breelandwalker:

bodaciousbanshee:

more-legit-gr8er-writing-tips:

the960writers:

zoemay8500:

glorious74:

konekat:

oldmanyellsatcloud:

lunamax1214:

rosey-buddy:

paranerdia:

While you are worrying about whether beta readers will steal your ideas, there is a more genuine threat on the horizon.

When offered a publishing contract, please do all your research before you sign. There are a number of fakes and scammers out there, as well as good-intentioned amateurs that don’t know how to get your work to a wide audience. I won’t tell the heartbreaking stories here – there are too many.

Being published badly is worse than being never published.

It can destroy your career and your dreams.

The quick check is to google the publishing house name + scam or warning.

But, to be sure, check with these places first. They aren’t infallible (nothing is) but they can help you protect yourself. They are written and maintained by expereinced writers, editors, publishers and legal folks.

Absolute Write: Bewares and Background Checks

Preditors and editors

Writer Beware

and the WRITER BEWARE blog

Keep yourself and your work safe.

This is really important, so if you are a writer or have writer friends, or you are a writing blog, please reblog it.

Just to let you know, PublishAmerica changed their name to America Star Books.

HEAD’S UP, WRITER TYPES: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PSA!

Also applies to many so-called freelance sites that are just content mills, and may not pay unless your work is used, even if the contract seems designed otherwise.

Listen, reading these is like legit reading horror stories.  When it comes to publishing your writing, always, always, ALWAYS do your research.  Not only will it help you avoid scams, but it will also be likely to help you land a much better fit for an agent/publisher/whatever.  Knowing more is never going to hurt.

Omg!!! Thanks for the warning! Writers— reblog!

I’ve heard stories like this that are scarier than horror stories. This is an all time worst nightmare for a writer. Everyone reblog and make sure you keep your work safe! 

Always, ALWAYS check Writer Beware. Let me also recommend Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s blog about contracts and contract scams for authors in her section Business Musings.

Reblogging again for the links.
Also check pred-ed.com and the Absolute Write forum. Then google Publisher’s name + scam and see what comes up.
Do NOT use the BBB ratings, they are wholly unsuitable for rating publishers and regularly give A ratings to well-known publishing scams.
You can also read my own post on publishing scams, have a link on the left of my blog ( can’t link here, I’m on mobile, sorry).

@korrigu

SUPER IMPORTANT PSA!

Equally important to know is that you can SELF-PUBLISH through a number of platforms these days. @ean-amhran and I used Amazon’s CreateSpace and Kindle Direct Publishing to publish both of our books. No editors, no contracts, no finagling with publishers who want to change your materials. Just direct-to-market material.

(Granted, it means you’ve got to do a LOT more work yourself with editing and formatting and cover art, but it’s worth it to miss the headache of trying to bargain with publishing houses or avoid scams.)

Be vigilant, fellow writers!

pocketwatchesandtea:

pocketwatchesandtea:

I hate to be This Guy, but I’m in debt to both the bank and my emotionally abusive parents.

I need to pay just over $3000 total, and my work currently is not allowing me to work as they’ve decided that they need to send me on an enforced mental health leave. 

Not being allowed to work + being in debt + being mentally ill = not a great situation.

Paying these debts will take a huge load off of my mind, improving my mental health, and I’ll be back at work soon and I can start saving to get the hell out of here. 

If you feel called to help me, you can donate here.

If you can’t donate, please boost this.

My parents are paying the bank for me, so I am over $3000 in debt to them.
Tonight or tomorrow, they will be removing the doors from my room.
If each of my followers donated $3, I’d be out of debt.
Please help.

kindsuggestion:

you’re not too sensitive. you’re not overreacting. if it hurts you, it hurts you