I think I'm remembering this right, but didn't she, after an initial call out for people to write a pitch to appear in the book, send out a snippy message that the quality hadn't been anywhere near good enough, then a further one saying that actually it was very well paid for what shouldn't take very long? I'd love to know how many poor sods sent her stories that she didn't deem good enough in the first place, that's without the ones she thought could be used that will presumably never be recompensed. I'm very surprised we haven't picked up anything from anyone on social media about this.
Roadside Mum #9 Is this normal behaviour for RSM?
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You are correct!
There's only been one or two questions. I was so sad to read them, but also amazed no one asked; as if they'd all been quashed before they started.
I'll find our Tattle posts/screenies. But like Roadsidemum, not tonight. I'm heading to bed for my happy lovely healthy thank god well-being x
In order to solicit submissions for an anthology, you need to develop a clear brief outlining what you're looking for. So that anyone thinking about submitting a piece has guidelines that specify what style of writing, how many words, what topics and themes etc. It's no use just asking Twitter and then complaining that the responses aren't good enough.
Especially on a subject like poverty where you're asking people who are most likely not professional writers to detail their personal experiences.
If I were going to write about my personal experiences of poverty, it would be difficult and traumatic to bring it all up and try to shape it into some sort of coherent narrative. To then be told it wasn't up to scratch would likely compound that trauma.
So, I do think Unbound needs to take responsibility for not putting a proper editorial framework in place at the very beginning of this project, especially because they were asking for contributions from people already potentially vulnerable in all sorts of ways. And they should have checked out whether Louisa had any experience of working on such a publication and put in place proper editorial support at their end.
Louisa is a nasty piece of work. Hopefully, she'll retreat into ignominy and nobody will ever hear from her again.
Unbound should put their hands up and admit they handled this project badly from the start. And anyone who did submit an essay should be compensated for the full amount, whether or not it is published. That would amount to a "kill fee" that editors regularly pay and would mitigate some of the reputational damage this sorry saga has caused them.
Especially on a subject like poverty where you're asking people who are most likely not professional writers to detail their personal experiences.
If I were going to write about my personal experiences of poverty, it would be difficult and traumatic to bring it all up and try to shape it into some sort of coherent narrative. To then be told it wasn't up to scratch would likely compound that trauma.
So, I do think Unbound needs to take responsibility for not putting a proper editorial framework in place at the very beginning of this project, especially because they were asking for contributions from people already potentially vulnerable in all sorts of ways. And they should have checked out whether Louisa had any experience of working on such a publication and put in place proper editorial support at their end.
Louisa is a nasty piece of work. Hopefully, she'll retreat into ignominy and nobody will ever hear from her again.
Unbound should put their hands up and admit they handled this project badly from the start. And anyone who did submit an essay should be compensated for the full amount, whether or not it is published. That would amount to a "kill fee" that editors regularly pay and would mitigate some of the reputational damage this sorry saga has caused them.
Hey. @FlashBoof did all the beginning.
As for me, this witch was my Covid project.
The project wrote itself, mate!
I hope Unbound read this post.
I have no doubt that she'll pop up in another anonymous iteration on SM after a while and start repeating some of the submissions she was sent as her own experiences.
I do wonder whether it was a lot of people or whether the one or two questions we’ve seen were it for people sending her stories and maybe they genuinely weren’t of the standard needed for an anthology.
Perhaps the fact she didn’t want to admit that has contributed to the mess - I can’t see that she’s got much money out of unbound from it thus far.
Remember when her laptop broke or she lost the password and everyone had to resubmit? That was textbook BS.
Do I vaguely remember Jack wanted to submit a 'piece'? But RSM said it was only for people presently in poverty?
That is such a vague memory and could be wrong.
That is such a vague memory and could be wrong.
Fairly sure it was a reference to “not poor anymore” Bex Kitchen. So profound and so well written… but alas, you can’t come and play because you have three sets of high paying benefit streams now so are on a £27k equivalent salary.
Yes, her email wouldn't refresh or wouldn't stop refreshing. Can't remember. Total bollocks.
Imagine making up a lie that can only be true on the basis of emails being saved, and therefore accessible, locally. Mental.
Maybe desperately hoping some new people would submit. I think I’m fully in on my new conspiracy theory that she didn’t have enough contributors and was too embarrassed to admit that she, RSM, the great saviour of the poors didn’t have the reach and influence she thought.
Here's some screenies about the book delays. There's definitely more. Coming up!
(Note: I'm at the hairdresser. She hasn't expressed any controversial views. Another client has brought her puppy!)
(Note: I'm at the hairdresser. She hasn't expressed any controversial views. Another client has brought her puppy!)
Roadside Mum #4 Let me tell you in excessive detail
It really is! I paid for a copy. And heard nothing for months. I'll check my emails to see when I purchased it. Paid for 31/10/21. Last update was 1/08/22. Here is said update under the header "Heart felt thanks & confession" Thank you so much for sharing this. Straight out of the JM...
tattle.life
IIRC she only solicited pieces from twitter followers as opposed to reaching out to charities to offer their service users opportunities to submit
There was definitely a specific ad aimed at writers of colour. The fee was reduced to £200 at that stage.
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Odd that she showed no interest in experiences from the GRT community which she was so quick to exploit.
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Odd that she showed no interest in experiences from the GRT community which she was so quick to exploit.
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Bit dodge writers of colour get less isn't it?
I get that isn't RSMs decision probably.
I think it was a general lowering of the fee (probably cos unbound had spent so much already editing the shite RSM had given them) rather than writers of colour getting less. They say they are particularly keen to hear from writers of colour which implies they want others too for the same £200 price.Bit dodge writers of colour get less isn't it?
I get that isn't RSMs decision probably.
I think you're right, but IMO it's not a good look to lower the price at the same time that you specify you'd like to hear from writers of colour. Especially given RSM's well documented racism.
with regards to her being an Irish Traveller - is the name Louisa Britain a common Traveller name? I live in Belfast and the vast majority of Irish Travellers that I know of have the surname Joyce, McDonagh or Mongan. I have never known of a traveller with the first name Louisa, most of them have Irish first names. My experience with Travellers here is limited, I know someone who lives near to where they had a camp. I don’t know of any who live by the roadside either, I believe most if them are in housing.