Comments on: Ellora’s Cave: Warning Signs!

By: Mary Winter

Mary Winter — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:58:34 +0000

Thanks Teddy. To follow up, the check did arrive today, however, by my calculations this ended on Friday. Had this been the first time, I would have considered this too soon. But since this has been happening very regularly for the last several months, and USPS tracking of the envelope proves they were mailed outside the windows we were told, (in addition to other contract violations), I will totally admit to being quite muntinous this weekend. Thanks!

By: Katie Reus

Katie Reus — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:00:11 +0000

It’s highly possible I read the message on the biz loop wrong. If I did, I stand corrected. Either way, I’m sorry someone isn’t getting paid on time. I’d be pissed too :)

By: TeddyPig

TeddyPig — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:47:43 +0000

Well I don’t know Mary Winter’s business personally but I can tell you she has worked with several ePublishers so I am sure she understands what is in her contract since she has signed so very many and what the dates are she should be getting paid.

So I tend to trust what she has to say because she has far more experience in ePublishing than most people I know.

By: Katie Reus

Katie Reus — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:52:29 +0000

Hi, followed your link from ESPANs most recent blog and found your blog very entertaining. :) I’m a fairly new author with EC and just wanted to comment that the EC check payment schedule changed a couple months ago and anyone on the business loop should be aware of that since special notices were sent out. There is a two week window in which checks should arrive and that window is actually up today (June 22) so if someone hadn’t received their check last week, it wasn’t late.

I’m just one author and to date I’ve been lucky enough to receive all my checks from EC on time. I’m in no way saying that everyone else must receive theirs on time since I have, I just wanted to point out that checks aren’t considered late until after today :).

By: Treva Harte

Treva Harte — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:01:30 +0000

The DH, who adamantly refuses to write sex, can’t get into SFWA because the list of recognized publishers is fairly select. They don’t even respond to inquiries. So–if I understand it correctly –it’s great for the members, but you can’t join unless you fit a pretty rigid criteria.

By: Mary Winter

Mary Winter — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:06:50 +0000

True. And SFWA has the piracy group led by Andrew Burt of Critters (if I remember right). And I will fully admit that my opionion is also clouded by my local sf club, several of whom think that I write “just sex”. *grins*

By: Teddypig

Teddypig — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:58:14 +0000

Mary,

At least from what I have seen of their resources they do cover ePubs. So even if a member does not respect ePubs at least the organization attempts to provide information.

By: SarahT

SarahT — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:29:42 +0000

@TeddyPig: I truly believe RWA should be about informing ALL its members about ALL their options. Whether they’re epubbed or print pubbed, write erotic romance, mainstream or inspirational should be irrelevant. Basically, if we’re good enough to pay the annual dues, we’re good enough to be treated equally.

As far as I know, RWA keeps a tab on dodgy agents. Why don’t they keep a note of publishers behaving badly? Then let people decide for themselves if they want to sign with a particular publisher. It should be about educating members, not policing them.

As you say, SFWA seems to do a good job at looking out for its members. RWA wastes too much time and energy on politics and in-fighting. Honestly, every year they do something to piss people off and a bitchfest ensues. But nothing ever seems to change as a result.

By: Mary Winter

Mary Winter — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 23:19:51 +0000

Thank you so much for posting my link. Because of the silence of those other orgs, I wanted to share my story. I know it’s also the story of many others.

SFWA also has an advance requirement. They will not entertain inquiries from anyone not published with the authors on their published author list, and they’re notoriously rude to those publishers and authors who contact them. Sadly, they’re also just as backwards about epublishing. I met a recent former president of SFWA at a con and was told when I mentioned that I was epublished and quite happy, “oh, you write those books! You’d be better off just giving your work away.”

By: TeddyPig

TeddyPig — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:55:48 +0000

You know Sarah I thought that when I posted this.

Then I realized that it really is only places like Erec or Piers Anthony or Writers Beware and even me sometimes that you hear these things.

Where is EPIC or RWA?

No where!

Both orgs never have been because even when the RWA did recognize ePubs they were so worried about pissing off publishers and such and EPIC, shit, they are worse. People will argue that is because they provide networking where you might hear these things unofficially but that type of nonspecific chance driven information just does not cut it for me.

It is too bad but SFWA which does so much more and just comes across as all around more professional.

Cons
They require you be published because they really are a writers org.
They are famous for infighting.

Pros
They have the Writers Beware website.
Something no other writers org seems to be able to achieve by the way.

They have the membership voted for Nebula Award.
They provide Emergency Medical and Legal funding.

Seems clear to me that writing even a single SF book might not be a bad idea for a writer.