Read on Twitter
1. Even though I’m not on the ITW Board, I was aware of the situation that led @LAChandlar & @pjoneswriter to complain to @thrillerwriters leadership about the conduct of another author. ITW asked me not to comment on the issue but when the official complaint was made...
2. I sent the following to a member of the ITW leadership: “I’d encourage the board to act swiftly to expel the individual concerned. ITW’s codes of conduct don’t require the same burden of proof as a court of law, and the number of supporting witnesses and...
3. ...the fact the individual’s behaviour wasn’t isolated to one person suggests he’s not a fit member. Post Me Too/Weinstein, I believe it’s important to take a strong stand against such behaviour.”
4. As a private organisation with discretion over membership, it seemed fairly straightforward to resolve. I was shocked by ITW’s response, some of which is detailed here by @LAChandlar https://twitter.com/lachandlar/status/1274826159382048768
5. Privately, I lobbied the leadership to reconsider, but I can only assume the advice they were receiving wasn’t in keeping with best practice on how to handle these situations. I wrote about those efforts here, when ITW implied @LAChandlar hadn’t been forthcoming. https://twitter.com/adamhamdy/status/1273368861790912512
6. ITW’s handling of this situation has been deeply flawed. But the statement issued yesterday was awful. I know some of the ITW board members to be decent, thoughtful people, and once again believe they’ve been badly advised. This isn’t a legal issue for ITW, it’s a human one.
7. It’s about whether we as a membership uphold the values we profess to believe in. It’s about whether we believe (as crime & thriller authors!) in concepts of justice, that members should be protected, and that all voices should be heard.
8. I resigned my position with ITW to support Laurie when it became clear those values weren’t being upheld, and have watched the situation go from bad to worse. Members started a petition asking for answers to specific questions: https://twitter.com/vanessalillie/status/1275064535053787137
9. Then came the terrible ITW board statement. Now there’s a petition calling on the entire board to resign: https://twitter.com/vanessalillie/status/1275228895500013570
10. The board put its name to a misguided statement outing a victim and seeking to explain and justify rather than apologise and listen, but only the leadership knows who is truly responsible for this mess, and I can’t believe it’s the entire board.
11. I think those responsible must go. And they must go now. Why? Because the membership is making it clear their values weren’t upheld. They’re doing that by standing in solidarity with @LAChandlar and @pjoneswriter https://twitter.com/hexican/status/1275197638363750401
12. People who can least afford to lose the benefits of ITW membership are taking a decisive stand on an issue that really matters: https://twitter.com/editorstet/status/1275211797197279233
13. Authors who want to encourage and nurture the next generation are pulling their support: https://twitter.com/rachelhowzell/status/1275215058486718464
14. Authors whose livelihoods might have been positively impacted by winning an award have decided their values are more important: https://twitter.com/brettbattles/status/1275118952738197504
15. People who’ve devoted time and given voluntary support to ITW are making their feelings clear: https://twitter.com/leegoldberg/status/1275259219520794624
16. And as a result, the membership suffers, losing coaching, insight and opportunities. All because those at the top who probably had the least to lose made a series of bad decisions.
17. I gave my advice when the complaint was made: Take the issue seriously, act quickly and decisively. I give the same advice now, but the situation has escalated, and so must the remedy.
18. The people responsible for how this situation was handled need to resign immediately. That includes those responsible for advising the board and implementing the terrible communication strategy. It includes any board members who were active in the decisions around this.
19. People are standing up for what they believe, and now is the time for the ITW leadership to show the same courage. Put the interests of the organisation first and demonstrate that you’re listening to the membership and this situation might not get any worse.
20. I hope there is positive change and that good comes out of this negative experience. I hope ITW emerges stronger, but if it doesn’t, the writer community can still nurture and support each other. Unlike our values and beliefs, organisations can be replaced.
