The Creative Process of Creating a “How To” Book – Violet Ivy
Here is a simple, tried and true formula that I use to compose a “how to” book…
A Large Canadian Publisher Owes Me Money. What Can I Do?
Throughout my long freelance-writing career, I’ve used your “deadbeat” suggestions as a template for a demand letter at least three times when companies wouldn’t pay me for my work. It worked every time. Well, almost every time. In one case, I was sent partial payment for my work (one-third); then the company went out of business. But I understand that other writers received zero, so even then, the letter worked.
But, what recourse do I have if the publisher isn’t in the United States? Threatening to report them to the attorney general and other U.S.-based organizations won’t work.
I ask because a Canadian magazine owes me money. It’s part of a pretty large, fairly well-known publishing company with a portfolio of several publications.
After I wrote the story to my editor’s specifications, she decided she wanted a much longer, more detailed sidebar, which took a ton of additional time and research, but I cheerfully complied and didn’t ask for more money for the extra work. She said (in writing) that the pieces were great and she loved them, and I have the emails to prove this.
Nearly four months have passed, but I have not received one penny. My editor has been giving me the run-around, telling me that she put a “rush” on my payment (she said this on January 11), and she has sent me a few other emails telling me that she’s asked the accounting department to “find” my invoice.
Realizing that I wasn’t getting anywhere, I contacted the accounting department directly. I asked, “When will I get paid?” I received this beat-around-the-bush response:
“Please accept my apology for the delay in replying. It has been quite a difficult start of the week for me. We are working hard at meeting all of our financial obligations…”
This sounds to me like there are no immediate plans to write that check.
I then wrote a note to the magazine’s editor in chief, who has not responded.
Do you have suggestions for next steps?
We Love Comedy Shows!!!
Richard and I spent the weekend in St. Petersburg and we had a blast! We were invited by comedian Bobby Kelton to Rhonda Shear’s Comedy PJ Party, where he was a performer…
Authors Should NOT Begin a Book with an Apology
I was reviewing a novel the other day and noticed one of the first pages in the book was an apology by the author. She apologized for using real locations in her novel. I know what you’re thinking. Why apologize for that? An apologetic author actually isn’t that uncommon. When reviewing manuscripts submitted for consideration to BookLocker.com, I have seen public apologies from authors in books for a variety of reasons…
Does Your Child’s School Own Your Child’s Writing?
Hi Angela,
Back in November my son’s school sent me this form to sign and I refused. They wanted claim not only over my son’s work – but mine as well! Everyone laughed at me and called me paranoid, but then you posted your article. Not so paranoid anymore. Thank you!
Here is the language the district used:
“Consent to the use, release, and/or publication by the District of my and/or my child’s name, image (in any form) and creative work through any medium whatsoever, including but not limited to, the internet, written publication, and broadcast for any educational, editorial, promotional, business or other purpose without prior notice or compensation. The District may exercise its rights as it deems appropriate for its productions, for advertising, and for other purposes. By signing below, I intend for the District to rely upon this Release”
Scary stuff, huh?
Best regards,
Rissa
Feedback, Consider the Source and More – Rich Mintzer
If a writer writes and nobody reads it is he or she still a writer? On behalf of those who have written some remarkable diaries, stories or screenplays that have been neatly tucked away in drawers or saved in password protected files, writing can certainly be a self-fulfilling undertaking. But for many writers the next step is to invite others into their world, to read their work, explore their thoughts and possibly open the door to the wide range of responses, reactions and opinions that we collectively call feedback. It is from such feedback that we can re-think, re-shape and re-rewrite our work, unless of course we choose to simply reject it. Yes, as writers, we do have the power over feedback to accept it, question it, utilize some of it or simply ignore it…
Can I re-publish/distribute articles I’ve been featured in? No.
At different points in my life, many articles were written about me. I have them all scanned and ready for inclusion in my new book. Is that allowed?
Don’t Forget about Your Day Job – Diane Stark
Five years ago, I resigned from my job as a kindergarten teacher. While I loved teaching, I longed to be a stay-at-home mom and try my hand at freelance writing. I’d been writing in my spare time for a few years, and I wanted to pursue the craft more seriously.
Although I’m not currently teaching in the classroom, I still use my teaching experience all the time in my writing career…
Field Trip!
We have relatives in town again. Seems everybody wants to come visit us in Florida when there’s lots of snow on the ground up north. 😉
Could Your Employer Own Your Writing?
In case you missed it, there was a news item this week about a school district trying take copyrights from teachers AND students. It’s pretty disturbing. How can an employer or a school take ownership of someone’s copyrights? Easy. That person (or the parent of a student) would have to sign a contract granting ownership to the school district/employer. Parents could easily refuse to do so but, let’s face it, most people don’t read contracts and just blindly sign on the dotted line. For employees, it could be a problem…unless you approach it the right way…