Published on January 28, 2015
Hi Angela,
I read your articles about dead beat editors and, while that is upsetting, it is more upsetting to find your article with someone else’s name as the writer.
Not getting paid for your work is bad enough but, when you see your work with someone else’s name on it, you just know that person crawled out from under some garbage. And, I can’t do anything about it. when my old computer died, it took a lot of my work, and the information of who I sent it to, and when. I backed up most of my work, but I didn’t get it all, I have the hard copy but that’s it!
I am a trusting person believing nobody in this business would put their name to another person’s work. I mean really, who would do something like that? The sad part is I don’t have the information about who I sent it to, or when. New writers. go figure.
Anyway I thought I’d share my tale of woe and call it a learning experience.
Stay well,
Angela D.
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Published on January 28, 2015
Lots of people have clicked to add my book to a wish list on a website. I haven’t received any sales reports for my book yet. How can I estimate sales using the wish list information from that site?
Published on January 28, 2015
When you’ve spent years writing and researching essays while reading some of the world’s best literature, for an English major, the post-graduation moment is a double-whammy of relief and weightlessness…
Published on January 21, 2015
I usually try to take Sundays off but this weekend we’ll be hosting the WritersWeekly Winter, 2015 24-Hour Short Story Contest.
If you want to sign up, don’t delay! Only 500 entrants permitted per contest…
Published on January 21, 2015
Hi Angela,
I just got back into the country after three years away, and recently came across your site again.
What fun it was reading your “bad query” section again. Also, it is a breath of fresh air to see that you still raise hell about writers who write for peanuts. I’ve missed you. : )
K.
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Published on January 21, 2015
diversify your writing income
You’re dragging along as a writer and you’re doing pretty well. You’re making a comfortable living from your skills – and working hard for every cent. But, wouldn’t it be nice to start earning some passive income? Wouldn’t it be great to create something with the skills that you already possess (writing) that will keep on generating income month after month?
Maybe you’re not at the point in your career where you’re able to just write up a full-length book. That’s okay because there are some low-or-no-cost digital products that you can make right now, and sell on Amazon, your blog, your website, or wherever else…
Published on January 21, 2015
I have one question that I hope you can answer. What is your feeling about spending personal funds on book reviews?
Published on January 14, 2015
Richard is taking me on a romantic getaway this weekend and our oldest son, Zach, will be caring for the boys…and the new puppy. Even though Coco’s crate (I call it her hidey-hole) is very large, we’re going to put it in the back of the truck, and deliver it to Zach with the boys. Coco sleeps very well in her crate at night and we don’t want that to end…
Published on January 14, 2015
I was very interested in the question by “Paid But Angry,” who had submitted an article that was then rewritten and published under his/her name with errors. A similar situation happened at my workplace about 15 years ago, when the company decided to start a newsletter. A co-worker and I wrote an article about our boss in a witty, gently teasing tone. We ran it past her before submitting and she said it was great and had made her laugh.
When the newsletter was distributed, we were horrified to discover that the editor had added a badly-written, long paragraph at the end of the article extolling the virtues of our boss in a syrupy, cloying tone and had also somehow managed to insert 22 (yes, twenty-two!) typographical errors into our formerly pristine work.
Needless to say, my co-author and I were furious and embarrassed; over 300 employees would read this dreck and think we had written it. I wrote an email to the editor requesting a retraction/correction. The next day, I was called on the carpet by my boss’s boss, who said I had “hurt his (the editor’s) feelings” and that if I didn’t let it go, I would be written up!
All these years later, I still get angry just thinking about it! So I can definitely feel the pain of “Paid But Angry” and understand exactly how s/he feels. I wish I had been brave enough back then to pursue getting the retraction and I hope s/he has a more satisfying outcome.
– L.
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Published on January 14, 2015
writing career advice
Writers are dealt a tough hand. We see little early correlation between effort, talent, and profit; we slave over details until our eyes water, just to expose ourselves to criticism. Small wonder that Googling “writers as masochists” returned more than 3 million results.
But, are you more of a masochist than necessary? Are you criticizing yourself more than the critics, demanding more of yourself than any editor would?
