Ask The Expert

Can I Post My Sold Articles on My Website?

Published on October 7, 2009

I've had lots of stuff published in the consumer zines and in professional journals. I'd like to take some of these and put them on my MySpace thingie, hoping perhaps it'll generate more business. My concern is that the articles and manuscripts essentially now belong to others and I was wondering if, even though I was the author and they would be going onto a social networking site, if plagiarism issues can result. If so, what if I added to each article or manuscript "This article/manuscript appeared in such-and-such magazine (or journal) on (whatever date)"? Would that cover me? Or, should I just drop the whole idea altogether? …

Should I Pay a Site to Showcase My Work to Editors?

Published on September 30, 2009

I'd like your opinion of the new Reptile Media site posted online. Writers are supposed to post unpublished articles on the site. Editors are supposed to look at the site, pick the ones they like and make an offer to the writer. This saves the trouble of writing a query letter or targeting a publication. Besides writing on spec, it seems like it would be open season for the people that steal other writers' work. Your opinion? …

Book Formatting, Fonts, and an Index? What’s best?

Published on September 16, 2009

Book Formatting, Fonts, and an Index? What’s best?

I'm starting to write a book from my journal memoirs and it's around 550 pages in Word. What format and font/style, etc. should I create it in so that it can more easily be published later? How do I set up a proper index? …

But…What If Somebody Steals My Book?!

Published on September 9, 2009

I'm really in a muddle about epublishing because I can't figure HOW it works. If I put my book online and someone wishes to buy it, how does that happen? I do understand there is no way to prevent people from burning my book on CD's and selling them or giving them away. That's the down side. But I don't understand why people cannot just download the book to begin with. Please explain at your convenience. …

Do Non-fiction Books Need Agents?

Published on September 2, 2009

Do you suggest getting an agent for nonfiction books? Or sending the book proposal directly to a publisher? …

Should I Hire a Printer or a Publishing Service?

Published on August 26, 2009

I have completed a business book. It was written using Word and I have converted it to pdf. The front and back covers are designed and saved as Word files along with the spine design. I have an ISBN and have assigned a number to the book. I am considering going to a standard printer, but would like to consider going with a POD publisher instead, or maybe also. Does this make sense? …

Royalties Based on List Price vs. Net Profit

Published on August 5, 2009

I'm feeling a little stupid - I read on your website that iUniverse gives authors only a 20% royalty for a book sold on Amazon. However, if I understand correctly, your royalty (for wholesale orders) is only 15%, which is even less. What am I missing? …

How Can I Get My Book Into Bookstores?

Published on July 29, 2009

How can I get my book into bookstores? Would I go up to the purchasing agent of that bookstore and tell them about my book? Or will they not work with me? …

Google EVERY Company That Asks You to Pay Money or Sign a Contract!

Published on July 22, 2009

I received this e-mail from an agent I queried for my novel. ANYTIME a prospective agent offers editing services as part of their "full package", AND at the author's expense, it raises a red flag. To me it's a complete conflict of interest. What do you think? …

Freelance Job-Bidding Website

Published on July 15, 2009

It's a service for freelancers in several fields. The writing jobs are incredibly low paid ($1.00 per page...$15 for a 1000-word article!).…

What Is Happening to Editors’ Manners?!

Published on July 8, 2009

I am curious to know your take on a situation I have encountered the last few months with publications--their editors, in particular--whose "writers wanted" ads I have responded to after seeing them listed in WritersWeekly's jobs and opportunities. The issue is this: professional courtesy and timeliness in responding to e-mail and returning phone calls. …

Should I Serialize My New Novel BEFORE It’s Published?

Published on July 1, 2009

Q. The editor of the local paper, who serialized my first book after it was published, suggests I serialize my next book as it progresses, BEFORE publication. What do you suggest? A. The original star of electronic book serialization (not newspaper) was famous novelist Doug Clegg. Years ago, long before Stephen King took a shot at it, Clegg was distributing a free chapter of his book to his fans every Friday, via email... …

Can I Copy This Without Permission? Nope!

Published on June 24, 2009

In writing my autobiography, is it okay to incorporate material one sees on the Internet if there are no conditons such as; "cannot be copied, etc., without the author's permission?" …

Which Rights Did I Give Up?

