There's something rotten in the state of Denmark...

Or more bluntly in the publishing industry. My industry. In which I have been happy and proud to work for my whole adult life.

I started working in publishing in 1988, the same year that The Satanic Verses was published. I remember the shock of the fatwa hitting the industry and the courage not only of Salman Rushdie, but of his publishers around the world, who continued to publish the book despite the dangers they faced: indeed some lost their lives as a result of their bravery. Looking back now as I approach the end of my career, I wonder would anyone show such courage now? Sadly, I think not.

Because publishing is in a parlous state. Rather than being a space where ideas are debated vigorously, where writers are free to cause offence (within reason), where publishers stand up for their authors when offence is taken, the industry is a pale and pathetic shadow of what it used to be.

Publishing is full of folk who consider themselves broadminded, open to ideas and confident that they are on the right side of the angels (or history if you like). It should absolutely be a world in which free speech is not only cherished but actively fought for. How is it then, that so many authors are now frightened to speak their minds, for fear of reprisal in the shape of cancellation or sacking from their publishers? How is it that so many people working in editorial offices are looking over their shoulders concerned about saying the wrong thing? I was horrified to talk to junior members of staff in my old firm to discover that they constantly check what they say. This is a horrendous state of affairs. I cannot remember once feeling like that when I was starting out, and I don’t believe they should be now.

I first noticed the change a few years ago, when stories started coming out about YA fiction in North America. The stories repeated the same pattern over and over again. A new author debuted a much-feted book. It was, as is the way of things these days released to bloggers and reviewers. A reviewer, or maybe more than one, took offence at something in said book. That, is their prerogative. Fine, you’d think. You write the review, say you hate the book and that should be that. After all if a reader of a book review that claims a book is offensive decides the reviewer is right, he or she is free to choose not to read it.

Nowadays though, just warning people off books isn’t sufficient. The author in question needs to be punished for their crime, be it transphobia, racism, misogyny or whatever. Never mind that we can all take offence at anything or nothing; that one person from a particular group who is offended by a story does not equal all people from that group being thus offended; that a simple way to not be offended is simply not to buy the book. No, that is no longer enough. The author must be hounded on social media, their publishers & agents must be emailed, and the sinner in question must then atone for their sins by publicly apologising, “educating” themselves (which to me is the language of the gulag) and rewriting the book to remove the offence. The failure to do so, nine times out of ten is career suicide. And there have been several cases of young writers whose careers have stalled before they’ve even begun as a result of such rigid and intolerant thinking.

I was alarmed to read such stories, because I knew it would only be a matter of time before the same thing happened here. And sadly my concerns have proved valid. Famously of course JK Rowling cops a lot of flak. But other authors have come under fire recently. Like JK Rowling, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has received vile abuse, for her alleged transphobia – some of it unforgivably after she lost her parents. Sally Rooney had a pasting because some readers attributed the unsavoury opinions of one of her characters to her, spectacularly missing the point that she’s writing fiction, and her characters’ views are not necessarily her own. Philip Pullman, perhaps ill-advisedly, stepped into the Kate Clanchy debacle and was told to have diversity training (or “education”, that weasel word again) by the Society of Authors. He subsequently stepped down as its president. Gillian Philip was sacked overnight for tweeting her support of JK Rowling. John Boyne has recently spoken openly about leaving twitter after people objected to his views. Rachel Rooney was bullied out of the industry by people who didn’t like a book she wrote. More recently the very same people who bullied Rachel tried the same tactic on Onjali Rauf, fortunately this time with little success.

Since I’ve been involved in setting up an Open Letter to the Society Of Authors on this subject I’ve heard dozens of stories like this, from authors you’re not likely to have heard of, or about, many of whom signed our letter anonymously because they are so frightened for their careers. And it’s not just authors, I know many in the industry who feel they have to keep their heads down and stay quiet, for fear of losing their jobs. I know that feeling. Two years ago I was in the same position, and thinking of walking away from a career I have always loved. My circumstances have now changed, so while I would be heartbroken to leave a world that has meant everything to me, if I never work in publishing again it isn’t the end of the world. I now have the freedom to say things that many friends and colleagues feel unable to say. And quite frankly, it’s a hill I’m prepared to die on.

To know that so many people live in fear of saying the wrong thing in an industry which should be celebrating dissent and freedom of speech is something I find deeply shocking. It has come about because a minority of people with the loudest voices have bullied their way into the publishing world and insisted that only they are on the path of true righteousness. It has happened because too many people have looked the other way afraid the bullies will come after them. And it has happened because of the sheer craven spinelessness from those at the top of our industry who have kowtowed to twitter mobs for far too long. It’s easy to stand up to them for JK Rowling, who makes too much money to be sacked. But it’s not so easy when it’s one of the little people who don’t count. EVERY author should count to their publishers. And they all deserve support, and it shames me as an editor, when I see how little support so many have received from people who are meant to be on their side.

It is time to change. It is time to reclaim our heritage as a country of the Enlightenment, where anyone can speak their truth and be heard. And it is time for those of us who can to lend our support and strength to those still working in the industry who are too frightened of the consequences of speaking out.

What has been clear to me from getting involved with writing the Open Letter, this is not a small, isolated problem, Many many people, of all ages, creeds and colours across the industry and beyond feel the same way. Freedom of speech is a precious, precious thing. We’ll miss it when it’s gone.

Author note: If you work in the industry in any way and would like to be an anonymous guest blogger here, please contact me : xxyywarrior at yahoo dot com and I so long as it’s not libellous or offensive I will be happy to host you. Courage calls to Courage, Eowyn.