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I will share my #PublishingPaidMe numbers since we getting punchy on main. I was paid $150K--100K for my novel, 50K for my story collection. In a preempt. Which was much less than some of my friends and way more than others, but that was all a guess because no one talks specifics
My feelings about my advance have been fluid, but mostly, I was grateful because the money gave me time to write a bunch and to not have to worry too much about money.
More important to me was that my publisher published me incredibly well and with a great deal of care.
More important to me was that my publisher published me incredibly well and with a great deal of care.
I mean, that said, I was at Iowa, had 20K Twitter followers, had literary connections, a good agent, had published in several elite publications, worked as an editor, and had produced not one, but two complete manuscripts.
I def feel if I were white, it wouldn't have taken that.
I def feel if I were white, it wouldn't have taken that.
The maddening thing is that I see debuts with a far shorter resume and a far smaller platform from authors who are less accomplished grab way more money and then you open the books, and it's like, "This book is not better than mine."
I have a thing that I say to my agent often. "Black writers don't get second chances."
When she suggested I change the first line of my novel, I said, no, black writers only get so many chances and no one who does what you are telling me to do goes on to win a Pulitzer.
When she suggested I change the first line of my novel, I said, no, black writers only get so many chances and no one who does what you are telling me to do goes on to win a Pulitzer.
When my first book cover showed up in my inbox, I emailed her and said no no no no, Black writers only get so many chances to tell people who they are, and this cover completely sends the wrong message, we have to change it.
When the first lists started coming out and the language was ridiculous, I emailed her and said, no, no, no, black people only get so many chances, we cannot let the conversation form this way.
I was so on edge this whole time because I felt that black writers don't get do-overs.
And what this conversation has shown me is that we barely even get to get started. THAT IS WHAT IS INFURIATING TO ME.
And what this conversation has shown me is that we barely even get to get started. THAT IS WHAT IS INFURIATING TO ME.
So many writers. So many brilliant fucking writers. Don't get to start. They don't even get to start! Because our stories are already landing in corporate publishing at a disadvantage. While people who are not are equals in accomplishment or platform are getting BANK.
That's maddening. I don't know how I even go to the page knowing that.
