SR, A Dick in the Fandom

How to Pull Out Without Being a Dick, cont.

So it's official, University of Edward Masen is being offered by omnific. SR, or Sylvain Rwhatever, who promised he would never pull his fic to publish, has done the inevitable. He pulled to publish.

Pulling to publish -- it is what it is. I don't think the concept is altogether inherently bad, but I think there is a way to do it which shows respect to this community of readers. [SEE MY INITIAL RANT for InstntKarmaGirl as example of How to Pull Out Without Being a Dick] 

And then there are moves, such as SR's, which reek of douchebaggery. Let's itemize...

1. SR made a thing all along about not being one of those authors who pulls to publish. So hypocrisy isn't too hot of a trait.

2. Pulling the story before it was complete - manipulative. A ploy to get readers to buy your book in order to get the ending.

3. Annoying for all of the people waiting for story to be complete in order to finish it. A slap in the face for those who supported the story all along.

4. When he pulled, he blamed it on plagiarists, getting his supporters all upset and frothy on his behalf - contributing to the plagiarism hysteria that became huge at the time. And now to find out that it's actually what we suspected all along - that he actually pulled for his own purposes and used "plagiarism" as an excuse. Fuck you, SR, for riling people and spreading totally unfounded outrage, you emotionally manipulative prick. 

He also dropped off the face of the earth, abandoning even his most loyal fans, without any word of explanation. NOT A SIGN OF AN AUTHOR WHO APPRECIATES HIS READERSHIP.

 

And he has been lucky enough to cultivate quite the devoted following.

To be clear: I support the authors of our fandom using their writing experience and reader support to leverage their work as fic authors into projects that make them money. Original work, or even Twific that has been heavily reworked to be appropriate for audiences that don't read fic, and that covers our fandom's ass as far as any legal connection to Twilight -- if it's done well, and if our fandom's readership is shown respect, than count me as one of your cheerleaders.

But fuck around with the ladies of my fandom, and I have beef with you. SR, the balls you demonstrated in this dickish behavior are not appreciated. And because your fic was so high profile, the echoes of your actions reverb wide and high. That's why I'm singling you and your ego out.

Bottom line... buy his book, don't buy his book, I don't care. But let's all be real about the assholery behind it.

For those, like me who didn't catch the end of the fic because it was so rudely pulled before the epilogue was posted, you can find the free Twific version in several places around the fandom, including HERE.