Comments on: “Don’t share your hysteria, anxieties or disappointments”

By: Nicoel Suzanne

Nicoel Suzanne — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:11:42 +0000

LMAO
This is what happens when writers, and writers alone, are left to run businesses. She can work a word, though she should not do it while infuriated with the horrible tasks of running a business she is supposed to love. I am reminded of my mother when she went from loving nurturer to razor fanged menopausal-she-bitch. Love you mom but you know what I am talking about.
Look, Genius, if you need to hire an “intern” to handle email and stroke egos–do it. There mystery solved–and reputation saved.
Clearly this would save you the headaches and hello? This is effecting you seriously if can’t see that having the time to make mass email, but not to talk to writers one on one, with self righteousness in the forefront of these saint-like ego-loving-letters your spew accusingly at your bread and butter, make you look nothing if not incompetent and over your head.

Going to bed, and taking my toys with me.
Humph!

Nicoel Suzanne
aka Paxton Hood

By: Shannon Stacey

Shannon Stacey — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:38:08 +0000

oops, forgot to close a tag.

By: Shannon Stacey

Shannon Stacey — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:37:44 +0000

I’m still singing Cyndi Lauper.

When the debris is cleared away, I have no doubt Samhain will be one of the epublishers still standing, and those epublishers will be stronger in the industry for having survived it.

By: Angela James

Angela James — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:48:02 +0000

I didn’t disagree with it at the time it happened last year. I hated it, I wanted our company to be an exception (who wouldn’t), but I knew what was happening with some of the epublishers, such as Triskelion, and wasn’t shocked. Just sad. Discouraged. It’s hard not to feel beat down when things like this happen in such a rapid succession. But hey, as I said to some friends earlier today, Goonies never say die

By: shilohwalker

shilohwalker — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:09:39 +0000

While I’m fortunate to be with two e-publishers who haven’t done me wrong and seem to be fine, upstanding companies, if I was the RWA and looked at e-publishing as a whole over the last year, there’s no way in hell I’d recommend the venue to my professional membership.

I’m going to have to whole-heartedly ditto this. RWA sets standards and I know some people think they expect publishers to leap through hoops? Hey, might seem strict, but if the publisher is serious about their business, these standards aren’t hoops. High expectations, maybe, but not hoops. Most of the places that have crashed and burned of late have did so after bad choices, lapses in judgment and too often, things that stemmed from a lack of understanding or caring about what is and isn’t professional. (ie: slamming your authors).

Did they make it hard for publishers to get recognized? Yes. But I’d think it needs to be. Because anybody can claim to be professional and serious. But those who are serious are going to work for that goal and it has nothing to do with RWA recognition, but because they are serious and they want to be the best they can be. Professional standards go along with being their absolute best.

Regarding RWA’s usefulness, perhaps they aren’t everything to every writer, but they can’t be called useless. They’ve worked to improve the image of romance in general, they raise huge amounts of money for literary programs plus they serve as an information source to their members. Again, not all things to all writers, but they’re hardly useless. The networking among members alone is one huge reason I stay with them. My local chapter is wonderful for support, education, etc…

By: Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:59:42 +0000

~but it won’t be long before the bandwagon companies are gone and the legitimate ones are left standing~

I absolutely and optimistically agree.

By: karenscott

karenscott — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:54:25 +0000

I never thought I’d say it, but I totally support their stance on e-pubs. This past year has been a real eye-opener, as far as e-pubs are concerned.

By: Shannon Stacey

Shannon Stacey — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 20:13:12 +0000

I was thinking about RWA standards earlier and how I shouldn’t post my thoughts on that today, but what the hell, right?

While I’m fortunate to be with two e-publishers who haven’t done me wrong and seem to be fine, upstanding companies, if I was the RWA and looked at e-publishing as a whole over the last year, there’s no way in hell I’d recommend the venue to my professional membership.

Their “stamp of approval”, so to speak, does carry some weight. After they “recognized” EC and Trisk (or whoever it was) a lot more writers started looking that direction and a LOT more epublishers opened their doors. I really don’t think that’s a coincidence, and I think RWA was wise to revisit the issue when the bandwagon publishers started to crash and burn.

Yes, some legitimate publishers and authors get the brush-off, but it won’t be long before the bandwagon companies are gone and the legitimate ones are left standing—publishers who offer fair contracts and the ability to earn decent money for their authors and authors who respect themselves and their work enough not to sell out for a contract and a book cover just so they can call themselves published.

So, while it won’t make me any friends, I support RWA’s currrent standards and think their value as an organization transcends the pink ribbons.

By: Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:29:53 +0000

I don’t know anything about Epic, but I wouldn’t say RWA is useless. It offers its members a list of publishers they feel meet certain standards. It’s up to the individual to agree or not, sign or not.

RWA takes a lot of heat for those standards, a lot of flak. But they hold them to inform the membership.

By: anon

anon — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:47:34 +0000

where the hell is EPIC in all this? Shouldn’t they be doing/saying something about this?

Nope, because Epic is even more useless than the RWA is. Authors have to protect themselves, none of these organizations seem to care about anything but their awards, their conferences and what to wear to their themed parties. Authors being mistreated and shafted left and right? Pish, we have outifts to plan and hair to get done! But do send your membership fee on time, mmkay pumpkin?