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For Those of You Who Are Wondering Why Someone Might Want to Launch a Class Action Lawsuit Against PublishAmerica
Here is an example of the sort of solicitation PublishAmerica authors receive daily (if not more often).
Baltimore Science Fiction Society Opens Amateur Writing Contest
The BSFS Amateur Writing Contest is now open to entries.
To promote the creation of quality genre literature in the state of Maryland, we are holding…
Solstice Awards
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America are pleased to announce Carl Sagan and Ginjer Buchanan as the recipients of the Solstice Awards for…
Random House Announces New Terms at Digital Imprints Hydra, Alibi, Loveswept, and Flirt
Yesterday afternoon, I had a cordial conversation with Allison Dobson, Director of Digital Imprints at Random House, about the the recent controversy over deal terms…
Another Class Action Suit Launched Against PublishAmerica
I wasn’t optimistic that I would ever be writing a post like this, after the class action filed last year against PublishAmerica was dismissed.
However,…
SFWA Response to Hydra Letter
Thank you for your letter regarding Random House and Hydra, and your interest in speaking with us.
Unfortunately, there is very little to discuss. SFWA has…
SFWA De-Lists Hydra; Random House Responds
Following on my post last week about unattractive deal terms at Random House’s new digital-only imprint, Hydra, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America…
Random House Imprint Hydra Not A Qualifying Market
SFWA has determined that works published by Random House’s electronic imprint Hydra can not be use as credentials for SFWA membership, and that Hydra is…
The DMCA Takedown Notice Demystified
Many writers have heard of the “DMCA takedown notice” but not everyone understands what it is. In this post, I’ll try to explain the basics…
Law Firm Investigates Author Solutions Inc.
The New York law firm of Giskan Solotaroff Anderson & Stewart LLP has opened an investigation of Author Solutions Inc. (ASI), alleging deceptive practices.
Authors using…
Call for Norton Jury Volunteers
Now that the 2013 nomination process has been completed, SFWA is looking for a Norton jury for the 2014 award.
The Norton Award is presented to young…
Second-Class Contracts? Deal Terms at Random House’s Hydra Imprint
Over the past few years, more and more trade publishers have created digital-only imprints. Another new one just popped up in my newsfeed today: Little,…
Why Not to Register Copyright for Unpublished Work
If you have an unpublished manuscript that you’re shopping to agents and/or publishers, or considering self-publishing, there’s no need to register your copyright prior to…
Richard W. Gunn Memorial Lecture: Cory Doctorow
Author, journalist, technology activist, and Boing Boing co-editor Cory Doctorow presents this year’s Richard W. Gunn Memorial Lecture.
Solicitation Alert: Close-up TV News / Close-up Talk Radio
Writer Beware has received reports that authors are receiving phone solicitations from an outfit called Close-up TV News, which describes itself as “…a premiere news…
2012 Nebula Awards Nominees Announced
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America announces the nominees for the 2012 Nebula Awards (presented 2013), nominees for the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding…
Solicitation Alert: Blessed Hope Publishing
Recently I received a question about an apparently new Christian publisher, Blessed Hope Publishing. The writer who contacted me was suspicious because Blessed Hope had…
Guest Post: The Importance of Pie: Cooking the Books with James D. Macdonald
A short story is like a pie because, first, you can do one relatively quickly. Second, everyone likes pie.
Third, with both short stories and pie,…
A Partridge in a Penguin Tree
India is a vast book market, and print is still king. So it only makes sense that Penguin (whose parent company, Pearson, acquired self-publishing giant…
Five Tips to Improve Your Amazon Author Central Page
If you’re selling books on Amazon, you’ll want to set up your page in their Author Central program. Use your Author Central page to provide…
The Benefits of Copyright Registration
Writers are sometimes confused by the “registration” requirement under the US copyright laws. In this post, I hope to clear up the concept and help…
Orphan Works: Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Weighs In
The issue of orphan works–out of print, still-in-copyright books, films, photographs, etc. whose rightsholders can’t be found–is one that has been much in the news…
An Introduction to Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction,
Part 2: Content
In Part 1: Definitions, the members of SFWA’s experimental MG and YA group asked industry professionals to help define the middle grade (MG) and young…
Christian Writers Guild Publishing: Pay to Play from Jerry B. Jenkins
Earlier this week, a press release caught my eye: Bestselling Author Jerry Jenkins Announces Innovative Publishing Firm. Since “innovative” in publishing press release-speak often means…