I finally finished my article on PublishAmerica!
It discusses writing, includes pictures, references dozens of websites and contains lots of quotes - basically a very long version of my blog posts. So if you like them, you'll enjoy the article.
My only concern now (well, other than whether I've gotten the math right) is where I'm going to keep that article. Should I quote bits of it here? Put it on a website that I no longer update because I've forgotten how to do "ftp"? Leave it in the Bewares forum? Can't think, too tired from writing. I don't even have any wine, so I'll just make a cup of tea and relax for the moment.
9 comments:
God damn, this isn't an article, it's a book!
Reading it, I could feel the heat from friction as you reigned in the snark engine to make the article as professional and factual as possible. One person commented on a bit of snark that got through (the textual equivalent of a bolt popping off a steam pipe with no pressure release valve) and all I could think was, "You have no idea, man..."
The "non-snarky" tone is definitely paying off, because it lets the quotes from PAMB make the point all on their own, and it's often truly shocking. Very good so far, but I think I'm still on like, page 7. Holy crap, that PA book cover was awful.
Yes, that fairy looks as though she has yellow fever.
I was smiling through your description of my reining in the snark engine, because that's exactly how I felt as I collected the quotes (don't worry, I'm very snarky on the two PAMB quotes threads). It's frustrating to see people place their trust in a scam when the information that could enlighten them is right there on their own message board.
It's even more frustrating to see blatant lies about agents and commercial publishers accepted as gospel (that's one reason I tried to back up my points with so many quotes and links).
I don't think any of the feedback I get will be from PA loyalists (we had two on the AW forums), but if any of them respond, it'll be interesting to see what they dispute about the article.
They don't need to dispute the article because you are obviously a paid industry shill. What, do you think you're the next J. K. Rowling or something? Now excuse me, I'm off to go buy 50 copies of my own book for half price.
This... is what success feels like.
I love the article. I think it's one of the best anti-PA things I've seen.
Kudos on a job well-done! I've linked to it, just like I warned - er - said I would do! =)
I love the article. I think it's one of the best anti-PA things I've seen.
Thanks very much! :) I’m starting to see the article as a work-in-progress, because I keep thinking of more details I could have added. For instance, the history of PA or the psychology of the operation (as a publisher, PA is hopeless but as a scam, it’s brilliant). And I’d love to describe the glory days of the PA collective – HB Marcus, the mass signing where they raffled off a guitar and the one and only conference (wasn't that abruptly ended by a fire alarm at the point where the food was running out?).
I’d better stop before this turns into a trilogy rather than a book.
Thanks for the link, Kim. The more people know about PA, the better!
What a fantastic and very detailed article. If this saves even one person from PA, then you've just won yourself a boatload of Karma.
I like that you have actual quotes and book comparisions. Wow, wow--I knew it was bad, but really I had no idea they were THIS bad.
Thanks, angela! Really, the best warnings against PA are the words of their own authors, which is why their message board makes for such fascinating reading (and great evidence).
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