Are you a real author?
It’s not a rhetorical question. There are
certain practices and attitudes that separate real authors from the rest.
Allow me to illustrate. Recently, I agreed
to read a manuscript for a writer. It was a swap situation, one I won’t repeat.
I spent over six hours reading and commenting on the book, focusing on areas
for improvement, as the writer requested. Her response: “Wow…I guess you hate
my book…Thanks.”
Real author? Not yet.
For a few years, I sold real estate to
help my children with their college expenses. (Want lots of money? Sell houses,
not books!) Decades ago, when the real estate industry was first evolving,
there was recognition of the need for industry professionals—if indeed they
were to earn the right to be called professionals—to police themselves by
agreeing to adhere to a code of ethics. To this day, it’s primarily the Realtor
Code of Ethics that distinguishes professionals from those who are just in the
biz to make a quick buck however they can.
Now more than ever, authors need to prove
that they are professionals. By adhering to a few fundamental principles, they
earn the right to be treated as such.
Here’s my proposed Code of Ethics for all
authors, regardless of how they publish:
The Author Code of Ethics
1.
An
author respects the right of readers to choose books from an open marketplace.
2.
Acknowledging
that writing involves learning and growth, an author handles criticism with
grace.
3.
An
author respects the right of fellow authors to choose the path to publication
that is best for them and their books.
4.
An
author refrains from deceptive and fraudulent practices, such as plagiarism, over-inflated
taglines, and purchased reviews from vendors who have not read the book.
5.
Aside
from accepted forms of literary criticism such as reviews and critical studies,
an author refrains from public disparagement, by name, of other authors and
their work.
6.
An
author’s engagement with readers and other authors is courteous and respectful.
7.
Acknowledging
the importance of literature in a free and vibrant culture, an author strives
to write well, within the expectations of genre and audience.
8.
As
a responsible member of the literary community, an author interacts with the
public in ways that exemplify the professionalism of all authors.
9.
For
the purpose of improvement, an author cultivates objectivity with regard to his
or her work.
10. An author affirms
the importance of open discourse.
