C-3PO-style, during this darkest, most spiteful chunk of winter, I place what might seen as a curious amount of importance on New Year’s resolutions.
FFS, Tom, what is literally wrong with people? You switch the way you do things because you believe in something and it turns out they’re not being straight with you either. I get emails from Unbound all the time - they neglect to mention they’re not paying their writers. I really hope this gets sorted out.
Tom, I am so sorry to hear this. It’s honestly the most demoralising part of freelancing…chasing people for money. And I was moaning because one magazine made me wait six weeks to be paid! This is truly shocking and I wish I had a magic wand to make them pay up. I think calling them out in this fashion is actually very restrained of you.
Happy to write to them and express my disappointment if you think letters from the public would help? So sorry. Jo
Dear Tom, have you talked to the Society of Authors? They should be able to help. Also, write to the Bookseller; if they make this into a public story then Unbound might take some notice and sort it out (assuming they have the money...sorry). Finally, the Royal Literary Fund (https://www.rlf.org.uk/) offers grants specifically for these circumstances for published authors; please do ask them if they can help you. Hope one of these is useful.
Thanks for writing. Sigh. I’m sorry about Unbound. The gloss comes off. Best wishes for getting what is owed to you and I will stay positive about the model until you advise definitively that it has turned rotten. And thank you for that recommendation of the novella—one of my favourite forms. Will note it down as one to find. Happy Christmas.
I’ve become a paid subscriber (which is frankly long overdue) after reading this post. I’d like to buy your books, every one of them I can get my hands on. I’d be happy to order from my local independent bookstore (which happens to be owned by my best friend!), but before I do that, is there any other way I can purchase them from you that would get more money to you directly?
Thank you so much, Erica. As far as the books are concerned: it would work out best for me if you purchased direct from me but it is SOOO expensive to send to the US and I don't want to charge people that much postage, on top of the price of the books. Honestly, all sales are still good news for me. I trust I will be paid one day. And I just want more people reading the books, generally.
I'm really sorry to read this about your publisher and partner. I sending positive thoughts and hope things improve. It sounds worrying they do this to you and other authors. I've come across your page early on in my Substack journey. I'm grateful for that as your writing is very different to many things I read. And you're one of very few people who can talk about all things possible between heaven and earth and still make it make sense.
I don't really know how to say this without sound condescending. It comes from a genuinely good and practical place. I want to say that I hope that if you really get to a point where you're panicking about money, for example with unexpected vet costs, etc. you'd tell us, because a few of us might be able to help. I personally feel incredibly uncomfortable asking for any kind of help (which is a bit unfortunate as a disabled person...), let alone money, let alone publicly. However, in wonderfully human hypocrisy, I love helping. I've always tried to do that and I feel fortunate to finally be in the position that I can do that financially too. Not in a big way, we're still decidedly middle class, but having a modest home and modest cost but a good income means there's money for charity, etc. In true misanthrope (and vegan) fashion, the many charities we support are animal-related, but we've also helped friends and I wouldn't hesitate to help you, as a person who I know is respectful of nature and treats pets well. Short version: should there be a need for a 'help Tom (or Tom's cat) through winter' crowdfunding, I'd be happy to chip in!
It's enormously kind of you to ask this, Chantal. I am very fortunate in the sense that the support I have via my Substack subscribers means that, despite the situation with my publishers, I am not worrying about whether I'm going to be able to buy food/pay bills and my rent in the near future. It's had an impact on a few other long term plans, and is still a big worry, considering how much hope I'd placed in those seven books, and how much I've put into them, but I'm hoping everything will work itself out. I have kept the donation button on my website up for people who can't afford a subscription here, or feel able and inclined to offer additional support, but generally I just feel extremely lucky to have such fantastic readers and to have a space to write in which isn't impacted by the vagaries of the publishing industry. Everyone who has taken a subscription out recently has helped enormously.
I will now read the rest of this piece; I hadn't yet. I did see the photo of the lp which made me chuckle, because above my record player, on the wall, I have a piece of wood for record sleeves just like that, INCLUDING a black piece of tape from my vintage label maker that says 'U LUISTERT NAAR' (Dutch for: you're listening to). ;-)
I'm so sorry about Unbound! I hope they come through with the money soon. There's been an ongoing shitshow in romance publishing with a company called Dreamspinner, using money that should be ringfenced for royalties to pay other things. It's an appalling situation!
Sorry to hear the Unbound story - that’s rubbish. Such a great concept, lost in the execution. Makes me very grateful for my publisher who religiously sends me my handful of dollars every quarter.
Thanks for the gem recommendations- looking forward to perusing.
