Scam Alert: Scammers Impersonating Acorn TV - Writer Beware

Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere today and decided to make a stop at the Writer Beware site. There he found a post about scammers and Acorn TV.

 

You think I'll believe that?

According to Victoria Strauss' post, there's a scam going around in the writing community on Twitter. Writers are contacted by people claiming to be recruiters for Acorn TV. The scammers claim Acorn TV needs writers and will pay $5000 for two stories per week. Apparently, this scam has been around in another form since 2021.

 

Panzer says, "This little kitty is glad he went to the Writer Beware site today."

 

Note: Because this post contains samples of the bogus tweets sent by the scammers, this is a long post. Bring whatever you want to eat and drink while you read the selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to Scam Alert

The Copyright Claims Board: A New Option For Copyright Disputes - Writer Beware

 Panzer's trip today took him to the Writer Beware site. There with no digging at all, he found a post about the Copyright Claims Board.

Doesn't cost as much as going to court.

According to Victoria Strauss' post, the Copyright Claims Board (CCB.gov) opened yesterday. The CCB is an easier, less expensive way to address copyright disputes. There are certain rules and limitations to using the CCB, but all the necessary information is available at the site. The post gives a comprehensive description of the CCB and includes links to all the information needed.

Panzer says, "The CCB looks like an interesting alternative to going to court."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin. If you plan to follow the links in the post, you'll need to decide what to bring to eat and drink.

To read the post tootle over to Copyright Claims Board

Bad Contract Alert: Stary (aka Dreame) - Writer Beware

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Writer Beware site. With just a little digging he found a post about the Dreame app (and others like it).

 

Who can write that much that fast?

According to Victoria Strauss' post, Stary's app Dreame allows readers to read serialized stories. Authors sign contracts which bind them to produce huge amounts of written work over a short period of time for these serials. The post includes several links one of which is to the contract she discusses.

 

Panzer says, "Always read a contract before you sign it."

 

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading. If you plan to follow the links in the post, you decided what to bring to eat and drink.

 

To read the post tootle over to bad contract

Junk Book Marketing: Book Fair "Representation" - Writer Beware

Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Writer Beware site. There with some digging in the posts our intrepid traveling kitty boy found one about junk book marketing.

 

Always check Writer Beware first.

Victoria Strauss' post is divided into two sections. The first section of the post starts by explaining why paying for mass emailings of press releases, book trailers made with stock images and bad voice-overs, and several other dubious marketing campaigns are categorized as junk book marketing. The second section of the post is devoted to book fair representation marketing. This includes paying to have your book sit on a shelf with other books and paying for an advertisement in the representatives "magazine." Included in the section is a photo of one of the book fair marketing booths to illustrate why this is junk book marketing too. There are several links in the post to supporting information as well.

 

Panzer says, "Humans will believe anything."

 

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and a large muffin for your reading. If you plan to follow the links in the post, you'll have to decide what else to bring to eat and drink.

 

To read the post tootle over to Junk Book Marketing

Contest Alert: Bardsy's "The Short and Long of It" NaNoWriMo Prep Contest - Writer Beware

 Panzer had just settled down for his evening nap when he heard booing and hissing coming from the Catosphere. Jumping into the Panzermobile he headed out. The trail of angst lead him to the Writer Beware site. There he found a Contest Alert post.

 

The post by Victoria Strauss discusses the Bardsy "The Short and Long of it" NaNoWriMo Prep Contest. According to the post authors need to read the contest rules very carefully.  Some of the rules are very unfair to authors. For one, just by entering the contest authors are giving Bardsy first publication rights. For another, Bardsy keeps the rights in perpetuity. The post points out other problems with the rules as well and explains why they are bad for authors.

My job is done for the day.

 

Panzer says, "Always. Always. Always. Read. The. Rules."

 

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

 

To read the post tootle over to contest alert

Bad Contract Alert: ByteDance's Reading/Writing App - Writer Beware

Panzer was shaken from his afternoon nap by crying and the gnashing of teeth coming from the Catosphere. Our brave kitty boy hopped in the Panzermobile and headed out. Following all the chaos took him to the Writer Beware site. There he found a post about the newest contract writers need to avoid.

 

I'll have nightmares about this.

