tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post4924581435682306524..comments2023-11-07T21:12:19.852-06:00Comments on Wyrdsmiths: The Amazing Work Ethic of a Hacktate hallawayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06631759014508937940noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-78831459843655569152009-09-24T15:23:23.755-05:002009-09-24T15:23:23.755-05:00Harlan Ellison drew a distinction between an autho...Harlan Ellison drew a distinction between an author (a person who gets her/his name on books) with a writer. A writer writes. Not to write is not to live.jpjnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-45823703756866904232009-09-24T10:11:22.163-05:002009-09-24T10:11:22.163-05:00Plus, you wrote a really great post, Tate. Loved ...Plus, you wrote a really great post, Tate. Loved it!lydamorehousehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03193266008038604325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-62626343975500807512009-09-23T17:51:20.091-05:002009-09-23T17:51:20.091-05:00Nero,
Never, EVER pay someone to read your book, ...Nero,<br /><br />Never, EVER pay someone to read your book, be it a supposed agent, publisher, or "book doctor." Money flows *towards* the author, not away from them. A publisher should be able to make money by selling your work to other people and then sharing those proceeds with you; they make money off your work, not off your bank account.<br /><br />As for profits and ebooks, I direct you to point 3 on the Ilona Andrews article Kelly linked to the other day: <br /><br />http://ilona-andrews.livejournal.com/359952.html <br /><br />Basic summary: the profit margin for ebooks is incredibly small (if there is one at all); I don't like to think how long it wouild take you to earn back your $125. Also, check out:<br /><br />www.sfwa.org/for-authors/writer-beware/<br /><br />Now, I have to admit that I know nothing about Dark Castle -- they may be great people trying to make their ebook business model work. But I have seen and read about too many scams that look remarkably like this to have much faith. (And even if they DO post it, remember: hosting is cheap. So what is your money really buying?)<br /><br />Bottom line: if you think your work is good enough for people to pay to read it on a web site, then it should be good enough for you to submit it to an agent or editor. Believe in your words! Your money would be better spent on toner for cover & query letters, on manuscript boxes and postage, than giving it to someone who (may) put something up on the web.<br /><br />My advice: type "publishing scams" in Google and do a bit of reading. You ought to find a lot of things that look remarkably like what you are seeing at darkcastle.Douglas Hulickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04221190213829107139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-23067191816491454162009-09-23T17:35:01.059-05:002009-09-23T17:35:01.059-05:00Re: www.darkcastle.com. This bit: "Our concep...Re: www.darkcastle.com. This bit: <i>"Our concept is really very simple: as a writer, you may submit as many genre-appropriate novels as you wish for a one-time fee of $125 (USD) per submission."</i> says all you need to know because it violates <a href="http://www.sff.net/people/yog/" rel="nofollow">Yog's Law</a>. <br /><br />Money always flows to the writer. Anytime you see a fee being imposed on a writer by a publisher you know that the publisher is at best a vanity press and is more likely a scam press of some sort. <br /><br />Likewise agents always get paid <b>after</b> they sell your book and they get paid a percentage (usually 15%) of the sale proceeds. They do not extract pre-sale fees and mostly they don't extract anything other than their percentage.<br /><br />Violations of Yog's Law are a giant red flag to the writer, saying "run for the door."Kelly McCulloughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06399122960869198042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32085591.post-31690096112243197352009-09-23T16:58:25.392-05:002009-09-23T16:58:25.392-05:00Can you tell me if the ebook biz of www.darkcastle...Can you tell me if the ebook biz of www.darkcastle.com is for real? It looks like they're still developing the site, but the premise looks interesting. Anyway, has anyone here heard of them; and, are they legit? Thanks.Neronoreply@blogger.com