When Should an Author Get Political?

It’s a question I wrestle with daily: Should I or shouldn’t I comment on the day’s news?

It’s from my journalism background. After spending a few decades in the industry, it’s second-nature to read news and react to it. I also have a natural interest in politics and government. I was a political science and history major in college before switching to journalism. I’m fascinated by the presidency. I even took a constitutional law course that required me to read and dissect 55 opinions, from Marbury vs. Madison (the ruling that gave the Supreme Court the right to rule on the constitutionality of laws) to Rowe vs. Wade (the pro-abortion ruling).

So, when political news happens, I have an opinion. Should I share it?

In my upcoming book, “Career Indie Author,” I advise authors to think carefully before jumping into any controversial topics. Unless you’re writing books about politics, unless you’re already known for your beliefs, why risk annoying or pissing off at least half your potential readership?

We’ve seen this play out just this past weekend. A writer known for his opinions, was dropped by Disney for what his editor told him were his comments on Twitter.

If you didn’t know anything about this until now, let me characterize this as a Big Deal. It certainly was in the “Star Wars” world, because he has written a trilogy of novels authorized by Disney, was in the middle of writing one comic book mini-series, and had recently been signed to do a second series involving Darth Vader.

In other words, he had been building a nice little corner of his career on Star Wars, and now it’s gone.

So what destroyed his relationship with Disney? Twitter. Specifically, he tweets.

The author doesn’t suffer fools, or those who he perceives are fools (and, yes, there is a difference). His attitude on Twitter is combative. Criticism is met with criticism in return. Questions he doesn’t like results in blocking the questioner. Apparently, he blocks people so frequently that it inspired a satirical T-shirt.

Whether or not you agree with him, the author turned himself into a lightning rod. He’s the drunk in the barroom who dares everyone to come at him. His behavior forces people to take an immediate stand over him, whether to endure his behavior because you agree with his politics, or endure his politics because you admire his behavior.

Note that NONE OF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH SELLING BOOKS. It’s all about him.

This is not intelligent.

Here’s the reason why: Espousing political opinions with a side order of abuse gives people a reason not to buy your books. Acting obnoxiously in public may feel good. You may even feel righteous about it.

But it comes at a price. Your public persona becomes more about you as a person, then as a person who writes the books people want to read.

Who wants to be around that?

This problem is redoubled when, as in his case, you’re working in someone else’s IP. You’re no longer you, you’re also that IP.

Shitting on people publicly and driving away readers while you’re associated with that IP reflects badly on the corporation that owns that IP. This is a very, very bad idea.

Silence Is Not the Only Option

So, wait (I hear you say), does that mean I can’t express myself?

I don’t think so. I think you can say what you think. But you should be careful about the effect your words will have.

If you’re going to be political, be strategic. Pick your fights. Back it up with data. Think of it as a debate. Drop the f-bombs. Don’t be vulgar. Don’t be personal.

Yes, that’s crazy, but it’s crazy-smart. Because right now, with democratic voices flooding social media, you want to stand out. Don’t be just another crazy person people back away from. Don’t parrot something you saw elsewhere. They may be wrong.

Think. Pick your battles. Do your research. Make your words count just as much as they count in your fiction.

If you’re going to make your politics part of your public persona, then how do you want to be looked at? Like a William F. Buckley or a Robert F. Kennedy, a reasoned advocate known for the force of your arguments? Like Michael Moore, a fire-bombing polemicist? Like Dave Barry, who can skewer pretensions and idiocies (if you’re older, insert Art Buchwald).

In this author’s case, not doing so cost him a pretty prominent perch. If he had been more neutral with his critics, he could have continued to write “Star Wars” books.

His attitude also cost him in ways that he’ll never realize. Booksellers who thought about inviting him to do a signing will have second thoughts based on his online behavior. They’ll have second thoughts about promoting his books to their customers. In one bookstore alone, that could cost him a hundred sales, not to mention future sales if that customer becomes a fan.

Personally, I’ve stopped following one author. I had praised his early works and very much enjoyed his writings. Then he got political. He punched people (with words, I mean). Not just politicians, but people who I thought were beneath him. He was punching down, not up.

Even though I agreed with some of his opinions, I came to dread seeing another post from his blog in my feed. Sometimes, it was a fun story, or news of some accomplishment. Then, it’d be a sour, unhappy post that I’d disagree with and that would anger me.

So, I removed his site from my must-read list and have ignored him ever since, and I’ve been happy about that.

So What About Me?

That’s where I’m left, suspected between the Charybdis of being political, and the Scylla of denying my wisdom to the multitudes. I leave comments on a couple of sites I regularly visit. Sometimes, I’ll write a post and then file it away or trash it, so I can get on with my day.

But what I’m trying to do is talk more about what I think are the real issues about the world we live in, like the difference between republic voices and democratic voices. Maybe I’ll continue in that vein, or maybe not. I can also recommend books and movies like “The Big Short,” that can change the way you look at our world.

What I hope I never do is take to Twitter and curse and scream at people. That way lies madness.