I'm so disappointed by Unbound. Totally puts me off backing any other works (I've backed others as well as yours). As an aside, that programme about the Polish men is indeed an absolute gem.
As a fellow author with Unbound I feel your pain. Although not exactly a best-seller having illustrated a 120-page full-colour graphic novel that smashed its target I have not had a single penny from Unbound. I’ve enjoyed the people have worked with there but also felt hugely let down by a complete lack of marketing and absolutely zero return on what was a huge effort on my part.
Let’s hope things turn around but will not hold my breath…
On my visit last month - I asked for your book in every bookstore. Small shops in the Cotswolds, up to Scotland - who sadly cannot carry every single author anymore. I know I can buy the latest in America, I just wanted to get your name out there.. I’m sorry to hear this happened but you will be okay- talent overcomes everything. This saying has always then my guiding light: Fall 7 times, stand up 8. Perhaps it will be helpful to you as well.
So excited and intrigued to hear more about "The Zine Years". Until the New Year bestows its prosperity and good grace upon you, may you enjoy better health, great times with those you love, and a plethora of kind and generous readers to help keep the lights on.
I didn’t have time to read all the way through right now-I commiserate with your circumstances and you have great taste in music - I was about 24- 28 before the Talking Heads came around - oh lovely photographs!
I'm trying not to look too closely at the list of books you've read, but I'm glad to see my favourite Murakami book on there. Can I also recommend Dance Dance Dance? It's the first one I ever read of his and it hooked me into his world instantly.
As to your trouble with Unbound, I'm really sorry to hear they're not paying authors, too. I can understand a model that sets a pledge target to cover production costs, but, perhaps naively, I thought at least some of the pledge money would go to the author, especially when a book exceeds its pledge target. Unbound is unusual in its long pledge periods - I've backed Kickstarter projects set up by other independent publishers and it focuses the mind to know you only have a month to pledge and if the target isn't reached, it closes. I'd taken Unbound's approach as an indication that they want to give the books on their platform the best chance to get published, but your experience suggests this doesn't take into account the impact on the author, not just in terms of not being paid but also the stress that you've spoken of around authors having to market their books over a really long period, often more than a year, in order to maintain pledgers' interest and then ensure sales once the pledges have been fulfilled.
I'm glad your Unbound books exist, but I hope you can find a less stressful way to keep getting your books into the world.
FFS, Tom, what is literally wrong with people? You switch the way you do things because you believe in something and it turns out they’re not being straight with you either. I get emails from Unbound all the time - they neglect to mention they’re not paying their writers. I really hope this gets sorted out.
Tom, I am so sorry to hear this. It’s honestly the most demoralising part of freelancing…chasing people for money. And I was moaning because one magazine made me wait six weeks to be paid! This is truly shocking and I wish I had a magic wand to make them pay up. I think calling them out in this fashion is actually very restrained of you.
Happy to write to them and express my disappointment if you think letters from the public would help? So sorry. Jo
Dear Tom, have you talked to the Society of Authors? They should be able to help. Also, write to the Bookseller; if they make this into a public story then Unbound might take some notice and sort it out (assuming they have the money...sorry). Finally, the Royal Literary Fund (https://www.rlf.org.uk/) offers grants specifically for these circumstances for published authors; please do ask them if they can help you. Hope one of these is useful.
Thanks for writing. Sigh. I’m sorry about Unbound. The gloss comes off. Best wishes for getting what is owed to you and I will stay positive about the model until you advise definitively that it has turned rotten. And thank you for that recommendation of the novella—one of my favourite forms. Will note it down as one to find. Happy Christmas.
I’ve become a paid subscriber (which is frankly long overdue) after reading this post. I’d like to buy your books, every one of them I can get my hands on. I’d be happy to order from my local independent bookstore (which happens to be owned by my best friend!), but before I do that, is there any other way I can purchase them from you that would get more money to you directly?
Thank you so much, Erica. As far as the books are concerned: it would work out best for me if you purchased direct from me but it is SOOO expensive to send to the US and I don't want to charge people that much postage, on top of the price of the books. Honestly, all sales are still good news for me. I trust I will be paid one day. And I just want more people reading the books, generally.
I'm really sorry to read this about your publisher and partner. I sending positive thoughts and hope things improve. It sounds worrying they do this to you and other authors. I've come across your page early on in my Substack journey. I'm grateful for that as your writing is very different to many things I read. And you're one of very few people who can talk about all things possible between heaven and earth and still make it make sense.
Hello Tom.
