Scams! Theft in the Publishing Industry! The Riddle of Steel & The War of Ink and Souls - Yet More Reasons Not to Trust Publishers
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I hope folks don’t mind my posting this video, as the speech is one that is VERY relevant to to-day’s article.
Because you cannot trust in men, women, beasts, not giants or anyone in the Industry. You must learn the Riddle of the Pen, must master it and can only trust in your Pen.
Why do I say all this? Because I’ve watched this week as a number of scams have come to light.
Scams are common in the publishing industry. This much is quickly made obvious to anyone and everyone who so much as dips a toe early on. It also isn’t a question sometimes of whether or not you’ll be scammed but when. It is something of a travesty that this happens at all, yet it is part of learning how to to deal with this industry and manoeuvre your way around it.
It also happens that most people once they’ve been burnt and once they see the results realize that scammers are always out for their money and that few in the industry actually care one iota about their works.
What prompted this article is that this past week, I wrote an article calling writers to action and in the comment section a lady by the name of
informed me of the existence of an article she had found, warning of a large Pakistani/Indian scam that was going on. The link to the scam in question can be found here.I must admit that since taking a look and pondering it, I’ve found myself heavily discouraged and a little saddened. I had hoped that such scams had been culled and thought to myself, it’s a one off, but then I saw an article earlier this week by
, where he commented on how there was a big name author who got scammed by a mainstream industry publisher.All this is something that makes one wonder; how did it come to this? In the age before the modern publishing industries, the ones who controlled the printers were Newspapers/Guilds, Kings and the Church while in the East it was usually the Nobility who controlled what got printed (so to speak).
What is so interesting is how liberal media and such will often boast of how anything and everything gets printed now, and how controlling the nobility and monarchies of the past were with these things. Yet they weren’t, what is more is that there were few scam-operations, very few, and what is more is that the first scams happened we know in the 19th century.
Mark Twain himself got scammed a few times (guessing not everyone knew this), he got scammed out of huge sums of money until he simply got mad and formed a self-publishing company. This helped him straighten the mess out, and allowed him far more control over his literary affairs.
What is more is that in the next generation you had the likes of Robert E. Howard among others who got scammed, with Howard eventually ending up in such despair he slew himself. Might that have been prevented had the industry been cleaner?
I’m inclined to think so.
The only reason is that after a quick glance at the history of the industry, and one walks away despondent as I was. It is hard to be encouraged or to have the remotest good cheer about an industry that by our own age rewards incompetency, bad writing and punishes hard work, talent and goodness.
Most writers who stepped into the industry are initially starry eyed, and they are for a good many years until at last they get scammed. It usually hardens them, in the same manner that a war-wound or seeing one, hardens one as a warrior. I hope veterans reading this don’t mind this metaphor as I tend to find Publishers and scammers at this point more disdainful than actual national enemies because at least you can understand why the enemy is shooting at you, while those who take your spiritual child from you, ransom it back to you and then stab you in the back are beyond the pale.
And this is what these scum are doing on a spiritual level. The mainstream publishers took a man’s work, claimed custody of it and that it was work for hire and then denied him the legal right to publish it.
If I’m being honest I was nearly suckered into 3 deals like this on three different occasions with regards to Caladbohlg and Olympnomachi (the latter I was told was trash and it was not until the likes of
and others told me it was good that I developed any sort of confidence about it). This is why I had feared entering the ring with Darkspire Conspiracy but thankfully I had who was kind enough to direct me to En Route Media, so that I can get this last title published through them (I’m including the link to their Submissions guidelines to help fellow authors (be warned they’re Catholic and only publish fellow Catholics).I mention this last bit to give you some context into my position and why I approach the Publishing Industry like it’s a poisonous viper. In some ways it is, and for some writers they never truly recover from the first bite and so keep their works to themselves. So that this trepidation is likewise part of the Industry at this point.
This is where one must mention that the classic ‘Old Pub’ houses ought not to be approached. Do not approach them, do not go near them. Not with any project you deeply care about, as they are dangerous and will take your money and projects and will never return them to you!
