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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 this contest and encouraging everyone who meets the qualifications to enter.
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 2012. The Solstice Awards are granted to up to three persons, living or dead, who…
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 at Hydra, Alibi, Loveswept, and Flirt.
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, on January 31, 2013, the Maryland law firm Z Law and the New York law…
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 determined to its own satisfaction that Hydra does not meet our minimum standards for a…
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 has determined that Hydra will not be a qualifying market for SFWA membership.
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 not an approved market. Hydra fails to pay authors an advance against royalties, as SFWA…
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 and give you some ideas about how to use the tool to protect your rights…
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 Author Solutions have complained of deceptive practices, including enticing authors to purchase promotional services that…
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 adult or middle grade science fiction and fantasy novels, collections, or anthologies. The Norton jury is charged…
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, Brown UK’s Blackfriars will be launching its first list this coming June.
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 publication.
Why?
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 magazine TV program spotlighting the most successful businesses across America. ”
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 Dramatic Presentation, and nominees for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and…
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 not only solicited his manuscript, but had accepted it within a matter of days.
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, you can use the finest ingredients in the world and still come up with an…
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 Author Solutions Inc. last year) has just announced the expansion of ASI into India via…
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 more information for your readers: upcoming events, a full listing of your books, pictures and…
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 you decide whether copyright registration makes sense for you.
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 over the past few years.
Concern over a potential monopoly on orphan works was a…
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 adult (YA) book categories. Today we’ve asked those same professionals to tackle the controversial issue…
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 “charges a whopping fee”, I decided to investigate.