Am I About to Get Ripped Off? Yes!!

I can see giving up ownership to my work if I was getting paid, but giving up both ownership and pay? Is that wise?

I Earned the Same as My Full-time Salary, in a Quarter of the Time! By Amanda Eastep

In 2012, I made plans for my freelance writing career to grow to full-time over a three-year period. The plan included keeping my full-time “day job” so I wouldn’t have to worry about paying the mortgage. This also afforded me the ability to refuse grasping at the low-paying and “low-hanging fruit.”

Whispers And Warnings For July 23rd

Links to the stories below can be found here:
https://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9381
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE!
A Look at Copyright Myths We Need to Work Together to Kill. Now.
“Copyright myths remain a common plague on small press publishing, self-publishing, and freelance writing and art despite the ease of accessibility to reliable sources online…”
WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR YEARS. TRADITIONAL PUBLISHING IS *NOT* A GOOD DEAL FOR MOST AUTHORS.
Traditional publishing is ‘no longer fair or sustainable’, says Society of Authors
“Chief executive of 9,000-member UK group argues that while ‘authors’ earnings are going down generally, those of publishers are increasing.'”
I’LL SAY IT AGAIN! YOU CAN’T USE SONGS (NOT EVEN LYRICS) WITHOUT PERMISSION!!
YouTube star Michelle Phan sued over copyright
Ultra Records claims “she has used about 50 of their songs without permission in her YouTube videos and on her own website.”
THAT CHARACTER LOOKS NOTHING LIKE LINDSAY LOHAN!
7 hilarious reasons celebrities have sued video game companies
“How many celebrities have brought legal action against oblivious, unsuspecting, or secretly sneaky game publishers?”
DID ANYBODY REALLY THINK HACHETTE WOULD BE THE ONLY VICTIM? YOU CAN BET ALL THE BIG PUBLISHERS ARE IN AMAZON’S SIGHTS!
Amazon Now In Talks With Simon & Schuster Over E-book Profit-sharing
“Amazon.com, Inc. has begun talks with book publisher Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corp. (CBS: Quote) over e-book pricing and profit sharing…”
PUBLISHER WINS LAWSUIT FILED OVER MEMOIR
Court Dismisses $1 Million Lawsuit Filed Against Publisher
“Skyhorse Publishing and Author Fred Stoller Win Seinfeld Related Defamation Lawsuit Brought by Kenny Kramer, the Real Life ‘Cosmo Kramer.'”
DON’T USE ANOTHER AUTHOR’S FICTIONAL CHARACTERS IN YOUR BOOK!
Sherlock Holmes and the mystery of copyright
“The estate has been attempting to block a California lawyer and Holmes fancier, Leslie S. Klinger, from publishing a new book about the two characters unless he is willing to get a license from the estate and pay a fee.”
Links to the stories above can be found here:
https://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9381
RELATED:
Archived Whispers and Warnings are HERE.

Guess Where I’ll Be This Weekend?!?!

The Summer, 2014 Short Story Contest IS THIS SATURDAY! Rather than sweating and getting a sunburn, spend the day in the cool air conditioning, and come play with us!

29 Reasons Your Books Aren’t Selling By Angela Hoy

29 Reasons Your Books Aren’t Selling By Angela Hoy

You’re depressed. You’re confused. You’re thinking about giving up writing altogether. Why? Because the only people who have bought your book are your mom and your Aunt Bertha. With more than a million books published each year now (most of those self-published), there is lots of competition. However, many authors earn enough in book sales to feed their families. How do they do it?
Some of this may be hard to hear (I mean read) but, if you clicked on this article, you’re obviously seeking the truth. So, here it is…

Can’t Afford An Editor? Try These Four Fun Steps For a Much Cleaner Manuscript!

Angela,
Thank you so much for your article on editing our manuscripts. It always amazes me how information shows up when I need it. I have been working with content editors, and cleaning things up. But, I wanted a copy editor to do a final edit and I am waiting for one final estimate. But, I really don’t think I will have the funds.
I appreciate the information on Natural Reader, which I can afford!
Have a nice day,
Robin

Whispers And Warnings For July 16th

Links to the stories below can be found here:
https://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9379
THIS ARTICLE LISTS “15 COMPANIES WHERE INTERNS MAKE BIG BUCKS”
These Interns Make More Money Than the Average U.S. Family
“Unpaid internships are controversial, sometimes illegal. Yet some interns get paid very well…”
ISN’T THIS HOW MOST CITY COUNCILS WORK, TOO?
Detroit Free Press sues U-M, alleging regents regularly violate Open Meetings Act
“The news organization said regents make many decisions in private before once-a-month public sessions that amount to little more than a rubber-stamp to what’s already been decided.”
IF THE SCHOOL HIRED HIM TO DO THIS, I’M NOT SURE HOW HE COULD CLAIM TO OWN THE COPYRIGHT
Judge dismisses school coupons copyright lawsuit
“Michael Ward argued that he helped design coupon books for Knox County Schools for almost two decades, but was then cut out of the program.”
OUR CHILD DID THIS ONCE (not through Amazon). WE REMOVED THE APP AND, VOILA! NO MORE UNAUTHORIZED CHARGES
FTC Sues Amazon Over Millions in Unauthorized Children’s In-App Purchases
“The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, claiming the online retail giant billed parents millions of dollars for unauthorized charges made by children…”
REVENGE P*RN IS ONLY ILLEGAL IN 11 STATES
Anonymity Network Tor Sued For Allegedly Protecting A Revenge P*rn Business
“Tor, which offers encrypted software and an open network of protected communications, has been sued in the state of Texas over a revenge porn website that used its free service.”
IT NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME THAT LAWYERS WILL FILE RIDICULOUS LAWSUITS LIKE THIS
ESPN blows off the lawsuit from the sleeping Yankees fan
“…but dude: if no one from ESPN actually said the stuff you said they said in your complaint you’re gonna get your butt handed to you by an angry judge.”
Links to the stories above can be found here:
https://forums.writersweekly.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9379
RELATED:
Archived Whispers and Warnings are HERE.