tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16743003.post2125687802278793285..comments2024-03-28T01:06:38.596-07:00Comments on Maya Reynolds: A Word To The WiseMaya Reynoldshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12791278987339976101noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16743003.post-4783490269312060502007-06-01T12:35:00.000-07:002007-06-01T12:35:00.000-07:00Ciar: And once that bad reputation has been earne...Ciar: And once that bad reputation has been earned, it's hell getting your good reputation back. <BR/><BR/>Reputations are such tender things. They are easily affected by both truth and lies. As Mark Twain said, "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes."Maya Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12791278987339976101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16743003.post-12038228322002996012007-06-01T11:48:00.000-07:002007-06-01T11:48:00.000-07:00I wish the authors who have decided to stay at Tri...I wish the authors who have decided to stay at Triskelion the best, of course. There are what I will call "quality of partnership" issues that don't get written into contracts, however, aren't there? I'm not talking about the "my editor is mean" talk. I think both authors and publishers must work hard to ensure that their word, written or not, is meaningful. Of course the business changes, and print schedules change, or what an author "hopes" will happen does not necessarily appear in the contract. <BR/><BR/>The carrot-stick syndrome has been my big red flag in recent years. If a publisher says "do x (usually sell so many copies), and we'll make sure y happens (usually meaning the book will go to print)" (noncontractually), my tail fur fluffs up and I back away. If it isn't in the contract, I don't believe it. If you're not willing to PUT it in the contract, don't use it as a lure for new writers. I believe that is how bad reputations are earned--the deal keeps changing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16743003.post-37797981095701546102007-06-01T04:44:00.000-07:002007-06-01T04:44:00.000-07:00Marie: Thanks, as always, for your insight.Regard...Marie: Thanks, as always, for your insight.<BR/><BR/>Regards,<BR/><BR/>MayaMaya Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12791278987339976101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16743003.post-87216521849103184922007-05-31T15:01:00.000-07:002007-05-31T15:01:00.000-07:00I've been following the Trisk fall out along with ...I've been following the Trisk fall out along with a lot of other things happening within RWA these past few weeks. <BR/><BR/>But you hit the nail on the head, people don't read their contracts. The first thing a published author told me was "read your contract, you don't understand it find a laywer, call me, put out a call for help to other published writer, but never ever sign a contract you don't understand."<BR/><BR/>It's such a shame that some many authors want they're book in print that they don't bother to read their contracts.<BR/><BR/>And years ago, a publisher was allowed into the RWA conference. I'd already met the couple at another conference, where they asked me outright if I thought they're offer was too good to be true and I told they yes. What you're offering as a start up without the capital or the distribution makes me back off until you have a track record.<BR/><BR/>Low and behold, several authors signed up with them, some it was over 3 years before they saw their book in print. There was no distribution, it was sign your friend up for our book club type of thing. Those who got tired of waiting, had a fight on their hands to get their rights back.<BR/><BR/>This is one of the reasons the RWA started vetting the publishers at their conference. I understand it, just don't agree with their methods.Marie Tuharthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12507785078680105577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16743003.post-86499580255879603272007-05-31T13:15:00.000-07:002007-05-31T13:15:00.000-07:00I'm sorry, David, but I'll bet this will never hap...I'm sorry, David, but I'll bet this will never happen to you again.<BR/><BR/>I saw my company burned once because, when business got tight, our contractor--who had done business with us for years--backed off to the "letter of the law." If it wasn't in the contract, they didn't have an obligation to perform--even though they had done so for many years under former management.<BR/><BR/>You need to understand what you are obligating yourself to and what your agent/publisher is obligating himself to. If it's not on the paper, it is not real--no matter what is said verbally--because in court it becomes "he said/she said."<BR/><BR/>I'm sure Triskelion agreed to go to print with the best intentions in the world. However, conditions change, and a responsible CEO does what is best for his company. Unfortunately, in this case, several unrelated things got rolled into one big, ugly snowball. It would probably be impossible to tell today who was right and who was wrong. <BR/><BR/>Although I've never seen an actual run on a bank, I know the awful consequences that can happen when depositors suddenly lose confidence. As more and more people take their money out, they create the very thing they are trying to insulate themselves from. <BR/><BR/>I hope Triskelion is able to stop the madness and get started re-building confidence.Maya Reynoldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12791278987339976101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16743003.post-87734024157495355542007-05-31T12:46:00.000-07:002007-05-31T12:46:00.000-07:00Once upon a time you could take a person's word 'a...Once upon a time you could take a person's word 'as their bond' as Robin Williams Peter Banyon kept saying in the movie Hook. Not true any more. I recently learned the truth of what you've written.<BR/><BR/>I met a local publisher who promised me the moon. She was going to serialize my Mag-7 childrens stories in the writers magazine she publishes. She was going to re-publish my book of poetry and actually promote it, something that is not included in LuLu's free package. She was going to publish my Greenbrook Park story, and my cookbook.<BR/><BR/>Then she got an offer to sell her company. It was a good deal for her. Bad deal for me. She stood me up at several meetings, stopped returning my calls, emails and letters, and pretty much the only people whe told about the pending sale were those who she had under an actual contract. Anyone like me who wasw made word of mouth and handshake promises got screwed. The new publisher, Lachesis, agreed to pick up anyone under contract to the old company, LBF (Lets Be Frank) Books. Anyone not having a contract was left out in th cold. Her attitude? "How dare you criticize me for screwing you!"<BR/><BR/>You've hit it on the head, Maya - get a contract, and have someone who knows contract law read it for you.poetica in silentiumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06881374793984239361noreply@blogger.com