The Write Agenda

James D. Macdonald said:

Looks like someone else came to the same conclusion you did, Ben:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/miscell...a-stra/author-victoria-strauss-fail-59bfb.htm

As Jamie and Adam might say, that myth is busted.

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The truth is hard to dodge. I note that TWA has not rebutted them, and it's been more than a month., Guess they gave up for the moment.

Can I say I'm on the boycotted author list and get the mini-badge? Huh? Huh?

The Wrong Agenda

Hi all,

I've been watching 'The Write Agenda All-Star Slo-Mo Car Crash' for a while now. The thing that bugs me most of all (aside from their distasteful nastiness directed at specific individuals), is that they prey on the inexperience and un-worldlywiseness of people like me.

*stands up and takes deep breath*

My name is Grace Philp and I am an unpublished writer.
I also like the word 'fuck'.

I am in a position more fortunate than some as I came across Jane Smith's excellent blog first and from there, I found Absolute Write. I have been hugging the Water Cooler ever since.
I have been known to sit for hours in the evenings reading entire 5 year long threads from start to finish, just to get the whole picture. I'm like that.
It was as a result of reading Jane's blog that I decided to have a look at The Wrong Agenda, (sorry but I can't bring myself to use their proper name lest this post spring up in a Google search thus giving the fucktards, or indeed cockwaffles, more publicity).

Absolute Write Water Cooler promotes discussion and any opinion that adds to the discussion is more than welcome.

The 'Wrong' Agenda promotes opinion as long as that opinion matches theirs. Any disagreement with the official position is greeted with a hate-spewing essay filled with the kind of logic that determins that (to paraphrase one of my favourite movies) if a person weighs the same as duck, they're made of wood and therefore a witch.

So I call upon all writers like me: If you think that the publishing world is a minefield, you aint seen nothing yet. 'Writer's Advice' sites are many. Some are not interested in your development as an artist, they only care that your credit card payment clears and that your cheques don't bounce. And I must add, If one cheque clears, rest assured they will soon ask you for another. Others are, in my opinion, a poor excuse for displaying a manifesto for 'The Nasty Fucking Cockwaffle Party'

Then there are the true gems such as this one. And if you're reading this you've made a good start. Take a look around. You'll see a whole range of diffent opinions. Sometimes the debates get heated. This is a good thing. Frank, open discussion is a good thing because under all the bluster the mantra remains 'respect the writer'.

We have to do our diligence people! Whether it is for an agent, publisher or even a writing community on-line. There is no excuse for lack of research.

A little more and then I'll stop, I promise.

If, like me, you are an unpublished writer, there may be two reasons for that.

1) You have yet to write anything that is good enough to be published. (I, for example am about to start re-writes on my first novel. Right now, It aint good enough to be published. It needs work. I have to do the work to make it publishable. It aint gonna happen any other way.

2) You sent the wrong piece of work to the wrong agent or publisher at the wrong time. The answer to that is to do your diligence. Who is taking what, when and how? You have to find this out.

Agents are not out to get us, nor are publishers. They will all look at work that is worthy of their attention, regardless of whether it has been sent to them by Stephen King or Joe Nobody. But we have to make it worthy first.

I've probably gone off on a tangent with some of this and I apologise in advance. But to conclude, I will say this: Any person or organisation who promotes the burning of books should be barred from having access to the written word. In any form. I think that they should all sit in 'the quiet corner' and look at picture books until such time as they can be re-introduced to written words at a level and pace that they are able to understand.

I usually post as Jupiter but on this occassion, and on this issue in particular I'll sign off using my real, legal name.

Grace Philp.

Thanks for bearing with me. I apologise for the lengthy post.

I've just realised that I used their name in the first line. I reckon that makes me a cockwaffle.
Good thing I a) love both parts of that last word and b) have the good sense to have very discerning tastes when it comes to both cocks and waffles.

Love

Grace

Well said, Grace. Well said, indeed.

Oh, and this: "sorry but I can't bring myself to use their proper name lest this post spring up in a Google search thus giving the fucktards, or indeed cockwaffles, more publicity." This is nothing short of literary magic.

I laughed so hard, I may have peed a little.

Jupiter said:

My name is Grace Philp and I am an unpublished writer.
I also like the word 'fuck'.

