Resources and tips for the self-published author.

Publishing News Roundup Series: Scammers Stealing Writer Credentials

by Maureen Crisp •  March 6, 2018  •   Follow

Published in News  •  No comments

 

The most important thing to a writer is their work. So what happens when someone tries to take credit for it?

The most recent scamming in the book world has to do with scammers stealing writer credentials and then profiting off their work. After all that hard work, getting it all taken from under you can be the most devastating thing to a writer. How can we protect writers and prevent this?

 

Losing The Plot

 

Last week when it was February and I was still thinking it was early February… (which caused me to miss an important birthday and completely screw up my calendar,) I mentioned a scandal that was just beginning to be noticed about Scammers stealing writer credentials and money laundering through Amazon. So now that this is becoming more widely known is anyone going to do anything about it….

 

Romance authors are spitting tacks about the pathetic royalties being offered by Amazon Audible Romance Subscription- think Kindle Unlimited but for Audio. They promised only good times ahead for authors who wanted to offer Audio books. The first Royalty payment is in… and it is shocking! Not only that but it is split with the Narrator and tied up for seven years. There is gold in them thar audiobooks…

 

I love my Book Cover Designer… They are truly important in the visibility of your book, regardless of which way you publish. So Terry Goodkind (famous SFF writer) really caused shock when he came out to diss his latest novel cover. Things got out of hand… Unless you are Indie publishing then you have little to no say over what the publisher chooses for the cover. If you have a problem take it up with the publisher…. Lets play Good and Kind out there people!

 

It has been two years since Harper Lee’s death and the feelings of disquiet felt amongst the author community at how her estate was being handled. So this week when a court ordered that the will be made public there was considerable interest. As one commenter noted… the person who drew up the will benefits from the will… is that legal? Warnings to all writers out there… Know what you want to do with your literary estate!

 

From time to time I post articles about what is happening in the educational publishing landscape. They are the last bastions of the $150 cheap print textbook. McGraw Hill has plans… big plans… and it just might be that the last barricade will be over run by cheering students.

 

Teachers in Canada are not cheering… They are taking the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency to court in a bitter battle about what isfair use… demanding repayment of tariffs. This is a case to keep an eye on.

 

The lovely Ursula K Le Guin died last month and many people have been digging into her work and mourning the loss. Karen Fowler wrote about the ten writing lessons she learned from Ursula…

In The Writing Craft Section,

2 great posts from Bridget. Villain motivations– make it real- and Foreshadowing examples– Now Novel- Bookmark Both!
 
2 Bookmark worthy posts from Anne R Allen 9 secrets to supercharge your fiction– and Plot holes and pot holes– Bookmark BOTH!
 
 
 
 
Showing vs Telling from the fabulous Jami Gold- Bookmark

In The Book Marketing Section,

Are you ready for video? Help for the author.
 
Formatting using MS Word Styles– Joel Friedlander- Bookmark
 
 
 
 
 
4 affordable ways to master Book Marketing– Jane Friedman- Bookmark

To Finish,

Who writes to music? Film scores are the go to for lots of writers but have you ever consciously listened to pop songs about writing… hmmm

 

Lit Hub dug up a list of 11 and I was surprised… among the list was Devo’s Whip It

 

March Madness starts now!

 

Maureen
@craicer

 

About Maureen Crisp

Maureen Crisp has been writing her weekly publishing roundups for over seven years. She is a traditionally published children's author as well as indie-published. She lives in New Zealand and is heading the team organising the 4th National Conference of Children's Writers and Illustrators. She is currently trying her hand at writing a children’s book series if she can drag herself away from forever tweaking her Mars novel or obsessing over space.