Re: Contract Termination
Now another writers website is being attacked by some of you guys. Why don't you post a story to Fanstory to be critiqued, JohannaJ7 to see what you have talentwise that allows you to make your statement.
I definitely don't see what is being said here as an attack. I've belonged to a few writing groups. Even in the best groups, the quality of writing varies widely. That's the point of getting critiques, isn't it?
The best writing groups, however, also have people on board who know something about publishing, whether they're published or not. I know this because they've saved me from making some huge mistakes. :hail
For example, in one critique group, someone sent me a "critique" offering to publish the story in his e-zine. He told me I would only lose my "electronic rights" or something like that. (No mention made of pay, which is why I hesitated.) When I contacted the owner of the group about that, he pointed out that if I gave that guy the story, I'd lose my first rights.
Not all writing sites are managed by people who know about rights; copyrights; publishing; etc. I know that at some sites, if I had said an e-zine offered to publish my story and that the publisher had said I wouldn't lose my electronic rights, everyone would say "Anne, that's great!!!" But sometimes, what's needed is "Anne, look out."
Sure, a writing style can still be helpful and supportive even if the people there don't know Yog's law, etc. But if you never go to any other site, you won't learn the warning signs of scam agents, you might sign a bad contract because you didn't know any better, you might trust the B.S. put out by a shady publisher.