According to Victoria Strauss' post, there's a new readers' app looking for writers. The app is ByteDance's  Fictum. You might recognize ByteDance as TikTok's parent company. The post dissects Fictum's writers' contract. The contract states on the first tier writers are expected to produce 1,000 words per day per month. That's 30,000 words per month. For this, the writer will be paid $200 per month. In total the writer is to produce 200,000 words. The post points out other problems with the contract including cancellation clauses, royalty payment clauses, copyright clauses, right of first refusal for anything you write during the contract, and there's even more. There are several links to other posts included.

 

Panzer says, "Everybody says cats aren't good at math. ... But ... 30,000 words for $200 is only $0.01 per word, right?"

 

Note: This is a v-e-r-y l-o-n-g post. Bring a big glass of lemonade, three chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) and a brownie. If you plan to follow the links, you decide what to bring.

 

To read the post tootle over to bad contract

#DisneyMustPay: Authors' Groups Join Forces to Advocate for Writers Owed Money By Disney - Writer Beware

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere he suddenly heard booing and hissing outside the Panzermobile. Following the angry noises took our brave kitty pilot to the Writer Beware site. There he found a post about the Disney organization's treatment of writers.

 

According to Victoria Strauss' post, the Disney company is not paying some writers their royalty payments. The company, also, is not responding to authors about their requests for payment. Seven writers' groups (Authors Guild, Horror Writers Association, National Writers Union, Novelist, Inc., Romance Writers of America, Science Fiction Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime) have joined together to help authors try to get their royalties paid. The group is using the Twitter hashtag #DisneyMustPay for discussions, to give out information and to learn about authors who aren't being paid.

 

Careful. He left a big mess there.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... So, Mickey isn't paying his bills, huh?"

 

Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a large muffin for today's reading.

 

To read the post tootle over to Disney

#Audiblegate: How Audible-ACX Returns Policy Penalizes Authors - Writer Beware

As Panzer entered the Catosphere today the Panzermobile was suddenly violently shaken about by the crying and gnashing of teeth outside. Following all the chaos, took our brave kitty boy to the Writer Beware site. There he found a post about Audible's ebook return policy. Panzer told you about this situation in a post last week.

 

According to the post by Victoria Strauss, Audible has been using an audio books return policy without alerting authors to it. While some authors suspected their audio book sales didn't make sense, it wasn't until a computer glitch a couple of months ago brought Audible's return program to light. Audible members can listen to an audio book (either partially or totally) and then return it and exchange it for another audio book for no extra charge. The author, meanwhile, loses the royalty for the sale because it was returned. In Audible-ACX's Premium Plus program this is actively promoted as a benefit of the program. Since learning about the returns policy, some authors have gone so far as to get Audible memberships to test the program. They did this to see if there is any number of returns at which point a member will lose this return benefit. The answer: No. And it's not just the authors' losing out on the royalties. Narrators who didn't get paid up front, are losing on the returns to. There are several links to other sites, YouTube and Twitter for more information by authors about this return policy.

 

It really stinks over there.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... Author sites? ... YouTube? ... Twitter? ... That is one big steaming pile of you-know-what Audible stepped in."

 

Note: This is a h-u-g-e post. Bring a thermos of tea and twelve muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow all the links in the post, bring another thermos of tea, a thermos of hot cocoa, another twelve muffins, ten chocolate chip cookies (biscuits), and six brownies. Oh, you will also want to bring your sleeping bag for a nap in the middle of all your reading.

 

To read the post tootle over to #Audiblegate

To read Panzer previous post about #Audiblegate (although, if you follow all the links in the Writer Beware post you don't need to) tootle over to Audible exchange policy

 

Copyright Violation Redux: The Internet Archive's National Emergency Library - Writer Beware

Panzer hasn't been to the Writer Beware site for a while so he decided to stop in there today. With a little digging in the posts he found one about the chaos the Internet Archive is causing.

According to Victoria Strauss at the Writer Beware site, the Internet Archive's (IA) National Emergency Library is causing financial harm to authors. The post addresses authors' concerns about IA's unauthorized use of their copyrighted books. IA is scanning authors' books and then giving the digital books to reader for free. The authors and their publishers receive no payment for their books. The post explains the Controlled Digital Lending (CDL) theory that it's okay for IA and libraries to make unauthorized scanned copies of books. There are several links to authors' groups sites, publishers' groups sites, and individual author's sites containing information about and problems with the Internet Archive. The post also includes instructions for how to get your books removed from the IA site.