Indie Presses are to be favoured where you can find them (and be careful with even those) or keep to Self-Publishing. Also be careful with artists, if you don’t have a lot of money try going to Deviantart and posting that you’d like quality work for about 100$ at most, and you’ll find it (Dan & I found several artists this way), or stick to a friend (I recommend
who has done a new cover for Caladbohlg (I’ll post it to-day)).On a more philosophical level this spiritual cancer that lies at the heart of the Industry, is one that shows that we’re at the end of some sort of cycle. The level of corruption and incompetence within the established Publishing Industry is one that is akin to Empires on the verge of collapse.
Some intellectuals and scholars of the 20th century theorized that most end-stage Empires go through a period of internal-looting, with the Empire beginning to loot and plunder its own resources. The Egyptians did this, the Hittites, Persia, Rome, Spain and even Britain, so that there is some validity to the theory.
How does this apply to the Publishing Industry? Simple; the Industry has begun to plunder itself stealing from authors, all while looting the projects of these people. This along with the ‘foreign elements’ stealing from desperate authors all suggests something’s about to give (quite what I’m not sure).
What might the industry look like afterwards? Not sure, this is a complicated question beyond my ken with business and foreseeing the future not being my expertise. If I had to guess, it’ll keep losing money and costing money from the state, until at last it just vanishes and decentralizes further (if I had to guess) or it will fade into insignificance (the two are not mutually exclusive from one another).
The solution for us small-time authors or up and coming authors is to spread the word, to speak to one another warning each other as Mme. Hoy has done (she deserves much credit for this) and to try to form ‘Inklings’ like groups to support one another’s literary pursuits and to help market one another.
Substack offers immense advantages in this regard, yet for those who prefer Royal Road there’s a Discord for this (the people there are very friendly and understanding). We’ve advantages but in real life we writers must depend on the kindnesses of friends and family members or fellow writers to help spread the word on our projects.
The bounty of writing, the joy of the reward ought to belong solely to the writer who wrote the project. The reason for this is simple; you sweated it and suffered the bloody welts life had to offer to create the project, so you should get to enjoy its many rewards (if any).
The very fact that this is a mystery to some, is insulting and irritating for any self-respecting author. We suffer, sweat and weep and struggle the pangs of a kind of spiritual child-birth that we might offer up some sort of beauty to the world and the world seeks to punish us for it.
It is why going forward authors must be cautious, suspicious and a little paranoid and learn to be careful with whom we trust. Not everyone is as trustworthy as Angela Hoy, or as good (the lady should be celebrated for her goodness and fidelity of spirit).
In the spirit of helping fellow authors, I’ll try directing people to services hereon Substack and propose a few quick tips for getting in with an Indie Press.
First there are genre specific events here, with that of Macabre Monday being headed by the likes of
and both of whom are very kind and will do a lot for others (and there’s a whole community of Horror authors who are quite nice). There’s Troubadour Tuesday which we’ve neglected but will try to start back up which is over at , there’s also Warrior Wednesday and Sword & Saturday which and we Bros Krynn help manage. There is Throwback Thursday for remembering older projects which is managed by the amazing and of course Thorny Thursday which is a Romance fiction event headed by and . Of course you have Sci-Friday headed by the amazing .These events are for marketing, restacking and helping writers of fiction get discovered hereon Substack.
and both host as they are kindly ladies ‘what I’ve read this week’ and other such threads, in which they recommend this article or that one. I highly recommend subbing to them, and reading what they read, commenting and otherwise becoming part of their ‘communities’ as they do a lot for Fiction writers and essayists. Remember to be kind and polite with them, as they’re both awesome and polite beyond measure. Don’t expect them to pick your article every time or your story, they’re both incredibly busy but if they do pick you, celebrate, thank them as it is quite the distinction.Another great service that’s completely transparent is my favourite to an extent;
and with the two of them heading up a Library which is a collection of all fiction that they could find hereon Substack.As to a plan of action remember that marketing is the tricky part, but local festivals and sales are your friend. It’ll help to get some small amount of merch prepped, and to be warm and cheerful and to act the part of a salesman. Interestingly my brother Dan is quite good at this (I wasn’t as skilled as him, though I did enjoy it when we participated in a festival). Conventions can also be useful if you’ve the money to spend on a table.
Pass the book around to your work colleagues if they are interested and feel free to give them a discount. Our book was 25$ but we sold it for 20$ at the festival and when stopped on the street afterwards when out on a walk, because most people only ever carry a twenty and not twenty-five or thirty. It was thus far simpler to just say 20$, and people were always pleased to get a sale. The good will you’ll generate is worth the slight discount and you’ll long term make more cash.
