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.
In my last post, I talked about a writer who knew better, but still paid $8,500 to an agent with no track record. I’ve gotten a number of comments, mostly from people who find it hard to believe that anyone could get so desperate. Why would this writer think that an agent with no trackRead More
The Old Bay Crabcake mix does serve as a great “starter” for my crabcakes, but if you’re a purist, you can just add extra breadcrumbs and seasonings, and skip the mix as a start. If I skipped the Old Bay mix, I’d put in a couple dashes of cayenne pepper, plus lots more Old BayRead More
6. Are there exceptions to this advice (that you, the author, should wait for your publisher to register the copyright on your book in your name)? Sure. a. if your book is Print on Demand or an e-book, and if you paid to publish it, you’ll need to register copyright yourself. One of the thingsRead More
Well, in searching for a topic to post about today, it occurs to me that it might not hurt to discuss copyright from a writer’s point of view. Here are a few basic things I’ve learned over the years: 1. You cannot copyright an “idea.” Only the tangible execution of an idea. 2. Titles areRead More
I got a letter yesterday from a writer who signed with an agent who has long been on Writer Beware’s watchlist for charging reading/evaluation fees. (Reading and evaluation fees used to be the most common kind of upfront fee, but writers have become so aware of the fact that they’re non-legit that most fee-chargers haveRead More
News stories covering Martha Ivery’s guilty plea: AP articleShorter AP articleThe Buffalo NewsAlbany Times-UnionMid-Hudson News (oddly, this report gets it wrong, stating that she pleaded not guilty) My husband swears that he heard Martha mentioned on NPR’s All Things Considered, but I can’t find it on NPR’s website. Yippee! This really is a great feeling,Read More