Repeat after me: Stealing is wrong.

Panzer says, "Hmm ... And libraries agree with this CDL stealing thingy?"

Note: This is a humongous post. Bring a quart of tea and a baker's dozen of muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to Internet Archive copyright infringement

What You Need To Know About California's New Law AB-5 Affects on Writers - Writer Beware

Today as our fastidious Panzer was washing the outside of the Panzermobile, he heard crying and shouting coming from the Catosphere. Hopping in the Panzermobile, he followed all the noise to the Writer Beware site. With no digging at all he found the source of all the angst. A new law in California has major problems for freelance writers in the state.

It's hard enough being a writer. Now this.

According to site owner Victoria Strauss, California has passed a new law aimed at helping 'freelance' workers. The AB-5 law gives freelance workers the benefits of regular employees after certain criteria are met. Because the law includes a limit of 35 'sales' to one company after that limit the freelancer becomes an employee under the law. This is one of the criteria of the law causing freelance writers a problem. Some freelance writers (and illustrators) can satisfy this criteria in six months, if not weeks. The post includes an article published by the Authors Guild explaining the law and its effects on writers.

Panzer says, "If you read all the way to the end of the post in the Update section, you'll see they want to do the same law here where I live in Washington state."

Note: This is a long post. Bring a cup of tea and two muffins for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to California AB5 Law

Scandal Engulfs Independent Publisher ChiZine Publications - Writer Beware

Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere, the Panzermobile was suddenly buffeted and shaken by yelling and screaming outside. Braving the chaos and following all the noise took our adventuresome kitty boy to the Writer Beware site. It took no digging at all to find the cause of all the hullabaloo was a post about Canadian indie publishing company ChiZine Publications. In case you didn't know, Writer Beware is a site which advises writers about scams and unscrupulous sites, agents, and publishers.

Watch where you step.

According to Victoria Strauss, ChiZine Publications has recently had numerous complaints filed against the company by writers. While it appeared the company had an excellent record working with authors, it has come to light according to the quoted authors, sites and blog posts this wasn't true. The post contains quotes from authors' blogs about not getting paid their royalties, statements from writers' organizations, and a statement from ChiZine. There are also links to several blog posts about the issues as well.

Panzer says, "This is definitely one big pile of pooh you don't want to step in."

Note: This is a humongous post. Bring a gallon of tea and a dozen muffins for today's reading selection. If you plan to follow the links, also bring a gallon of cocoa, a dozen muffins and a dozen chocolate chip cookies.

To read the post tootle over to scandal

Author Rachel Ann Nunes Wins Her Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against An Amazon Scammer - Writer Beware

Panzer's didn't even get a chance to rest before he heard clapping and cheering coming from the Catosphere. Hopping in the Panzermobile our speedy kitty followed all the jocularity to the Writer Beware site. With no digging at all he discovered the source of all the noise was the resolution of Rachel Ann Nunes' copyright infringement case.

According to the post at Writer Beware by Victoria Strauss, Rachel Ann Nunes was made aware someone else had uploaded one of her novels to Amazon. This person changed the title and a couple of other small details, but aside from that it was Nunes novel. Nunes went to court and sued for copyright infringement and just won her lawsuit.

Please, no more news. I really need a nap.

Panzer says, "The Writer Beware site is a good source of news about scammers and criminals who target writers."

Note: This is medium length post. Bring a cup of tea and a muffin for today's reading selection.

To read the post tootle over to copyright

Scribd Addresses Pirated Content

I'm watching you.

Panzer was out in the Catosphere today and found a very disturbing post at Publishers Weekly site about Scribd. You all know Panzer just uploaded the first Lori Stockley story at Scribd for FREE download.

It's upsetting to learn we're dealing with a site that has a lot of pirated material available. It's also annoying because our ebook distributor Smashwords has signed an agreement with Scribd to use their paid subscription service to sell Smashwords' authors' ebooks.

From the response of Scribd's V.P. of Content Acquisition it sounds like they're working to stop the pirated uploads, but it also sounds like it will be a continuing problem for the foreseeable future. So, Panzer and I will be watching this situation very closely.

If you want to read the full post, tootle over to Scribd response to Writer Beware.