Best of Writer Beware: 2023 in Review

Every January, when I look back over the previous year’s blog posts, I’m amazed that there was so much to cover. When Ann Crispin and I started Writer Beware in (gulp) 1998, we really didn’t envision it as a long-term project; we thought if we put out enough warnings, and named enough names, there’d eventually be no need for us. How naive we were. 25 years on, there’s more to warn about than ever.

Below, please find a roundup of WB’s most impactful posts of 2023: all the schemes, scams, pitfalls, and industry shenanigans that were fit to print. Plus some good advice…and a bit of bonus weirdness.

First, though…

X NO LONGER MARKS THE (WB) SPOT

Since these retrospectives are among my most popular posts, this seems like a good place to make an announcement.

When Twitter changed hands last year and morphed into X, I was one of the people who swore I’d hang on until the whole thing went down in flames. But after struggling with the ongoing devolution of the platform over the past year, including a precipitous decline in engagement for my tweets after I was de-blue-checkified, I’m joining the exodus.

As of January 1, I’m mostly off X. I’ll still be tweeting WB blog posts, in order to keep my account active and protect my username (if you read down to the last entry in this post, you’ll see why I’m concerned about misuse), but I will no longer offer publishing news, opinions, scam alerts, or warnings.

Instead, I’ll be transferring my WB activity (plus the occasional cat or garden photo) to Bluesky (@victoriastrauss.bsky.social) and Threads (@victoriastrauss), where I’ve been getting comfortable over the past few months. Please join me on either or both! (I have some Bluesky codes, if anyone wants one: email me, first come, first served.)

PPE FOR THE SCAM PANDEMIC

I miss the days when I could say that true scams were relatively rare (yes, there really were those days), and incompetence was a much greater danger for writers: inexperienced publishers, unqualified editors, uncredentialed publicists. Don’t get me wrong: incompetence is still a big problem. But starting around 2018, a new wave of scams arrived from overseas, primarily targeting self-publishers. These have become so numerous, and so brazen, that they now pose one of the top dangers writers are likely to encounter–especially writers who’ve self-published.

The good news is that, in addition to a set of markers that pretty reliably identify them, these scams function in broadly similar ways. I wrote several posts in 2023 to help writers recognize them and, hopefully, protect themselves from scam contagion.

Imposter Syndrome: The Rise of Impersonation Scams. Increasingly, scammers are impersonating reputable literary agents, publishers, and film production companies with fake offers involving large upfront fees (which of course reputable agents, etc. don’t charge). This post, published at Writer Unboxed, offers multiple examples of impersonator solicitations, along with tips for identifying their bogosity.

Anatomy of a Fake Literary Agency Scam. Many scammers pose as literary agents/agencies, with big promises of transitioning you to a lucrative traditional publishing contract–but the real aim is to sell you something (actually, many somethings). This post breaks down the predictable structure of such scams, including how they trace back to a parent company overseas.

How to Spot a Fake Literary Agency. Fake agencies typically maintain websites, the better to present an appearance of legitimacy. Many are easily recognizable as bogus. Some, though, are much more convincing, with claims of trad-pub sales, staff rosters, even photos of their supposed agents. This post offers techniques to help you spot and unmask even the most elaborate fakes.

Anatomy of a Fake Film Company Scam. Fake film company scams are structured similarly to fake literary agency scams, except that the false promise isn’t a publishing contract, but a major motion picture. This post details the process by which one writer was bilked of more than $40,000 by one such scam; among other things, the scammer impersonated Netflix.

AUTHORS SPEAK OUT

In June, controversy erupted over reports that literary agency New Leaf Literary & Media had abruptly terminated representation for more than two dozen clients of an agent who had departed the agency that same day.

Some weeks later, a group of affected authors reached out to me and asked if I’d publish a statement clarifying the course of events and correcting some inaccurate reporting. In addition, the statement serves as a call for change, advocating for the establishment of transparent protocols around client termination, and the sharing of those procedures with prospective clients.

