Writing: Things to Watch Out For

Below is listed an ad, which was reposted to a writer's list I'm on. Markets like this disturb me for several reasons. Albeit many short story markets only pay about $100 these days (some pay more and some less), but to actually pay only $100 for a 30,000 word story amounts to highway robbery on the publisher's part. One cent a word for that length would equal $300. You do the math on just how little you're getting paid. Of course, if you write the low end 1,500 word story you'll get about .07 a word.

Article writers get paid on average between .75 and $1.25 a word. SFWA says that professional rates for speculative fiction should be at least .05 a word. That would be $1,500. Now I've sometimes sent my stories to places that pay .03 cents or so. I'm still a fairly no name writer and there are many many writers out there. But there comes a point when you have to figure out what you'll prostitute yourself for, and I won't sell myself as cheap as below.

That low payment could fall into acceptable but what really gets me is that this publisher is asking for all rights. I don't know if this includes moral rights and I've talked about how that is the last right anyone should ever give up, but even so, they want all rights. For $100. Wow. That's not just first anthology rights or first electronic print rights, or first North American rights. That's all rights. Which means you can never sell your story again, never get more money to make up for the measly hundred bucks these guys gave you to steal all your rights. You pretty much don't own your story anymore.

If you work for a company and write on their dime, they in essence own all rights. However you still have moral rights in that you are credited with the work, unless you sign those away. Considering the big grab that these guys are doing, I wouldn't put it past them to take moral rights too. And all rights means that they could turn your piece into a film and you wouldn't get a penny, or they could hack it up to read like drek and you'd have no say.

Now sometimes these things are worded badly because new publishers don't understand which rights they should ask for. But I find that the statements about "if you're a new writer" tell me they know pros will not submit to such a place. As well, they do warn you that if you aren't happy with all rights being taken, then don't submit. There are other huge media magazines that buy all rights. The Cricket (Carus publishing) and related childrens' magazines are one. However, they tend to pay more and I don't really submit to them either.

The problem with all of this is that you get magazines and publishers who often say, we can't pay you anything. We do it for love and you have the privilege of getting your work published. However, the flip side is that they have the privilege of publishing your work and without writers they would have no magazine. If they find writing of worth, then they should pay what they think it's worth. I think it's okay for a new magazine to start small, not pay much but aspire to hoping to pay more for stories as they grow. I understand that people want to put out magazines and with the internet it's much easier, but everyone who can should be paying for the work. I too want to start a magazine one day but I won't do it until I know I can pay at least .03 a word to start. I don't want to dishonor writers, of which I'm one.

Writers are always the last to be paid, the ones that are often stinted in how much they get as well. Opulence magazine for which I wrote some articles, did the same thing; ripping off their writers and not paying them for years while the fat cats at the helm got glossier cars and homes. I've written about Opulence elsewhere. Of course individual magazines have to either get grants or raise funds through subscriptions and advertising. Still, writers should not be the ones that get less because all the other costs are more.

Oh and Vincent Hobbes, the novelist? Well, it seems the only writing he has done has been published by Hobbes End (one book) and there is very little information on this publisher. So Vincent published his own work and made a company. That makes me doubly cautious. But each person has their own brain. It's up to every writer just how little they think their work is worth. Of course, if I said each of my stories was worth a million bucks, and that's all I'd accept, I'd still be waiting to publish my first piece.

Novelist Vincent Hobbes is seeking short stories for an upcoming project which will feature a compilation of strange and bizarre stories. His publisher is currently accepting submissions from any author interested in
having his or her work published in a novel.

Manuscripts being accepted will include anything from the following fiction genres:
Horror
Supernatural
Science-fiction
Fantasy
Psychological thriller
Mystery

Requirements: Word count may be anything from 1,500-30,000 words. We are seeking stories that are original and not previously published. Interesting storylines with a preferable twist at the end to captivate the reader is desired. Think Twilight Zone. All stories must be tasteful-not overly gory, no inappropriate sex scenes, or an over use of profanity.

