So schön ist es

books read in 2016 [2/?] → the iron fey series by julie kagawa

While you are worrying about whether beta readers will steal your ideas, there is a more genuine threat on the horizon.

When offered a publishing contract, please do all your research before you sign. There are a number of fakes and scammers out there, as well as good-intentioned amateurs that don’t know how to get your work to a wide audience. I won’t tell the heartbreaking stories here - there are too many.

Being published badly is worse than being never published.

It can destroy your career and your dreams.

The quick check is to google the publishing house name + scam or warning.

But, to be sure, check with these places first. They aren’t infallible (nothing is) but they can help you protect yourself. They are written and maintained by experienced writers, editors, publishers and legal folks.

Absolute Write: Bewares and Background Checks

Preditors and editors

Writer Beware

and the WRITER BEWARE blog

Keep yourself and your work safe.

omg you take your husband’s name after marriage? that’s so oppressive. so you’re like his property? he can do anything he wants with you? *whispers* is it a religion thing? 

you put your parents in senior homes? that’s so backwards and heartless. is it a cultural thing? 

you leave the house when you’re 18? do your parents not love you? why do they not like their children in the house? is it a cultural thing? 

why are all your white men serial killers? is it a cultural thing? are you guys naturally belligerent and have a thirst for innocent blood? 

omg you guys owned slaves? how did that even compute as being remotely ok? i heard you even enslaved your own is it a cultural thing? 

i heard you guys throw away food in restaurants instead of letting workers or the homeless have it. that’s so cruel and backwards. is it a cultural thing? 

so you get dressed and leave the house to find someone to have sex with? that’s so primitive. is that a cultural thing?