Re: "us vs. them"
Even such comments like "A ____ and his _____ are soon parted" (want that link?) keeps the boundaries up from people who may, one day, need help.
No need for the link, Canada. I remember saying it.
Do you see the dilemma I face? There's very little I can do for someone who's already signed the PA contract. My greater concern is to keep people from signing it in the first place -- a contract never signed is easiest broken, y'know?
I also don't think that anyone should pay for multiple copies of their own books. Even after a person is published by PA, a reminder that laying out cash isn't a good idea ... I think I have to say it.
Now I admit that I can be a sarcastic SOB. And (not to my great credit, I know) sometimes can't resist being snide, especially to those who have fallen for the propaganda and are repeating it as if it were their own idea.
Tell me -- how would you suggest that I both warn folks away from what's (for most of 'em) a very bad deal being presented to them in glowing terms by someone who's a (in my opinion) cynical conman, and at the same time make them feel welcome? It's a balancing act.
Look, we've been conversing off and on, on various boards, for over a year now. Through all kinds of situations, and with various blood-caffeine levels. You probably have a pretty fair idea of where I'm coming from, and what my basic concerns are. I think that the Amazon Slammer is vile.
As time has gone on, more and more people have run into the contradictions inherent in PA's business plan, yet still more appear to sign up every day, replacing the old disillusioned folks with freshly hopeful new authors.
What strategy would you suggest, given that all I have are words, to save those eager newbies from making a mistake? (Even acknowledging that in some cases, for some specialized purposes, PA might be a better choice than some other possible paths -- but that the newbies probably don't have the knowledge to figure out if that's them or not.)
Know something? All I really want is for PA to treat their authors fairly and stop telling them fibs. Even if they had a fair contract and spoke honestly and openly about what they were doing and what their business plan was, they'd get more authors than they could handle. Trading on innocence and hope, like they do, that offends me.
I don't think that I'm standing at the head of the trail screaming about imaginary dangers. The dangers are all too real. Has your own experience shown that I was a little bit right about PA?
My goal, and I know I've fallen short of this, is to present myself as both friendly and knowledgable, so that people can write to me privately and know that they'll get my honest opinion, and that their secrets won't be repeated all over the 'net.
Oh, well, it's late. Time for me to get back to work.
It boggles my mind the things they think they can get away with, it really does.