I am in a position more fortunate than some as I came across Jane Smith's excellent blog first and from there, I found Absolute Write. I have been hugging the Water Cooler ever since.

Thanks for bearing with me. I apologise for the lengthy post.

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No need to apologise. You're in extremely good company here. The Wrong Agenda are spineless cowards and idiotic bookburners. They also have no idea how to correctly use apostrophes. One day they might respond directly to honest criticism. But until they do, they are self-evidently cockwaffles and most certainly fucktards.

I must also apologise to Jane Smith and her fab blog How Publishing Really Works. I really should have mentioned her blog by name. I'm afraid linking directly is a bit beyond me. Google How Publishing Really Works and you'll find it right there. Or you could look at Old Hack's sig line.
Cockwaffles and fucktards, be afraid. Be very afraid. You and your cockwafflery will not go unchecked.

Jane and HPRW, I salute you. You brought me here.

Grace

Mmm...waffles...pass the butter, please...

It's been a while since I had any cockwaffles for breakfast. Probably a good thing, I think they set off my allergies.

Cockwaffles for everyone . Just make sure that you practice safe breakfast.

Jupiter said:

Cockwaffles for everyone . Just make sure that you practice safe breakfast.

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I too enjoy both parts of this word.



I found this thread this afternoon and my first thought was "how is it that I've never heard of these poorly-disguised lunatics trying (at least I think they're trying) to pass themselves off as sane folk?

This thread and accompanying links have provided hours of not-so-quality entertainment. And now all I have to say is this:

If the interwebz were highschool -- as TWA clearly believes -- they would be that weird, greasy kid that comes to school one day with home-made bombs and a handgun. Something is definitely not wired right over there.

I call up for The Wrong Agenda my favorite curse: "May your name be swiftly and completely forgotten."

Who are talking about again...

We can call up Dan Savage and see if he can do a viciously-apt renaming like he did with Rick Santorum.

What's happening here?

Just some pitchforks, rattling.

SummerSurf57 said:

What's happening here?

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In a nutshell:

1. Scam opperation tries to cheat hopeful new writers.
2. Watchdogs make efforts to warn new writers about scam.
3. Person behind the scam launches personal vendetta and smear campaign against the watchdogs, and against one watchdog in particular.
4. AW folks mock the scam artist's attempts at discrediting the watchdog, since the scam artist is the one that comes off looking like a fool.

Well summarised LindaJeanne. Time to get things back on track. We're talking about TWA (not the airline, the other one.)
All this talk of waffles is making me hungry anyway. Let's move on.

I await TWA's next clanger. Hang on to your waffle forks people, it'll be along shortly.

I haven't had time to sit down and read posts from the site until now. What a load of cow dung. Bobby and crew must have a lot of time on their hands and fewer authors to bilk.

hilariously, TWA(t) is now trying to reach out to plagiarist QR Markham.
http://www.thefix.com/content/confessions-plagiarist-Quentin-rowan9278?page=all
it's down there in the second hundred's worth of comments. Markham and TWA together? i just keep thinking of a cut-price "Villains United" - dodgy costumes and masks and all!

chopper said:

hilariously, TWA(t) is now trying to reach out to plagiarist QR Markham.
http://www.thefix.com/content/confessions-plagiarist-Quentin-rowan9278?page=all
it's down there in the second hundred's worth of comments. Markham and TWA together? i just keep thinking of a cut-price "Villains United" - dodgy costumes and masks and all!

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You can't see the discussion without registering. Could you perhaps quote it for those of us who prefer not to register for sites willy-nilly all over the internet?

I didn't have to register. Essentially, it's just a request for him to contact them through their web site. And then this reply:

And what would you bunch of stinky propagandists/vanity-publishing-carrion-scuzzballs want with this plagiarist Quentin fellow, I wonder?

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Followed by a link to John Scalzi's excellent analysis of those folks.

chopper said:

Interesting point: what on earth do they hope to gain from a boycott, then?

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Attention.

Deb Kinnard said:

Can I say I'm on the boycotted author list and get the mini-badge? Huh? Huh?

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Sorry‚—I forgot to come back here and post.

The smaller badge is here.

It looks like this:



PM me if you need help putting it in your sig. It might be a few days before I get back to you.