Writer's Alerts and Warnings

There are some awfully big fish swimming around the publishing pond these days, and it can be hard for some of the smaller fish to find a way through - especially with so many predators in the waters!

With this in mind, Tina, Ciara and Lee have become self appointed Shark Hunters.

We will endeavor to keep you updated on any companies who appear to be taking advantage of newer, more vulnerable writers. We will be including publications who refuse to pay authors monies owed to them and publications attempting to lure new writers with unfair contractual obligations and agreements.
The sites in question are contacted by us before publication to give them a chance to respond.

Before sending any money to anyone for any form of service, always take some time to do a little homework first. Check Preditors & Editors to see if they have any information on the agency or company you wish to deal with. Failing this, at least ask the kind people on the "Ask Ann" topic of Speculations. If something looks a little "too good to be true", then it usually is, so please be careful.

I will end by reminding anyone who reads this that the golden rule among all writers should be this:

Money flows TO the author. Never the other way around.

Let's go Hunting...

Myths and Lies: Scam-Spotting
by Lee Masterson
These days so many new writers are lured into parting with their hard-earned cash by less-than-scrupulous, self-styled 'gurus' that it makes me wonder how these scam-artists sleep at night.

Taking Money From Writers - the Easy Way
Tina Morgan looks at the Robins Agency and some things you should look for before signing your manuscript over to anyone!

Publish America
To self-publish or to jump into the deep end with a "traditional" publisher? They are the questions of the day and boy! did we find some answers!

Melanie Mills and the Banff Writers Conference
Multiple aliases, more than one fake writers' conference and charges pending in 3 different US states and Canada - Writer Beware!

You Too Can Sniff Out Scams
Learn how to spot a scam at 100 paces with this informative article from Marcia Yudkin

Scam-Spotting - If It Looks Like a Scam, It Probably Is
by Holly Lisle
Holly Lisle takes an in-depth look at the "Write a Book in 14 Days" scam - and how the amazing relocating scam-site just keeps popping up under a new name!.

Bawn Literary Agency
Tina recounts her personal experience with a "literary agency" trying to extort all sorts of undeserved fees from new writers!

(Copies of correspondence from Bawn Literary Agency threatening Fiction Factor with libel and defamation suits)

New Writer's Guild

iPublish - Time Warner Contract Alert

Winning With Poetry.com

What a Write Off!
by Kerry Ridgway
Kerry looks at whether The International Library of Poetry really is a great literary accolade to add to a writer's portfolio or whether it's just another expensive scam.