What is more is that you should participate in some social media. I’ve been advised to try out Facebook again and have considered it (will probably do so in a few months and let people know how it goes), there’s Substack of course (which is the best), Instagram I’ve heard good things from some.
Youtube on the face of it is good, but it really isn’t. Dan & I have about a dozen youtube channels, one with 1,500 subscribers and while it can be a fun little hobby (we like making history videos at this point), it isn’t really useful for gathering readers. We’ve gotten maybe 10-15 readers from it, which is fine but not as much as one might have hoped for. But if you’re wanting to network Youtube channels are a good way to do so, though there’s some toxicity in some of the communities there so be careful.
We ourselves met several friends such as World of Conan,
, Vinofire and others (can’t give over their names for privacy reasons). But for actual readers I’m not sure how useful it is, unless you’re a big name.Twitter is of course a dumpster-fire which doesn’t generate sales (I’ve tried, I’ve sold 4 copies I think through it), the most I’ll say is I’ve the promise of French sales when the books come out and that I’ve made a buddy in Jak Bravo one of the best animators on youtube there. I’ve plans for a history-thread or two over there to try to expand my contacts with the ‘history community’ over there, and will see what that generates (will post about it in Notes).
Book clubs and such can also be useful, as are genial indie-editors who are willing to bargain for their services. I’ve long since become jaded and am now of a mind to never pay more than 500$ for an editor on account that too many will try to gouge out 30,000$ or so or in one man’s case about 331,000$ I think it was. These are scam operations. A good editor will be affordable, reasonable and friendly as Daniel P. Riley has been with a number of people I’m friendly with (he edited Crown of Blood by the way so that for the most part I was quite satisfied by his services).
Also there’s some authors who will proofread for free, but be careful not to be scammed or taken in by plagiarists.
So stay frosty out there, and remember you’re doing God’s work when you write. Publishing might be navigating the labyrinths of Knossos, but this part is important that you might triumph and achieve greater glory, because your Epics are worth it.
It’ll be difficult to not get depressed, so stay strong, stay frosty and keep improving, because a Crown lies in the gutter, and it is just waiting for you to pick it up.
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How you can support our work
You can buy Crown of Blood here or if you’re from the British Isles/Europe here .99 cents for the Kindle edition and 25$ for the paperback edition.
You can upgrade your subscription, to whatever suits your budget (it’s only 10$ for a full year’s subscription and 70$ for a founding subscription which is likewise on sale).
You can review any of our serials or anthology, it really does help.
Brian Niemeier views the future of artists and writers as one where they won't be mega celebrities but they'll be able to make a living with their talents. IOW, being a writer is like being a small business owner. And as someone who comes from a family inclined to small businesses, I see the appeal. Let's be real, the current system is unsustainable for various reasons. I think a lot of people just see the ridiculous steps needed to be "published" as evidence of prestige/quality so they go through the squid game without realizing that the money doesn't even exist. Not anymore.
You can copyright your book once it's done, even before you've completely edited it. You can also check out Writer Beware's site.
As a rule of thumb, don't pay ANY company to publish your book for you. You can publish for free yourself on places like KDP, B&N, Draft2Digital, and IngramSpark. Google every site before you publish. The ones I just mentioned are legit. Don't put your book on a site that makes you sign away your rites in the agreement.
Don't sign any contracts that might compromise the rights to your book (you should only be signing stuff like agreements between yourself and editor/cover designer).
Never trust people reaching out to you to publish your book; they can look up public records with the copyright office and prey on new authors.
As a new author, NO ONE is going to approach you for your book except scammers and the lowest of industry "services" (remember—don't pay them to format and publish your book; research and do it yourself. You're not likely to make that money back as book sales are generally low and you'll be lucky to make back what you spend on an editor and cover designer).
Don't fall for all the faux flattery on places like FB. People swarm authors there to offer their services and their pitches almost always start with "your writing is amazing" (which they don't know because they've never read your book) or "your cover is stunning". Sometimes they try to worm their way in with "Tell me about your writing journey." While these aren't necessarily scammers, they're all unnecessary services for promoting your book.
The biggest scam I've seen on FB/IG is people pretending to be Meta and threatening to delete your account if you don't fork over your sign in credentials. Meta never does that.