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Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware There is a natural law in writing and publishing (as elsewhere): where need and desire are greatest, moneymaking enterprises follow. Vanity publishers are an easy (and long-standing) example of this law, presenting themselves as a way around the bottleneck of traditional publishing--as long as the writer is willing to "invest" in his/her work. Ditto for literary agent "middleman" services , in which an individual or company offers to "represent" writers to agents, supposedly to increase their chances of snagging a super-busy agent's attention. More recently, there's the huge variety of services that have sprung up around self-publishing--some worthwhile, some distinctly not. In some cases, these are new services, addressing (or purporting to address) needs created by new technology. In others, they're an attempt to monetize what was formerly free. I've one of each to talk about today. First up: ...

We don't often do self-promotion here at Writer Beware--but I have a new book out! Today is publication day for my young adult historical novel, Color Song . A tale of art, intrigue, and romance set in glorious 15th century Venice, it's a followup to my previous YA historical, Passion Blue , but can be read as a standalone. I'm incredibly excited to have Color Song out in the world at last, and for the wonderful reviews it has been receiving on Goodreads and elsewhere. It's published for the older teen market, but there's plenty of crossover appeal for adults. I've got a virtual book tour scheduled for the next few weeks, with interviews, reviews, and more. The full schedule is posted here and on my personal website ; I'll be tweeting and Facebooking tour stops as they happen. There's also a HUGE giveaway , with Kindle Paperwhites in custom covers, signed books, and swag.You can enter here . Feel free to tweet about the giveaway, feature it on your blo...

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware One of the original digital pioneers, erotic romance publisher Ellora's Cave has reportedly had financial and other problems for some years. But in 2014, things seem to be coming to a head. In May, news surfaced of late royalty payments (though this was not news to EC authors), which EC's CEO blamed on faulty software . Then, in August, EC announced that it was laying off the majority of its staff , attributing this to a precipitous decline in ebook sales via Amazon. Since then, rumors have been swirling, and authors have started to go public with complaints.* Update 9/17: Managing editor Whitney Mihalik and COO Susan Edwards have reportedly resigned . I'm on vacation at the moment and not doing much Writer Beware work, so this isn't my usual detailed post. But I wanted to feature a warning--since what's happening at EC is ominously reminiscent of events that have preceded the demise of other independent presses. Bel...

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware Independent editors. What do they do? When do you need them? How do you find them--and, most crucial, how do you determine whether they're qualified to be doing what they're doing? These very important questions are addressed on the Editors page of the Writer Beware website. Just as important, however, is a question that arises after you've determined your editing needs (and budget) and done your due diligence: are you and your chosen editor compatible? To get the most out of the editing experience, you must feel comfortable with your editor and be able to communicate openly with him or her. Today's guest post, from experienced editor Katherine Pickett, addresses the issue of author-editor compatibility (which she calls "workability") and how to determine whether you and your chosen editor will be able to work well together. ------------------------------------------ Author-Editor Workability: The Crucial Element ...