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The Fine Print of Amazon’s New KDP Select Program
KDP Select goes much farther: it makes Amazon, in effect, your publisher while your book is included in the program, and potentially has an impact on other work you are or are planning to publish.
NIU Libraries acquires papers of Fred Saberhagen
The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections has acquired the first installment of the papers of Chicago-born author Fred Saberhagen, a best-selling science fiction writer whose works broke new ground in the genre.
Guest Blog Post: A Blast From the Past–Thieving "Literary Agent" Uwe Luserke Re-Surfaces
It seems clear that Luserke is active again–even if only sporadically. Given how few reminders of his perfidy survive on the Internet, I and Writer Beware feel it’s important for writers and artist to be aware of his history…
Nebula Awards Interview: James Patrick Kelly
In my opinion the best way to learn to write stories is to write them as well as you can and then take them apart again, and since I am still learning to write, I’m an admitted workshop junkie.
Guest Post: Novels – the expression of the human condition
Literature is what distinguishes us from every species that has gone before. It’s what makes it possible for seven billion of us to breathe the same air. Literature is the great sum and sea of human experience, out there heaving…
Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics: How Relying on Numbers Can Get You Into Trouble
It’s unfortunately very easy for writers to buy into these faux numbers–whether out of fear, or inexperience, or simply because they vindicate writers’ own frustration with rejection.
Nebula Awards Interview: Barry Deutsch
What’s special about the Norton shortlist is the company I’m in! I’m a lifelong reader of sf and fantasy, so seeing my work on the same list as Paolo Bacigalupi, Holly Black, Scott Westerfield, and others — Terry Pratchett, for…
MLM for Writers: The Best Authors Lounge
Writers: Forget about that boring day job. Forget about tedious book promotion. Heck, forget about writing books! There’s another way to make money–and it was created with authors in mind.
In Memoriam: Anne McCaffrey
SFWA Grandmaster Anne McCaffrey has passed away at the age of 85.
Nebula Awards Interview: Paolo Bacigalupi
I worked for thirteen years, failed to sell four novels, wrote short stories for a while after I gave up on novels, and eventually got up the guts to write more novels. My fifth and sixth novels were the ones that…
Guest Post: Little e, Big B:
Books and EBooks and Love and War
My interest in ebooks is a tiny percentage of my interest in books. I didn’t dream of being a writer so I could spend my time discussing file formats and what Author X (even if X= me) did to sell…
Alert: Light Sword Publishing, a.k.a. LSP Digital, Returns
In July of 2008, I blogged about Light Sword Publishing, a.k.a. LSP Digital, about which Writer Beware had received a substantial number of complaints (delays, nonpayment of royalties, unprofessional behavior, misrepresentation of the company’s expertise and capabilities).
Guest Post: Having a Saleable Novel
Doesn’t Make You a Sell-out
So let’s get back to that whole laughing at work-for-hire authors or trashing popular books or not understanding what a saleable novel is.
The Authors Guild on Amazon’s Kindle Lending Library
Publishers aren’t eager to allow Amazon to undermine the economics of the e-book market, representing the lone bright spot for the industry, by permitting an estimated two to five million Amazon Prime customers to start downloading e-books for free.
Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Trust
Announces Winter 2012 Online Classes
Last winter, we had a huge response to the three online courses we offered. Writers from all over the world applied; only fourteen were admitted to each course. Using the latest technology, we were able to interact with…
Introducing Writer Beware’s Small Presses Page
A brand-new page on Small Presses has been added to the Writer Beware website.
Here’s what you’ll find:
An overview of issues to consider if you’re thinking of submitting to a small press. For instance, stability can be a problem–the attrition rate…
The Brit Writers Awards: Questions and Threats
Last December, I blogged about the Brit Writers Awards, an awards program for first-time authors, which was dogged by allegations of loose judging standards and poor communication.
Guest Post: Novelists, Inc., Conference Report
According to Carolyn’s research, aided by Google, there are about 288,355 books published every year by traditional publishers. Current estimates anticipate 800,000 books will be self-published this year. So how do you make your book stand out among…
Policy and Procedure on Harassment in SFWA Venues
Updated 9/21/2018 (A PDF of the following is available for download.) Introduction SFWA® sponsors or hosts discussion boards, communication avenues such as the SFWA Slack Channel, social media presences via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc., publications, the SFWA website, Writer Beware®,…
Quick Updates for 2011-11-03
Member News for D. Walters Grintalis, Jennifer Brozek, Allan Cole, Felicity Shoulders, Nancy Kress, and Ferrett Steinmetz.
Beware Zombies: Franklin-Madison Literary Agency
…today’s post is about zombie literary agencies… agencies that die only to rise again and lurch out onto the Internet in search of writers’ brains.
Guest Post: Should Writers Blog, and Why?
This is why I started blogging more than ten years ago. I wanted to connect with and learn from writers who knew what the heck they were doing. I found those people online. I read their journals, commented in their…
2011 World Fantasy Awards Announced
This year’s judges were Andrew Hook, Sacha Mamczak, Mark Rich, Sean Wallace, and Kim Wilkins.
Guest Post: Science Fiction and
the Scientifically Inclined Hero
I remember being impressed with Star Trek’s Captain Kirk as a kid. Not because he could karate chop unsuspecting alien guards into unconsciousness with one blow, but because he could think his way to victory as often as not.