Complaints about FastPencil!
FastPencil has a lowly C- rating at the Better Business Bureau...but that's not all!…
Ask The Expert
“I can’t get my files from my defunct publisher and I don’t have a copy of the edited manuscript, nor the illustrations! Help!!”
After Tate Publishing's downfall, this author has nothing left of her original works...…
“My designer created un-printable files, and wants to charge me to fix them!”
Q – I’ve written an art book – 12 x 14 with many color pictures, about…
“What legal recourse can I take against CreateSpace for over-payment and unacceptable book quality?”
5 "complimentary" books to accommodate the $224 price difference?! WHAT?!?! That's $44.90 per book!!!…
“How much should I pay my anthology contributors…and what rights do I need?”
"Did you pay the writers who contributed to to your book, "QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments?" Or, did they simply give them to you?"…
“What does ‘royalty-free’ REALLY mean? Can I use it for free??” NOPE!!!
Q – On a stock photo website, I found a photo that I’d really like to…
“Did I make a mistake only publishing my book in electronic format? ZERO COPIES SOLD!”
I put up my book on Amazon's Kindle last year for almost a year but not a single copy was sold. Did I do something wrong?…
“Did you sell my phone number to a scammer?!” No, but your phone company probably did!
Scammers can EASILY find authors' names and phone numbers on the Internet! Hang up on them!!…
“I need a GOOD editor for my autobiography! Where can I find one?!”
This author needs to find an editor. Whom can she trust? …
Q&A: “This vanity publisher says they’re going to DISTRIBUTE my book to 5,000 organizations!!” UM, NO, THEY’RE NOT!
Don't fall for this very common (phony!) marketing blurbage!!! …
“Is this bookstore discriminating against self-published authors?”
Discrimination against self-published authors is not new but, in today's society, figuring out which authors are self-published is now much easier.…
“My publisher went out of business but I only have one printed copy of my book…and no files!”
No electronic files? The fix is simple!…
Ask the Expert
Angela answers your questions about writing and publishing. …
“Should I Take Out a Loan to Publish My Poetry Book?” NO!!
"My only source of income is social security. I tell you this because if you accept my work I'll have to take out a loan from my bank..."…
“42 people ‘liked’ my promotional post but nobody bought my book! Why not?!”
"Lots of people (42 on one) liked my book promo post but still I see no sales. Why?" Read the answer here...…
Arrrghhh!!! When a so-called “literary agent” is really a fee-based publisher…
When a "literary agent" offers to "publish" your book ... run for the hills! Here's why...…
“Should I hire a ghostwriter…or do the writing myself?”
What you need to know before hiring a ghostwriter.…
“I’m a convicted felon. Will you write my story, and help me land a publishing deal?”
A family of felons actually wanted me to help them profit from their crimes!…
“Why aren’t ISBNs free in the U.S. when they ARE free in some other countries?”
This isn't Angela's only beef with the U.S. ISBN agency!…
“Can you tell me if there’s a market for a book about (insert any topic here)?”
I am frequently approached by authors who tell me about a book idea they have, and ask me if I think it will sell. Here's what I say...…
“An author died and the publisher wants to put MY name on the new edition?!”
Can a publisher name someone else as the "author"...after an author's death?…
“I want to charge a realistic amount for this freelance job. How much should that be?”
Freelancers, be VERY careful when doing work for an un-established start-up...…
“What’s a good (and cheap) way to send my book to reviewers and buyers?”
"Plain 6x9 envelope? Bubble wrap envelope, etc.? Any other mailing advice?"…
Q&A – “A conference organizer didn’t order my books on time!”
"On the day of my speech, it was determined that there were no books there for me to sign or sell!"…
“Will renting my ebook to libraries lead to more book sales?” Not likely! Here’s why…
"I once heard of a library that was copying ebooks onto CDs and thumbdrives for their customers, meaning multiple copies were walking out the door! Not only were authors NOT getting paid for each copy but..."…
“AuthorHouse Won’t Refund My Money. Who Should I Call?”
I have been working with AuthorHouse to publish my book. It has now been almost 2 years! …
“Should I pay a service to track queries I send to magazines?”
Writers can get so caught up in the "newest" site that offers submission tracking ("Ooooh! Pie charts and bar graphs!!") that they spend very little time actually querying and writing. They're too busy looking at statistics, chatting with other writers online, and not really getting any money-making work done.…
Uh Oh! Cutting Corners with your Self-Published Book Can Cost Time AND Money
I hired an (overseas) firm that promised 5-day turn-around and cheap prices on cover design and book formatting, I decided to have them handle those tasks for my book. It's now been 40 days and...…
“Angela, have you seen what Amazon’s doing with their ‘buy’ buttons now?!”
Amazon is allowing resellers to "win" buy buttons on their book pages, which means some books will no longer be for sale directly through Amazon! Read more...…
“Where can I read past winners of your quarterly 24-hour short story contest?”
The WritersWeekly 24-Hour Short Story Contest is in its 18th year!…
