Ask The Expert

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? …

Is This A Scam?

Published on December 23, 2008

I'm active on a new forum and have received two emails from someone in Spain asking to buy 40 "combo" packages ASAP. I had to repeatedly explain that I don't do that kind of shipping and he should contact my publisher. Is this a scam? …

Should I Sign a Contract That Doesn’t Even Mention Compensation?

Published on December 10, 2008

Is it common for freelancers to get an "offer" to write while also being told that more details of their assignment will come after they sign a contract and return it? The contract in question has a space in section two where it states that the details and pay rates for the assignment will be given out at a different time and on a separate contract. …

What Should I Include in My Website to Promote My Book?

Published on November 19, 2008

I purchased a two-year, 5-page, "website tonight" package from GoDaddy.com for $45/year. I would appreciate any suggestions you might have regarding important things that should be included? …

Contest Submissions and Giving Up Rights

Published on October 29, 2008

As I read it, I give up all rights if I submit to this [Glamour magazine] contest and the copyright is worthless. Do you agree? …

Hey! They Stole My Article!

Published on October 22, 2008

I found an article I wrote online, published without my permission. They claim they got permission from another company (the company I first sold the article to - and it was *not* a work-for-hire job!). I sent them an invoice. However, they didn't agree to pay my invoice, only to remove my article. What should I do? Tell him that's not good enough. You can't take away somebody's copyrights and then restore them just like that (snap!). It's like spending someone's rare coin at the store and then trying to pay them back with a quarter. And, the fact that they got caught using stolen goods isn't your concern. They shouldn't be publishing articles without speaking to the writer directly. Obviously, you can't always trust companies that claim they have permission to resell/share articles with others. …

How Did Google Books Get My Book?

Published on October 8, 2008

I thoroughly enjoy WritersWeekly, and especially appreciate your views about the publishing industry. An acquaintance wrote me recently to tell me that he saw my book posted on Google Books. I hadn't heard of Google Books and was somewhat shocked to discover a majority of my book's pages posted in full on the site. Isn't this protected by a copyright? Is this good or bad for authors and publishers? I'd love to hear your opinion! …

Should I Send Money to This Website for Writers?

Published on October 1, 2008

I wanted a work at home job so I signed up for a work at home site. I got an email saying FreelanceHomeWriters.com is a legitimate site. I have not paid anything yet. I'm very skeptical because they are wanting 2.95 to ship a cd, then after seven days 40 dollars or something like that monthly. I was wondering if you know if this is a scam or not? …

Shouldn’t I Get More Pay for More Rights?

Published on August 20, 2008

I recently started writing a quarterly feature article for a (company's) newsletter, which is in an email and online. Now the coordinator of that newsletter and website is asking if (another division), which is over their department, can edit and use my article within their website, too. Before I answer her, please help me understand about electronic rights. + Is it standard to charge for reuse? I know that in print, you can often charge for reuse. + Is there a guideline for how much that might be? + And since the rights she was purchasing weren't spelled out at the onset, any recommendations to how we should proceed? I want to preserve both of these relationships (I write for the other dept publication as well), but don't want to leave hundreds of dollars on the table when it could add up if they reuse my articles in the future. …

Public Domain…Or Not?

Published on August 13, 2008

I am working on a manuscript adapting one of Shakespeare's plays for the education market. If I wanted to include Shakespeare's original play, will I be able to do it? The basic play, is in the public domain. I have typed the original play from a collection printed in 1825. Your suggestions are valued and appreciated. …

Are Commercial Writing Courses Legit?

Published on August 10, 2008

Do you know if this course is legit, or of anyone who has participated in this program? Any news of it, good, bad, or indifferent? I have tried to search the Web, but I don't come up with much--some pro, some con, but no substance to lead me to pursue it or to disregard it.…

How Much Time To Wait For Editor’s Response?

Published on August 6, 2008

I have magazine publishers/editors ask me for a manuscript after sending a query letter but then they never wrote back to say they wanted it or didn't want it. Should I e-mail them and ask if they got it or wait? And how long should I wait? Are they being rude or am I being anxious? …

Unsolicited Promotional Email Plan

Published on July 23, 2008

I received a call from (a certain POD company) today asking me to participate in a promotional email plan for my book. The web address they sent me to look up specifics of the plan is (link removed). What do you think? …

Should I Send My Money to this Go Freelance?

Published on July 16, 2008

I am a writer that receives your WritersWeekly newsletter. Thank you for being so on top of these fake jobs, and menial rewards for writers. I enjoy reading your comments. I was wondering if you have ever heard of a company called "Go Freelance", which posts jobs for freelancers, as well as other jobs. It's $2.95 a month subscription charge with the supposed option of dropping the subscription at any time. If you have, I would appreciate your response. …

I Need My High-Resolution Files From My Pod Publisher!

Published on July 2, 2008

I've written you before but I still have questions. My first book was published by (another POD publisher) and I'm not quite satisfied with some of the services I received for the price I paid. The experience has left me a little insecure and hesitant to try another publisher. One service they provided that was helpful in promoting the book were postcards and bookmarks. I haven't read anything about your company providing them. Do you? If not, will the individual who'll be designing the cover provide me with something I can take to a copier? …

Are You Afraid of Ebook Pirates? Don’t Be!

Published on May 28, 2008

One of the concerns I had about ebook versus printed book is that someone who wants to use my book in a seminar can pay $8.95, print it out, and then make 100 copies to pass out instead of buying 100 books to use in the seminar. Is there any way to prevent that or are we at the mercy of whoever downloads my book? I would rather have someone buy many books instead of just paying a single price and copying. A. …

Can You Copyright a Recipe?

Published on May 21, 2008

First I want to thank you for all the work you do helping us budding writers. Thank you for including me on your mailing list. I have a question. My family has been after me to write a family cookbook with all their many favorite recipes. Through the years I have clipped recipes here and there. Some are my mother's or grandmother's. I have no idea where they originated from. Of course, I would write it mainly for family, but what if it became a New York Times best seller? (Just kidding.) But, friends or others might want to buy it. How could I ever trace down the original recipe for permission? Some of the recipes I have changed a little. (I thought I made it better.) I have bought cookbooks from local fundraisers and I can't find disclaimers. Could you help me? Thank you so much! Joan We get this question quite a bit so I try to run a ditty on it at least once a year. :) There is actually a special page on the Library of Congress website concerning the copyrighting of recipes. See: https://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl122.html …

Plagiarism Questions

Published on May 14, 2008

In my book, the protagonist will be a writer. I want to give this character some goofy stories to write about in the book. My questions is, if any of these "stories" are based on, say, urban legend or goofy news reports I've read, is using those stories for ideas considered plagiarism? I would of course NOT copy and paste anything or write anything verbatim, just get the idea from an existing urban legend or goofy news piece I may have read. …

That Never-Ending “Amazon.com Best Seller” Crud

Published on May 7, 2008

Hi Angela! Following is an email announcement that I received today. (Name removed) has been around for quite some time, and while he has done these special promotions to buy his latest book from Amazon on a designated day, this one is the most elaborate "giveaway" plan. I'm curious what your take is on his methods. …

I Have Marketing Money; Where to Spend?

Published on April 30, 2008

Hi Angela, I am enjoying your "Online Book Marketing That Works" series, and have gotten so many great tips. In Part V, you focus on free advertising. If a writer did want to invest some money in this type of advertising, can you recommend a few places to do so? I've tried researching this online myself, but there were so many possibilites that I didn't know where to begin. Thanks for your help. Antonia …

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