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From the President's Desk May 2010 Writers and Lion Tamers: Magnificent! by Salley Shannon More than one freelance writer friend has said that these days she feels like a tightrope walker, what with all the industry changes and the recession. When I say "Cool!" my friends are startled. Not the response they expect. But really, such graceful balancing—it must be immensely satisfying. Just like our work, most days. Doesn't everybody love a circus? We don't get to parade through town on elephants—more's the pity—but in many regards, the circus business and our writing lives have a lot in common. In both, only a few superstars make major money, but if you keep working, you do eat. And the applause! The fun! The adrenaline! That lady in spangles, who enters the lion's cage and has him grinning his scary grin within a minute? She walks carefully but stays a little sassy, the way I learned to do when dealing with an ill-tempered editor early in my career. I survived. Prospered. Got nominated for awards. His roar wasn't bluff. He was a serious guy and his cage was the responsibility of running a mega-buck operation. You've probably learned quite a bit about the care and feeding of similar beasts, yourself. Here's what I know: When walking amid lions and editors, keep your eyes and ears open for clues about what's coming next. Never think about when one is looking at you: Pay attention. Keep talking. Don't make any sudden or unnecessary moves. Do exactly what you said, or implied, you would. Make the routine seem easy, even if you quake a little inside. Never behave like prey. Those who exude fear get eaten, so hold your head up and look them right in the eye. They are bigger and more powerful than you. To survive and get both lions and editors moving in ways you like, take up space. Throw your favorite lions an unexpected treat now and again. A compliment. A nice, juicy idea that's not in any other cages. Trust your instincts. When that voice inside yourself says, "Run!" get out of the cage. Slam the door after you and don't go back. After a bout with a bad-tempered beast, warn your friends. Share what you've learned. Then move on to another lion. Or a cub. Working with a promising cub is fun. Practice your moves, prepare your costume, but when you're in the cage or performing on your tightrope, don't think too much about what you're doing. Just listen to the music and move; you know what to do. Over-thinking makes you wooden and kills the magic. Hang out with people who make you laugh and can teach you new tricks. People you admire. Talk more about the joy of performing well and how to sew on new spangles than about elephant poop. Dwelling on it makes you look down, not up. Don't let a day go by without celebrating your craft. You didn't learn to do it in an instant. You won't get better in an instant, either. So, know what's going on in other circuses. Dream of what you'd love to be doing in a year, two years, five years. The people who are best at what they do are always asking themselves "What next?" When you admire the work of another performer, say so. Sincere compliments lift the profession and link you to the best in the business. Nobody is ever so grand that he doesn't appreciate hearing "Well done!" when it's true. When your own compliments come, don't brush them off and don't forget them. Stash them away so you can do a mental rewind when the lion roars are especially daunting. Accept that anyone who works with lions, or editors, inevitably will get tossed around some. A few will take swipes at you just because they can. More will rattle the cage, to scare you and make you think they're heftier than they are. Nature of the beast, and all that. As the years go by, you'll show a few claw marks, and maybe even the scars from a serious bite. It doesn't mean you don't belong in the ring. Remember how many shows you've done, and remember the warmth of the applause. Even so, when you get clawed, don't fall into self-justification. Examine each incident dispassionately. Did you make a false move? Was the lion-editor distracted by something going on in another ring? Serious incidents often have piled-up causes. If you're honest in your reflections, you may learn some new moves. At the very least, you'll see the next swipe coming. While you're performing one show, always be practicing in your off hours, planning for the next. Try to have your next season's bookings lined up early. If you can't do that, there's no disgrace in falling back on a corollary skill. In the circus, everybody multi-tasks. The fellow who walks the tightrope also can tumble, do cartwheels, and pull the ropes that lift the big-top. Maybe he even carries a shovel and follows the elephants sometimes. All honest work is honorable. Do what needs to be done until the spotlight swings in your direction again. One final analogy: When we take wire-walking lessons, our friends in ASJA hold the net. Now our trip to the circus is over; here ends the lesson. Devotees of The Book of Common Prayer may add the usual response, "Thanks be to God," with no irony assumed. + + + In case you didn't see the news, the database copyright infringement case originally brought by ASJA, the NWU, and the AG is back in play, courtesy of a Supreme Court ruling in early March. The case was settled in 2005 for $18 million. Many members whose magazine articles had appeared in online databases, without their permission filed claim forms in hopes of getting money. Then, everything went to pieces after a small group of writers objected to the settlement terms. The case has been in and out of court at various levels since. The Supreme Court sent our case back to the Second Circuit Court for a review of the merits, and to decide whether the District Court was justified in approving our original settlement. Former ASJA president Jim Morrison, who invested many hours negotiating the 2005 settlement, predicts the Second Circuit will call for another round of briefs and oral arguments. To put it another way, while the fat lady hasn't sung, she's holding the music again. We'll keep you informed. ˘ Note: This case has nothing to do with the Google settlement. It is another case entirely, called, "In Re Literary Works in Databases Copyright Litigation." The specific aspect on which the Supreme Court ruled is called Reed Elsevier Inc. v Mutchnik et al. You can view the opinion in pdf. The class action website on this matter is www.copyrightclassaction.com/index.php3
ASJA president Salley Shannon never dreamed of joining a real circus; too many clowns. Write her at president_AT_asja.org.
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