Call for Change: Current and Former New Leaf Literary & Media Authors Speak Out.

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT AI, AND WE ARE TOO

Generative AI (more properly, machine learning) is the issue of the moment–and rightly so, since it’s of immense import for all of us, including writers.

Findaway Voices, Machine Learning, and the New Rights Frontier. In February, writers began drawing attention to audiobook creation service Findaway Voices’ practice of allowing Apple to use rightsholders’ audio files for machine learning, without notification or compensation. The implications of such blanket use are multiple and thorny, and suggest the emergence of a new class of rights that authors and their representatives need to negotiate into contracts.

Copyright, Contracts, and AI-Generated Material. Michael Capobianco takes a look at the US Copyright Office’s March guidance on copyright for works that include AI-generated content.

Dear Author, Are You Human? Certifying Authenticity. Piggybacking on the writing community’s widespread concern about authenticity in a world where crappy AI-produced books are proliferating on Amazon and elsewhere, two new services promise to certify writers’ work as AI-free. Is that actually possible? Just as important–writers care, but do readers?

Artificial Intelligence and Copyright: SFWA’s Comments to the US Copyright Office. Copyright violation is at the heart of creators’ concerns about the rapid development and deployment of generative AI. In response to the Copyright Office’s consideration of whether new legislation or regulation is needed, SFWA urges care, and offers four concrete suggestions to protect writers–all writers, not just writers of speculative fiction.

COPYRIGHT MATTERS

Copyright Claims Board: Mid-January Update. Although it has been operating for less than a year, the new small claims court for copyright holders (which allows creators to file infringement claims without needing to hire a lawyer or make a court appearance) is going strong. Michael Capobianco takes a look at some of the recent filings involving books.

Rights vs. Copyright: Untangling the Confusion. Confusion about the difference between rights and copyright (copyright is your ownership of your intellectual property; it includes a bundle of rights that you can license to others or exploit yourself) is common–not just among authors, but among inexperienced publishers. This post offers suggestions for dispelling the confusion and protecting yourself.

When the Copyright Trolls Came for Me. Copyright trolls create and register content that they make widely available online to encourage unpermissioned use, and then contact violators and use threats of litigation to shake them down for cash settlements. This post, published at Writer Unboxed, describes my experience with one known troll, and points up the importance of making sure you have the proper licenses and permissions for any images you post online (spoiler alert: I did. Copyright trolls often target people who use images legitimately).

PUBLISHING CONTRACTS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE SCARY

Bad Contract Alert: Webnovel. Another in my series of posts about the terrible terms of serialized fiction app contracts. Webnovel is one of the largest of such platforms.

When Your Publishing Contract Flies a Red Flag: Clauses to Watch For. Published at Writer Unboxed, this post discusses several seriously author-unfriendly contract clauses, including copyright transfers, net profit royalties, a claim of copyright on editing, and more.

Editing Clauses in Publishing Contracts: What to Watch Out For. A publishing contract should always include language addressing editing (be wary of any that don’t)–but such language needs to ensure a reasonable balance between the publisher’s desire to improve a work and the author’s right of control. This post takes a look at a number of problem editing clauses, provides examples of better ones, and suggests how to respond if you encounter author-unfriendly provisions.

Termination Fees in Publishing Contracts: Not Just Bad for Authors. An updated version of a post I published in 2016, this post takes a look at why termination fees are a contract red flag–and why they disadvantage publishers, too.

BEWARE JUNK MARKETING

Junk marketing is marketing that’s cheap to provide, sold at a large markup, and of doubtful value for book promotion. Examples include press releases, book trailers, social media marketing, book fair display, paid book reviews, and more.

This post takes a look at another type of junk marketing, and why it’s not worth your marketing dollar. It’s a common offering from marketing scammers, who use the same roster of interview hosts (some of whom can be hired directly for a fraction of what the scammers charge).

Vanity Radio and TV: Think Twice Before Paying for Interviews.