Published on May 27, 2009

I wrote an article for a small magazine that was accepted for their January 2005 issue. There were no rights discussed (I'm not so naive now!), just the acceptance, which read that they had accepted my article and to let them know if I had any questions. Now I would like to use the article in its entirety in my upcoming book. Do I need to secure permission? …

Can I Quote This Celebrity?

Published on May 20, 2009

I want to publish a funny celebrity quote on my book cover. Can I legally do this? …

Sending Chapters Into Magazines As Articles

Published on May 13, 2009

I think I heard somewhere that if one is writing a book on the subject, you can't take chapters and send them into magazines as articles. But, I don't know if that's true, and don't know the reasoning behind it. …

The Squawking Bird Gets the First Payment!

Published on February 25, 2009

A publishing firm owes me payment for a British-English copy edit completed in late August. On 23 September 2008 I sent an invoice for an American-English copy edit. Those are the only jobs I've done for the firm... …

Should I Name Names in My Memoir?

Published on February 11, 2009

Between what I've written prior to your class and all the new stories cascading from your memory triggers, I need some advice. I'm writing to ask a question about naming real characters in stories. Since this is a memoir, I figured it's appropriate to keep honest and name names. It's certainly easier to keep track of everyone this way. However, some of the people I have written about are not likely to appreciate this. For example, I had a fourth grade teacher who went around the bend one day. I'm quite sure she's dead, but who knows? Then, there was the bully at school. Although his crime was nothing to alert the S.W.A.T. team over, it had a huge impact on me. Oh, and my family? I had 41 first cousins, 35 on my Mother's side. They couldn't agree on a memory if they were there. HELP! How do you suggest I handle this? …

Bargain Basement PODs – You Get What You Pay For

Published on February 4, 2009

I am considering two different POD companies, BookLocker and CreateSpace. From what I can see, CreateSpace (owned by Amazon) has no set up fee but you pay a little more for each book sold. Honestly, after reading all the information you provide, I like your approach and I have purchased a book from you and I like the way it feels and looks, but I am having trouble justifying paying $500 when I can pay $0 in set up fees. Can you tell me if I am missing something with CreateSpace? I see they are not one of the companies you discussed in the comparison article. Thanks for any additional information you can provide! …

POD and Returns

Published on January 28, 2009

I was reading the web page of Booklocker.com and I saw your name in there. What I would like to know is; are there any POD publishers out there who take books back from the bookstores? …

What is AP Style?

Published on January 21, 2009

I have a question, in a guideline I received it said that the submissions should be in "AP" style. I have looked all over the place or places and I can find no reference to AP style. Do you know what that means? Please help!! …

Why Do Some Pubs Offer Such Insulting Pay?

Published on January 14, 2009

Just a short note to state my opinion about the way writers are paid. Personally I think it is an insult what some magazines offer. How can you ask for 6,000 words and pay between $10.00 & $25.00 for it? I don't know of any writers who can knock off 6,000 words the first time without several rewrites. Do they think they are doing us a favor by publishing what we write??? They certainly aren't paying for the privilege of using our work. This isn't just a few. It is most of what I've come across. It takes me forever to find an editor willing to pay for what they want. They ask for perfection and offer zilch in return. Who works for 10 cents an hour. Writers???? Why do they offer such a piss poor excuse for a payment! I was in business management and accounting. That was the way to support my family. Now I'm disabled and I can do what I love, writing. Maybe I think in dollars and cents because of my previous occupation but I don't think it's right to offer next to nothing for hard work. I've searched many places and it is an insult to be offered a nothing amount. Why do they do that?? …

When a Publisher Gets Behind, the Squeaky Wheel Gets Paid First

Published on January 7, 2009

A local publication owes me $325 and change for several stories of mine it published in October and November (originally scheduled for September, but they cancelled that issue). Over the past six weeks I've received probably a half-dozen promises that payment was forthcoming ("at the end of the week", "next week", "overnight by Friday", etc.). Finally, after much frustrated follow-up, I received an e-mail from the publisher saying that advertising has been slow (which I knew), he is owed a lot of money by advertisers, he hasn't taken payment himself in three months and he hopes things will be better after the new year. I'm sympathetic, but this doesn't change the fact that I'm owed money for work I did at his request more than three months ago - and a portion of what I'm owed is even repayment for an expense I incurred at his request. Do you have any tips for squeezing blood out of a turnip, as it were? What is my recourse? Is there any binding way for me to make sure that when money does come in to him, he pays me before he pays expenses for a next issue? …

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