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alfreda89 ([personal profile] alfreda89) wrote2011-10-04 09:28 am

Aspiring Writers Info: That Wonderful Blog Known as Writer Beware(tm)

Any aspiring writer looking for an agent or wanting to know who the potential bad guys are in the publishing game has two places I strongly suggest you keep up with -- Publishers Weekly and Writer Beware(tm).

Writers Ann Crispin and Victoria Strauss do a fantastic job discovering and documenting groups that just don't seem to play fair in the game of publishing. Ann & Victoria have many success stories, and consequently have earned enemies. The latest bad guy has decided to try to wage a disinformation campaign against Writer Beware and other anti-scam activists like, for example, the intrepid P.N. Elrod. The new group to be leery of is The Write Agenda. (Note that secure portal link.)

Up until now, Writer Beware(tm) has pretty much ignored the attempts of The Write Agenda to make mischief. But now this group has broadened their nasty guy poison pens to include any writer who so much as mentions Writer Beware (tm) in a good light, or does anything to warn fledgling writers about groups like PublishAmerica. They have created an author boycott list where you will see such fine writers and anti-scam activists as John Scalzi, James D. MacDonald, Amy Sterling Casil, and Sharon Lee. The list is ridiculous, and one writer got on it simply by interviewing Victoria on her blog. (Yes, that is an anonymouse link. Might be a good idea to read that list using anonymouse. I repeat, note that The Write Agenda link in the second paragraph is a secure link -- https:// . These people are paranoid and do know some things about technology. After all, they use it to give people false info.)

So we writers are all going to mention Writer Beware(tm) even more than usual, of course. If you would like to read the post Writer Beware(tm) did on The Write Agenda, go here.

Other useful links are to A & V's version of "2 Thumbs Down" lists for agents and publishers. These lists could use updating, so if you are currently looking, you might contact Writer Beware(tm) and request a new list of infamy. They have a bunch of great links on their blog, including supportive editors and agents.

One would hope that The Write Agenda has realized that going after SF and fantasy writers is like poking a stick into a hornet's nest. But it's possible that I, too, will earn their ire by pointing out that Writer Beware(tm) is a good, trustworthy service you should pay attention to. So if I end up on the list, be sure and tell me. It will be excellent publicity -- remember Mark Twain on the value of being boycotted. Everyone then needs to know what they've been missing!

Thanks to John Scalzi, who always keeps me up to date on industry news.

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/ 2011-10-04 04:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I've talked about this on Facebook: LJ seems to have plenty of coverage!

Aspiring Writers Info: That Wonderful Blog Known as Writer Beware(tm)

[identity profile] pingback-bot.livejournal.com 2011-10-04 05:10 pm (UTC)(link)
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[identity profile] alfreda89.livejournal.com 2011-10-04 07:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Since Facebook made still another big change, I've lost half the people I read -- they just vanished into the mists. So I figure we should mention every place we can, to try and catch as many newbies as possible.

Glad you've mentioned it. Either their boycott list is going to include all of SFWA and half the rest of the writing industry, or they're going to have to give up chasing the gang.

[identity profile] kimberlychapman.livejournal.com 2011-10-05 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
OMG I totally want to be on their boycott list. It's like free advertising of sensible people. I have nothing in print right now though since I just finally got my rights back from the mess that is Hard Shell/Mundania...do you think they'll still boycott me?

[identity profile] alfreda89.livejournal.com 2011-11-07 04:35 am (UTC)(link)
Do a post praising Writer Beware and find out! ;^)

Sorry this took so long -- LJ stopped notifying me about posts, for some reason.