Can You Recommend Specific Markets For My Articles?
I have a few articles about optics (binoculars, spotting scopes, riflescopes, etc.). Any guidance in where I may publish them? …
Ask The Expert
Should I Pay A Marketing Spammer To Review My Book?
There's a company by the name of [removed] and they want to review my book for a very expensive price. Any advice? …
Upscale Magazine Wants Me To Quote A Rate For My Article. What Do I Do?
The editor of (an upscale magazine) just asked what compensation I'm seeking for an article I submitted. Do you have anything in your database that might help me out with a compensation answer to this dicey question? …
If I Publish My Own Work Online, Can I Still Sell First Rights Elsewhere?
There are pieces--short fiction and memoirs--on my web site that I want to submit to paying markets. Are those pieces considered "published" and therefore ineligible? If so, would they become eligible if I remove them? …
I Have A Writing Degree But No Recent Clips! Help!!
I've been out of the writing game for quite some time. Achieved a B.A. in writing from Ithaca College, and wrote a weekly sports page in a small town for a start-up newspaper for approximately nine months. I am a professional firefighter with a lot of time on my hands, and would like to spend some of my free time blogging or writing on the Internet. How do I get started with little to no recent samples? …
How Much Should I Charge For Legacy Writing?
I live in India and, while we have many biographers for famous people and achievers, we do not have legacy writers, at least that I know of. I have figured out the process, identified printers, etc., but I am stuck at how to charge my customers. I want to start soon and this is the one aspect that I am unable to figure out... …
Should I Write Free, Unique Samples On Request When Applying For Writing Jobs? NO!
In my job search, I've sometimes been asked to write free samples for people before being hired and I'm wondering what I should do in that situation. I've been in the industry for 18 years now and I feel like my body of work should speak for me. …
Can You Recommend A Legal Resource For Authors?
Know that I will be filing for some copyrights, etc, but I'm chiefly concerned with what assurances, permissions or protections I have from naming other people and citing their work or quotes in my book. It's a positive, nonfiction piece and I cite my sources, but I'm not sure what's considered fair use or in bounds. Would like a legal expert to review and advise... …
AN EDITOR WHO REJECTED MY QUERY GOT MAD AT ME FOR SELLING THE ARTICLE TO HIS COMPETITOR!
If Online Newspaper editor says no, is it wrong to pitch it to others who may or may not overlap in coverage area? …
MY P.O.D. PUBLISHER WENT OUT OF BUSINESS. WHAT DO I DO???
I had a book published by (a small P.O.D. publisher) in the US and it has been on sale since Oct. 2011, I have received no royalties, no answers to my emails, and now all emails are sent back. The editing was disgraceful (no errors fixed, etc.) and they took a lot longer than my contract stated to publish it. I have seen no advertising as was promised. In fact, they did not adhere to any of their contract. I have cancelled my contract, but they are still selling it on Amazon and other similar sites. I really don't know what to do about it. I'm completely at my wit's end. …
Can I Use Actual Bank Names In My Novel? It Depends…
I would appreciate your opinion regarding libel content. I have situations in my book indicating cyber intrusions within (two national banks) implicating employees. I have the normal caveat indicating the characters and incidents are the imagination of the author. Do you think that is sufficient? …
Want to Get Sued? Write About Your Ex!
Well...my dilemma is that the person I would write about is my ex-husband, who would probably pursue vengeance on me, but there is a chance he might not. I am not going to pursue any vindication on him or try to slander him, but only to convey my testimony as to how I became a better person because of my experiences with, through, and because of him. I don't want any potential lawsuit, but I also cannot publish under another name or deny the truth that I want to write. In other words, I don't want to hide. Perhaps as I write, I will end up fictionalizing it, but I won't know until I am finished writing if that will be the result. I want to share my story and I hope it will help people. I have asked other authors what they know about lawsuits on this, and they don't know or they say to trust and write it anyway. Do you have any other information in addition to that other article? …
Another Question on Using Song Lyrics
My question - because my new novel is devoted to lines from various songs, does it matter how old the song is? What about songs from the 40s, for instance? …
One of the Most Common Questions We Receive – Can I publish song lyrics?
My manuscript is in final review before I take the steps of submitting. In my last novel, it was my understanding that ANY line from a copyrighted song must be granted permission by whoever holds the copyright. I did more recent research and found something stating I can use two lines from song lyrics. Is this true? …
Am I at Risk of Being Sued?