I don't really know how to say this without sound condescending. It comes from a genuinely good and practical place. I want to say that I hope that if you really get to a point where you're panicking about money, for example with unexpected vet costs, etc. you'd tell us, because a few of us might be able to help. I personally feel incredibly uncomfortable asking for any kind of help (which is a bit unfortunate as a disabled person...), let alone money, let alone publicly. However, in wonderfully human hypocrisy, I love helping. I've always tried to do that and I feel fortunate to finally be in the position that I can do that financially too. Not in a big way, we're still decidedly middle class, but having a modest home and modest cost but a good income means there's money for charity, etc. In true misanthrope (and vegan) fashion, the many charities we support are animal-related, but we've also helped friends and I wouldn't hesitate to help you, as a person who I know is respectful of nature and treats pets well. Short version: should there be a need for a 'help Tom (or Tom's cat) through winter' crowdfunding, I'd be happy to chip in!
It's enormously kind of you to ask this, Chantal. I am very fortunate in the sense that the support I have via my Substack subscribers means that, despite the situation with my publishers, I am not worrying about whether I'm going to be able to buy food/pay bills and my rent in the near future. It's had an impact on a few other long term plans, and is still a big worry, considering how much hope I'd placed in those seven books, and how much I've put into them, but I'm hoping everything will work itself out. I have kept the donation button on my website up for people who can't afford a subscription here, or feel able and inclined to offer additional support, but generally I just feel extremely lucky to have such fantastic readers and to have a space to write in which isn't impacted by the vagaries of the publishing industry. Everyone who has taken a subscription out recently has helped enormously.
Nice one Chantal.
I will now read the rest of this piece; I hadn't yet. I did see the photo of the lp which made me chuckle, because above my record player, on the wall, I have a piece of wood for record sleeves just like that, INCLUDING a black piece of tape from my vintage label maker that says 'U LUISTERT NAAR' (Dutch for: you're listening to). ;-)
I'm so sorry about Unbound! I hope they come through with the money soon. There's been an ongoing shitshow in romance publishing with a company called Dreamspinner, using money that should be ringfenced for royalties to pay other things. It's an appalling situation!
Sorry to hear the Unbound story - that’s rubbish. Such a great concept, lost in the execution. Makes me very grateful for my publisher who religiously sends me my handful of dollars every quarter.
Thanks for the gem recommendations- looking forward to perusing.
Stay strong x
Tom I just discovered you and your great posts on SS. Thanks for doing what you do and happy to be a subscriber.
Thanks Henri!
I'm so disappointed by Unbound. Totally puts me off backing any other works (I've backed others as well as yours). As an aside, that programme about the Polish men is indeed an absolute gem.
As a fellow author with Unbound I feel your pain. Although not exactly a best-seller having illustrated a 120-page full-colour graphic novel that smashed its target I have not had a single penny from Unbound. I’ve enjoyed the people have worked with there but also felt hugely let down by a complete lack of marketing and absolutely zero return on what was a huge effort on my part.
Let’s hope things turn around but will not hold my breath…
On my visit last month - I asked for your book in every bookstore. Small shops in the Cotswolds, up to Scotland - who sadly cannot carry every single author anymore. I know I can buy the latest in America, I just wanted to get your name out there.. I’m sorry to hear this happened but you will be okay- talent overcomes everything. This saying has always then my guiding light: Fall 7 times, stand up 8. Perhaps it will be helpful to you as well.
So excited and intrigued to hear more about "The Zine Years". Until the New Year bestows its prosperity and good grace upon you, may you enjoy better health, great times with those you love, and a plethora of kind and generous readers to help keep the lights on.
Thank you!
I didn’t have time to read all the way through right now-I commiserate with your circumstances and you have great taste in music - I was about 24- 28 before the Talking Heads came around - oh lovely photographs!
I'm trying not to look too closely at the list of books you've read, but I'm glad to see my favourite Murakami book on there. Can I also recommend Dance Dance Dance? It's the first one I ever read of his and it hooked me into his world instantly.
As to your trouble with Unbound, I'm really sorry to hear they're not paying authors, too. I can understand a model that sets a pledge target to cover production costs, but, perhaps naively, I thought at least some of the pledge money would go to the author, especially when a book exceeds its pledge target. Unbound is unusual in its long pledge periods - I've backed Kickstarter projects set up by other independent publishers and it focuses the mind to know you only have a month to pledge and if the target isn't reached, it closes. I'd taken Unbound's approach as an indication that they want to give the books on their platform the best chance to get published, but your experience suggests this doesn't take into account the impact on the author, not just in terms of not being paid but also the stress that you've spoken of around authors having to market their books over a really long period, often more than a year, in order to maintain pledgers' interest and then ensure sales once the pledges have been fulfilled.
I'm glad your Unbound books exist, but I hope you can find a less stressful way to keep getting your books into the world.