The official blog of Writer Beware® shines a bright light into the dark corners of the shadow-world of literary scams, schemes, and pitfalls. Also providing advice for writers, industry news, and commentary. Writer Beware® is sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association.
This is another in my series of posts about poor contract terms from serialized fiction apps.
A few months back, this email arrived in my Writer Beware inbox.
I've never used Wattpad, so clearly they had me confused with someone else (maybe something to do with this?), but I never pass up the chance to get hold of a contract, if I can. I asked for one, and somewhat to my surprise, they sent it.
I write a lot about impersonation scams on this blog--for good reason: they are extremely common, and becoming more so all the time. Literary agents, publishers, production companies, film directors: all are targets.
The purpose: money, of course. By posing as real, reputable companies and individuals, the scammers aim to make it more likely writers will be bamboozled into paying for needless, substandard, and/or fraudulent "services".
This one, though, takes the cake: an entire website impersonating Macmillan Publishers.
Silent Manga Audition (SMA), a project of Tokyo-based manga and anime production company Coamix Inc., conducts regular open auditions, or contests, for creators of silent manga (manga without dialogue). Contestants can win cash prizes, as well as mentoring and, possibly, publication.
SMA is currently running a contest for writers. The goal: to become a manga scriptwriter.
Entrants are invited to submit "a manuscript IN ENGLISH for the first chapter of a series, including one introduction page". Winners receive cash prizes, plus the possibility that their script "could be developed into manga series by our MasterClass members and you through our editorial support!" The submission form is here; there are no entry fees. Entry deadline: February 1, 2024.
Every January, when I look back over the previous year's blog posts, I'm amazed that there was so much to cover. When Ann Crispin and I started Writer Beware in (gulp) 1998, we really didn't envision it as a long-term project; we thought if we put out enough warnings, and named enough names, there'd eventually be no need for us. How naive we were. 25 years on, there's more to warn about than ever.
Below, please find a roundup of WB's most impactful posts of 2023: all the schemes, scams, pitfalls, and industry shenanigans that were fit to print. Plus some good advice...and a bit of bonus weirdness.
First, though...
As another year of schemes, scams, and pitfalls draws to a close, I just want to say THANK YOU to the readers of this blog, to the writers who share their stories, and to the industry professionals and others who spread the word about Writer Beware. Writer Beware would not exist without you, and we are so grateful for your support and trust.
Wishing you a safe, healthy, happy holiday season, however you choose to celebrate it. See you in 2024!
As if writers didn't have enough to contend with, the past couple of years have seen a huge rise in scammers posing as literary agencies.
I'm not talking here about the imposters who "borrow" the names of real agents and agencies (though they are certainly part of the same problem)--but about scammers who set up entirely fake literary agencies as fronts for extracting money from writers.
Reputable literary agents do occasionally reach out to authors whose work they've seen to ask if the author is represented or to invite a submission. But this is rare. Reputable literary agents are buried in queries; they don't have a pressing need to scout for more.