I just read your troubling article on the risk to writers of being sued. I'm writing a mystery that names no actual person and is not based on actual events. It's pure fiction, BUT it is set in Naples, Florida, and it focuses on invented rich people in an unflattering way (I lived there for a number of years). Based on this obviously superficial description, do you see any reason I should be worried? People have an egotistical way of seeing themselves in what's written, even or perhaps especially when it's negative. And the rich can do something about it, even when there's no basis for offense other than--in the case of my story--being rich themselves. …
I Based My Character On My Elderly Client/Friend. Do I Really Need A Notarized Release? Yes!
I emailed you awhile back that one of the main characters in my new book is modeled after my client, who is in his 90s. There is an agreement/contract that I typed up and had him sign but it's difficult for him to get around. I did not have the contract notarized at a local bank, etc. because of this. He was fine with everything and his daughter read over the contract as well and had no issues. He's become a very good friend and I don't foresee any issues. …
When Editors Hold Articles Hostage
I now have three pieces that have been awaiting publication for several months - around …
Does Traditional Publishing Guarantee Sales? Heck no!
Does having a book traditionally published mean I'll have more sales than a self-published book? …
How Much Should I Charge a Publisher to Use My Blog Posts in a Book?
I'm wondering if you have ever had inquiries or questions regarding selling permissions to use blog posts in books. I'm trying to determine a fair price to charge a textbook publisher who wants non exclusive rights to reprint a portion of content in educational material for multiple years (unlimited prints and digital media). …
Amazon’s Perpetual Book Listing Errors!
Today, I looked at my book on Amazon.com and saw it listed for sale for $2.76. That's a WOW! and almost surely a mistake on their part. Can you get them to fix it? …
I Don’t Like Amazon. Can I Cut Them Out of the Profit Loop When Selling My Book?
I realize I'm getting ahead of myself here as I'm yet to publish anything, but on the day I do...is choosing not to list with Amazon a realistic option? …
Angela Angers a So-Called “Publisher”
We pay (an insulting rate) for non-fiction articles up to 1,000 words. Can we be featured in WritersWeekly? …
How Do I Subtly (and Effectively) Promote My Book When “Commenting” on Articles?
I've been consistently following the advice in your book, 90 DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan. I have a question about signatures. I've been commenting on the news and other blog sites, and typing in my "signature" - [Name, Author, Title of Book].. When I do this, do you advise to try to create a direct hyperlink to my site, or is this spamming and against guidelines? I've been copying/pasting a typewritten signature. I'm not sure you can even create a hyperlink in comments but some of the research says I can and it would be easier to go directly to my site if you don't think this would red flag me on the various sites I go to. …
Should I Send This Professor A Copy Of My Book?
I've received a request for a "review" copy from a professor in England... …
Do I Need Permission To Publish My Clips On My Website?
Do I need permission from each of the publications in which my work has been published? …
Will My 686 Meg Book Make A Good Ebook? No!
I'm a professional American writer. My travel ebook has 330 color photos and is 686 megs so I must use a file sharing site to upload it. Is this a problem? I am planning a series of these travel ebooks. …
Why Isn’t That Editor Responding to Me?
You ran a market listing in a recent issue. I emailed the editor and they haven't emailed me back. Why do you run markets from companies like that? You need to remove it! …
Can One Software Program Make ‘Device Agnostic’ Ebooks?
I recently read that the author of the Harry Potter series set up her own online store to sell her books direct. She said she is going to make them "device agnostic". I presume she means so they can be read on any e-book reader. Is there one software program you can use that makes your e-book available to all e-book readers? With so many players now in the e-book business, and so many options, some of which are exclusive to a particular company or device, how do I know as I get ready to self-publish what is the best way to go to ensure anyone with an e-reader can easily buy my book and have it work on their device? Do you make ebooks you publish at BookLocker device agnostic? …
Why Hasn’t Amazon Removed My Out-of-Print Book?
I decided to pull my book off the market a few months ago, rename it, and republish it elsewhere (I was not happy with my previous P.O.D. publisher). My previous publisher said they removed the book but it's still on Amazon. How can I make them remove it? I don't want the old version competing with the new. …
Confused About “Likes” vs. “Friends” on Facebook
The confusing thing for me about Facebook 'likes' is that Forbes prefers us to encourage 'friends', which can be done with my personal FB page. I created a writer page (a business one), but it just feels redundant....so I'm still not sure what the importance of it is. …