Publishing Your Book is NOT Enough! By Jim Gilliam
There is a tried and true maxim in the SCUBA diving community: “Plan your dive, and dive your plan.” This sage piece of advice is also applicable to our community of authors…
The Elephant in the Room – When Publishers Don’t Admit Having Money Problems
For years, I’ve been dealing with the editor of a pub. who has always paid me. Sometimes, she needs to be politely “reminded”, but things have worked out in pretty timely fashion. In Nov., she published my work and I got paid. In December, the trouble started. She published my article for her Dec. issue, and even emailed me telling me around Dec. 13 that the issues/payment were being sent, which is actually early for her, as she usually pays late in the month.
I got nothing from her, and didn’t get any email replies over Christmastime. Right after New Years, she emailed me saying it would be taken care of. Nothing, and she didn’t respond to my emails after about a week of waiting. I called her on January 12. She was nice and again said she would take care of the payment. Nothing again. I called her again on January 20, and she took my call and acted “surprised” that I’ve gotten nothing yet, claiming to have sent it Priority Mail, and again said she’d take care of it last week…
I Confess! By Barbara Weddle
My success writing short non-fiction articles for the true confessions magazines began several years ago when I was studying magazines at a bookstore, searching for potential money-making markets, and picked up a copy of TRUE CONFESSIONS. One of the short columns inside, “The Life I Live”, caught my attention. I read it, and thought, ‘I can do that!’ But it was the sidebar that really caught my eye. Wow! They were offering $100 for 500 words or less about an inspirational time in your life. I’d had plenty of inspirational times in my life…
Whispers And Warnings For February 9th
50th COMPLAINT about Kim Kleeman / Shakespeare Squared / ShakespeareSquared.com / S2EO / s2eo.com / UpGrade Education / upgradeeducation.com – Writer alleges they owe her $1528.75 and that they reneged on their agreed-upon payment plan.
51st COMPLAINT about Kim Kleeman / Shakespeare Squared / ShakespeareSquared.com / S2EO / s2eo.com / UpGrade Education / upgradeeducation.com – Writer alleges she’s owed $1353 and that she’s “in a lot of financial trouble because that hasn’t been paid.”
COMPLAINT – Intermedia Distribution / MPRBooks.com / halfpricebooksandmore.com / Half Price Books and More in Peoria, AZ – SPAMMERS!!!
The Case of the Stolen Tooth!
Poor Zach (age 24) developed a toothache last week. We took him to our dentist, who said all his wisdom teeth needed to come out…
POD SECRETS REVEALED: SHIPPING COSTS – Giving Authors the Run-around Instead of Firm Quotes?!
You did it! Your book is finally in print! After months of sweating over details like editing and cover colors and even the final list price, you’re ready to start that marketing campaign! You’ve even figured out that you can make more money buying copies at your author discount and doing your own fulfillment at appearances than you would if you sent potential readers to your publisher’s website. But, wait…
You just tried to place an order for 100 copies of your book…and discovered that your publisher is charging you around $1 per small, paperback book for shipping and handling! Say what?! That blows your budget right out of the water!
Letters To The Editor For February 2nd
Letters will return next week.
Commit Random Acts of Writing By Susan Sundwall
Not too long ago I was given the opportunity to participate in a random act of culture at a nearby mall. I counted myself and a few friends among dozens of singers who gathered at the appointed hour at Crossgates Mall in Guilderland, New York, stood up when the music began, and belted out the Hallelujah Chorus. People stopped eating their burritos and pot stickers to stare and some even smiled and took pictures. I loaned my modest alto to the effort and our whole group was rewarded with thunderous applause at the last hallelujah. It was quite satisfying. Since then I’ve tried to apply that “random” mentality to my writing…
Screenplay vs. Novel?
I have a screenplay I wrote a few years ago that may have some market value. Do you have a position one way or another on publishing screenplays?
Opening the Door to Author Visits By Lisa Tiffin
My first school author visit turned out to be a great experience. Not only was it a wonderful way to give back to the community, but it led to several paying author visits…