All submissions must adhere to the following guidelines:
Single-spaced 12-point font, Times New Roman Cover sheet must be included with all proper contact information

Whether you are a new author seeking to promote yourself, or simply someone who wants your family and friends to read your story in a published and widely distributed piece of literature, this is a rare opportunity to have your name and story published.

You may submit your story via mail or electronically. Details are as follows:

If mailed, send copy to:
Hobbes End Publishing, LLC

If sent electronically, send to:
publisher@hobbesendpublishing.com
Attn: Short Story Submission (subject line)

Deadline is October 1st, 2008

Terms: Full rights, both printing and media, will be purchased outright for $100.00 per story. Therefore, it will be un-publishable elsewhere without express permission from the publisher. Any author who does not agree to such terms, please do not submit your work for this project. Also, the best story will receive a bonus from the publisher.

Why is it Opulence for Everyone but the Writers?

I recently wrote some articles for Opulence magazine, all about having money and spending it on high-end lifestyles, enjoying the riches, buying quality items. Opulence magazine began in Calgary, by ClearQuest Media and then expanded to Vancouver and is now expanding to Edmonton. This comes as a writer beware letter. I put out the below letter on Sunday July 8th. To date, thirteen writers have contacted me. One said she was never paid.

"I sent out my email on Sunday and already have had ten people respond. I’ve talked with some of you and I believe (Writer's name removed as this is now public) may know of a few others who have had problems being paid on time by ClearQuest. When I first wrote for them (last fall) I decided I would only write a few articles, then make excuses until I saw if they paid or not.

The only other time I’ve been ripped off it’s been by a high-end magazine for the rich, ironically. I was concerned from the moment I saw a contract that said they would pay ninety days after publication. Not on acceptance and not in thirty days. And their rate was lower than standard. But I wanted to build up my magazine credits specifically so took the magazine as a good place to start.

Communication was sporadic and varied, and in the course of writing a couple of articles for the Vancouver edition the editor changed three times, with confusion happening of course. One article was changed without me being notified at all. The others pretty much ran as I wrote them.

In all, I was owed two cheques. The first one came six months after publication, and only when I threatened to contact my lawyer did they send the cheque. The same has happened with this last cheque. Since I was not receiving any answer to my emails to Sandy, Jonathon and Shauna, I went for a two-step strategy. This was after the monthly invoices where I tacked on a 15% compounded late fee (the first late cheque I did 10%). My first step was to then contact all the writers from the emails Jonathon sends out and find out if it was as I expected.

I knew this would cause a ripple and let them know that I was stirring the hornets nest, that soon all the CQ writers would be rebelling if they weren’t already. I then sent a second letter later on Sunday stating that since I had heard from quite a few writers having troubles that I had no choice but to start legal proceedings this week if I didn’t hear from CQ immediately. Monday, Sandy emailed me and told me my cheque would be FedExed. Today I received it. Each time, the late fees were paid. I’ll give them that.

I put this rather long message here because some of you have told me you’ve had problems for two years, that CQ has said they’re restructuring, expanding, reorganizing, growing, or stretched too thin. Some have heard that the manager and editors are living up to the name of the magazine. Almost everyone has had to nag and bully to get paid the meager amount CQ allots to its writers. Etc.

Because I am now paid up, I’m quits with them. I don’t trust them and won’t write anymore. However I believe strongly in writers rights and I don’t think they should be allowed to do this to every writer who comes along. A couple of people suggested doing a petition and either presenting it to CQ or to their advertisers as that would embarrass them most. I will happily sign any such petitions, whether they go to PWAC or some other site. I’ll be posting to my blog too.

Several things that I think CQ should be made to change:

• Up their pay rate for the grief they’re causing. If they can expand into Vancouver and Edmonton, then they can afford to pay their writers more. Why is it Opulence for everyone but writers?
• Change their contract to an industry standard of payment within one month of acceptance.
• Better communication with writers and accounts department
• Clarity of contracts for writers and editing of articles
• Make them aware of writers’ rights, give them brochures, or whatever from PWAC so they have no excuse in the future."

It's a sad thing when a publication does not exist without its writers and yet over and over, everyone gets paid before the writer, and often better. The JK Rowlings and Stephen Kings are few and far between.