Published on March 17, 2010
WHO’S SCAMMING GRANNY? Snakes That Prey on Elderly Authors
Dear Ms. Hoy:
Your article about shifty agents conning the elderly was very sad and informative. It almost happened to my mother years ago when she used to write a local interest column for our city newspaper. She was working on a New England novel concerning the Isles of Shoals when an ‘agent’ contacted her. (He had read her column and gushed about how much potential she had.) He said for a reasonable fee she could get pubished, become famous, and not have to depend on my deceased father’s pension. Fortunately, my older brother got wind of this, became suspicious, tracked down the ‘agent’ in Worcester and discovered he had a ‘rap’ sheet’ of related scams beforehand. My mother was embarrassed and disappointed, but relieved.
I’m 61 myself, and I have learned to be cautious, and not quit my day job.
Regards,
Doug
THE AMAZON SETTLEMENT
Bravo! Congratulations on the settlement, Angela. You continually amaze and impress me with your committment to ethics, quality and doing the right thing even when it is far easier not to. Please know how much you are appreciated and admired.
My Best,
Debra Sanders
https://www.debrasanders.com
Published on March 17, 2010
“Diversify. Broaden your client base. Earn more money.” This is typical advice given to corporate writers. But the risk of non-payment runs high when working with new clients – particularly small-to-medium-sized companies with fluctuating cash flow.
Published on March 17, 2010
Here is my dilemma. I have worked for (a content mill) since July of last year. Sure, they pay steady, every week, but since seeing (a complaint posted about them online), I am not so sure about job security. This company pays just $5 for a 550-word article, and so I have to do 10-15 articles a day, just to make enough money to support my family. Sure I get a lot of repeat clients, and have a pretty stable article base, but there are so many days that I am working so long, I don’t have time to spend with my family.
Published on March 17, 2010
Several months ago I self-published my first novel, Cyberkill, through BookLocker. It has recently been acquired by a traditional publisher called TrapDoor Books.
Published on March 10, 2010
On Monday, I got a bit of work done. Zach decided he wanted to spend his last full day here shopping. Max had been excited about Zach coming because, unlike Ali, “Zach likes to do fun stuff, not shopping!” So, Max was pretty surprised to learn we were going shopping, not go-kart riding or laser-tagging…
Read more HERE.
This week’s Maxism:
“Mom, what does it feel like to get electrocuted?”
Hugs to all!
Angela
Published on March 10, 2010
Your article on review copies is right on. I am an author, but have also run a review site (often with up to four reviewers working), and have done so for ten years. We have strict guidelines of what does and doesn’t get reviewed at AUTHOR’S CHOICE REVIEWS.
Always check out the web site. Make sure it is legit, and follow the guidelines for submission.
Too many authors waste my time and theirs on books that do not “fit” our guidelines. I wrote my own article about this: https://www.associatedcontent.com/article/908841/how_to_get_a_book_reviewed.html?cat=35
Your article will save authors time, energy and $$, and save reviewers like me from frustration. I certainly do not like to see authors wasting their money.
Thanks.
Carolyn R. Scheidies
History, Mystery, Romance…and Hope
I DEAL IN HOPE
https://IDealinHope.com
AUTHOR’S CHOICE REVIEWS
https://IDealinHope.com/bookreviews
BLOG
https://IDealinHope.com/blog
12 STEPS TO BECOMING AN AUTHOR
https://BeAnAuthorToday.com
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Angela –
Thank you for (again!) your invaluable advice, this time on the best way to send out review copies to book reviewers.
I gain so much vital information from your eNewsletter — thank you for all you do!
Very best,
Caroline
Published on March 10, 2010
It all started in October, when I answered an ad for a freelance writer. I was to write articles and blog entries. The pay was alright, $75 for articles and $50 for blogs. The editor had me working daily; I was thrilled. She was full of praise over my pitches and articles, and made comments such as, “Work your magic.”
Published on March 10, 2010
I was raised in a middle-class, university-educated, secular Scottish home, while a friend of mine grew up in a sprawling and deeply religious Texas family. I’m always fascinated to hear about her marriage, her experiences at Bible camp, and her rebellious and reactionary adolescence. I realized that she was equally interested in my life with my girlfriend, and dealing with my father’s mental health issues. She thought that her life was normal and slightly dull, just as I thought the same about mine; yet to one another, our lives were completely different and completely fascinating.
Published on March 3, 2010
On Monday and Tuesday, we worked frantically on business stuff and Max got ahead in his school work. We wanted to get caught up so we could take some time off when our oldest son, Zach, arrives this week. However, a large Nor
Published on March 3, 2010
book marketing, self-publishing
One of the biggest mistakes new authors make is believing that blindly mailing copies of their book (or, worse, emailing copies of their ebook) will result in sure-fire coverage by book reviewers and journalists. They waste this valuable opportunity by making several common mistakes.
