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Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware NOTE: This post has been updated. I harp a lot here on how important it is to read the fine print--in your publishing contract, on websites that host user content, in literary contests. Sure, it's tedious, especially if couched in lengthy legalese--but skipping this step can result in unpleasant surprises. What happens, though, if the contest sponsor changes its guidelines while the contest is still in progress? Last year, the Times of India --one of the world's largest English-language newspapers--launched the WriteIndia contest . Each month for eleven months, a well-known Indian writer provided a passage or a prompt for contest entrants to develop into a short story. Eleven winners were awarded a Kindle, attendance at an exclusive writing camp, and publication in a compilation of winners' stories published by TOI's publishing imprint, Times Group Books. Major newspaper, eminent writers, publication--what's not to like...

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware I've written before about termination fees in publishing contracts: why they are bad not just for authors, but for publishers , and how publishers can abuse them . Here's another case study in how termination fees can become a tool for retaliation. Sky Warrior Books , "a press dedicated to publishing quality SFF, mystery, historical fiction, paranormal, nonfiction, and other genres", is run by publisher and author Maggie Bonham (who also writes as MH Bonham and Margaret H. Bonham). Among the lesser-known authors on its list, there are several books and anthologies written/edited by established SF/fantasy authors. Sky Warrior's contract--which is problematic in a number of respects, including vagueness in the royalty language--has not one, but two early termination fee provisions: 12.a.ii.: Prior to publication, the Author may terminate this contract for unspecified reasons by reimbursing the Publisher for costs incur...

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware Last week, as I was researching my blog post on the troubles at YA publisher Month9Books (which recently reverted rights to 40-50 authors amid allegations of non-payment and other problems), I reached out to owner Georgia McBride with some questions. Her responses are below. (You can also read McBride's interview with YA Interrobang , which published a long article on author and staff allegations.) -------------------------- VICTORIA STRAUSS: Your email to authors [about the rights reversions] mentions that you fired an accountant who created problems for Month9, including missing and incorrect payments. Can you tell me more about what happened, and what steps you're taking to address the problems and ensure that staff and authors receive payments due them? GEORGIA MCBRIDE: I can't say more than I have already said about the accountant, and really, I prefer not to focus on him. What I can tell you is that I am working to get ...

Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware See bottom of post for updates. On May 20, Publishers Lunch broke the news that Month9Books , a well-regarded and apparently successful publisher of young adult and middle-grade fiction, was scaling back its list and reverting rights to "40-50 authors across all imprints". In an email to Month9 authors sent the same day, company founder Georgia McBride cited her own health problems, along with staffing issues and the company's "substantial growing pains" over the past six to nine months. The announcement set off a small flurry of conversations about the publication and about small presses overall, with many wondering how McBride could afford to acquire new works if authors were complaining about loyal or absent royalty payments. McBride ignored speculation and turned her attention towards working – even as authors on Twitter began to discuss how lack of payment was a recurring problem for the company. The quote abo...