PUBLISHERS BEHAVING BADLY

Author Complaints at Adelaide Books. An update on the situation at fee-charging publisher Adelaide Books (it requires authors to buy copies of their finished books), which has long been the subject of author complaints of delays, non-payment of royalties, non-response to questions and concerns, and more. Promises made by Adelaide’s owner to address these issues have mostly not been fulfilled; and the owner seems to have attempted to dodge the difficulties by moving overseas.

Small Press Storm Warnings: Adelaide Books, Propertius Press, Touchpoint Press. More of the same from Adelaide, non-payment and poor performance from Propertius, and for Touchpoint–founded by a former fee-charging literary agent about whom Writer Beware received complaints–a perfect flood of author complaints about pretty much every aspect of publishing and business practice. (The Touchpoint story is ongoing, with multiple updates.)

Contract, Payment Delays at the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. One of the most respected publications in the speculative fiction field, F&SF is also the subject of complaints from authors who report long delays in receiving contracts and payments in addition to poor communication. Despite the magazine’s pledge to address the situation, Writer Beware continues to receive reports.

Author Complaints at L.R. Price Publications Ltd. Authors with this UK publisher report a variety of issues, including major publication delays, poor editing, poor communication, and retaliation and legal threats against authors who attempt to terminate their contracts for breach. An examination of the evolution of LRP’s contracts suggests ongoing efforts to contractually insulate itself against such complaints. (LR Price has contacted me to dispute the contents of this post; although I’ve invited it to respond, it has not yet done so.)

THE FAKE IS STRONG WITH THESE ONES

Peak Fake: United Writers Organization and the Perpetual Eagle Awards. A fake nomination for a fake award from a fake writers’ organization with a fake website (featuring real plagiarism). How many fakes can I fit into one sentence?

One Week, Two Fakes: American Booksellers Federation and The Acquisitions Guild. To boost the credibility of their solicitations, scammers sometimes cite associations with or recommendations by prestigious-sounding organizations. Problem is, these organizations may be completely fictitious, and their often elaborate websites are riddled with false and plagiarized content.

Contest Caution: Litchfield Institute Writing Contest. This is an odd one: a contest with big-money prizes and absolutely no way to verify any of its claims, either as a contest or an “institute [that] promotes independent study”: no judges’ names, no names of the course instructors, contest guidelines that omit important information such as when winners will be announced. Is it fake? I thought so initially, but on investigation became less certain. For sure it’s weird, though.

THE IMPERSONATION GAME

Scam Alert: Scammers Impersonating the Strand Bookstore. Reported to me by Strand staff, this scam uses staffers’ names, as well as the name and images of the store, to pitch an AMAZING offer: the Strand wants to order a ton of books to stock on its shelves! All you have to do is pay four figures for shipping and handling! (Bonus amusement: the scammers left an angry comment.)

How Scammers Are Using Amazon and Amazon Trademarks to Rip Writers Off. A subset of the ghostwriting scams that I exposed last year, these scams use the Amazon name and Amazon trademarks to try and fool writers into believing they’re working with the real Amazon (which is currently suing a number of them).

The Book Marketing Scam That Went the Extra Mile. This guest post by author Alina Adams details her experience with a marketing scam that attempted to establish its bona fides by impersonating well-known writers, including Susanna Clarke, with completely fabricated testimonials. (Like many scams of this type, it does business under multiple names.)

Alert: Scammers Impersonating Video Streaming Services With Fake Writing Job Offers. The scammers who last year posed as Acorn TV have moved on to impersonating Minno, a Christian streaming service for kids. I don’t doubt that other streaming services will be added to their impersonation portfolio.

IT’S ME, HI, I’M THE PROBLEM (WELL, FOR SCAMMERS)

Dogging the Watchdog: In Which a Scammer Tries to Troll Me. Haters gonna hate, and I’ve been the focus of a fair amount of hate over the years–trolling, doxxing, even a few death threats. This was a new one, though: possibly pissed off by all my posts exposing impersonation scams, the scammer tried to turn the tables: by impersonating me.