Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: The Unspeakeasy With Meghan Daum
Episode: When Your Publisher Calls You Problematic: Bruce Wagner Goes Rogue By Going Public
Description: Bruce Wagner, a successful Hollywood screenwriter and the author of twelve novels, has been a beloved literary figure for decades, especially in his home city of Los Angeles. His most recent novel, The Marvel Universe, was enthusiastically acquired by a small press until, he says, the publisher objected to certain "problematic" language, specifically the word "fat," which a character uses to describe herself. This led Bruce to release the book into the public domain by making it available on his website for free. In this conversation, Bruce talks about how a public domain release differs from self-publishing, how sensitivity readers are...