When the author lies about his background

Well, he's not going to get very far, unless he self-publishes, since agents are pretty stringent about wanting an honest relationship. Plus the legalities of lying about things will come around to bite him, I imagine, pretty darn quick. He's heading for heck in a hand basket and there won't be much to salvage his reputation once he's done this to himself.

I feel sorry for the guy. He's ruining his future as a writer (if he ever had one to begin with) and doesn't even know it. There are no short-cuts to success.

Just my two cent's worth.

When the author lies about his background, it'll get out, probably sooner rather than later, and then the author will be waist high in shit.

:editor's hat on:

It's been tried.

It doesn't work.

Editors and agents are on to this, and it is called fraud.

It's the fast track to effing up your writing career for life.

We all talk to each other, we cruise the boards, we hang in the bars, we share stories about this and that bit of idiocy that's crossed our desks.

All any writer has is his or her good name and reputation and this guy has fouled himself.

I want his name.

OK, everyone exaggerates sometimes. Embellishment is inevitable especially when it comes to marketing and self-promotion, but outright lie about everything (including reviews and awards and stuff like that)? Not only is it unethical... it can be illegal, too. And he's doomed to fail.

BlueLucario said:

Okay.... What if you made over 100 accounts on Amazon and made 5 star reviews on your own book. Is that even allowed?

That guy sort of bragged about doing that too...

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The master at this is Robert Stanek. If you google "Robert Stanek" with "fraud," you'll get a bunch of illuminating hits.

Or take a look at this 2007 blog from David Louis Edelman, a fine SF/F writer and interesting blogger.

It wasn't just the 5 star Amazon reviews (Stanek has hundreds of them) He''s done a lot of other "self promotion"

And a lot of it worked. Many people were tricked into giving his books a try. To my everlasting shame, I was one of them, quite a few years ago. I was dumbfounded when I read the book (well, about 40 pages of it) because although I thought the glowing reviews might be a tad overenthusiastic, I didn't expect a book that was so bad as to be unreadable.

Only when I started poking around to explain this contradiction did I realize it wasn't just a matter of taste -- I'd actually been scammed. Mea culpa.

I once stalked a wannabe writer who ticked me off and found his Amazon sock puppets. He was an amateur at that too, not worth blowing a whistle on. But oy, that Stanek!

BlueLucario said:

Illegal? O_O


He can go to jail for this stuff?

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I thought that was blatantly obvious?

If you want to see what happens to a guy like this, google James Frey. And all HE did was add a few embellishments to a memoir. EMBELLISHMENTS....little tweaks here and there.

Outright, blatant, lying about everything you are? He's going to get crucified upside down for that.

I am dumbfounded that
1) this guy would think of doing this stuff
2) he would tell other people it's a good idea

If we struggle with this writing craft, if we get frustrated with rejections and harsh criticism, if we write for years without making it as a self-supporting writer, at the very least, we sure as hell better be able to stand tall with our integrity intact and knowing we're going after our dream with a strong sense of ethics. And we sure as hell better realize that outright fraud comes with severe consequences.

Anyone who is willing to trade honesty for a chance at success turns their car onto a one-way street that soon runs out of pavement.


And if it is a legit publisher, it's that publisher who decides what goes on the cover of the book, what goes on the jacket flaps, and what quotes are used in support of the book.

BlueLucario said:

Illegal? O_O

He can go to jail for this stuff?

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"Illegal" doesn't necessarily mean "it's a crime." It can also mean, "do this and you'll get sued so fast your head will spin."

BlueLucario said:

I was at a seminar today,

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Did you PAY for it? Or did this only "take your time," which is also valuable? I'm a little surprised no one has asked you this yet.

BlueLucario said:

and this author was bragging about lying about his background.

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If you paid (money as well as attention), it would be interesting to ask for your money back. If When he doesn't it would also be interesting to go to small claims court (I presume it was less than $5,000, $7,500 or whaever it is for small claims in your state) and tell the judge you paid money in good faith for a writing seminar in which you were basically told to lie to agents and publishers about your about your age and background.

Too bad they don't allow popcorn in court.

BlueLucario said:

Illegal? O_O


He can go to jail for this stuff?

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I think it would fall into "Purgatory." Not quite sure but it seems to fall quite snugly into that seat.

BlueLucario said:

Illegal? O_O


He can go to jail for this stuff?

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If a contract is involved and you misrepresent yourself... yeah. It's called fraud for a reason.

James81 said:

If you want to see what happens to a guy like this, google James Frey. And all HE did was add a few embellishments to a memoir. EMBELLISHMENTS....little tweaks here and there.

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To be fair, Frey went far, far beyond a few embellishments and minor details.

Are you talking about your seminar with Junot Diaz? I know you saw him today. If so, are you sure you understood?

Oscar Wao got huge critical acclaim and awards and he hasn't made a whole lot of cash off of the book in copies sold. He has said previously that his career as an author hasn't included a new car, better apartment or quitting his day job. Are you sure he wasn't joking about getting sales instead of prizes and that "Pulitzer Winner" didn't increase his sales like "Bestseller" would?

He has an agent and a publisher. He's a pulitzer prize winner and well known for who he is. If he said something like what you claim it was just a joke.

Stew21 said:

Are you talking about your seminar with Junot Diaz?

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The seminar perhaps. Mr. Diaz? Unlikely:

Blue Lucario said:

I don't know this dude's name or what book he has written.

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I find that insulting to a writer like me who is trying to advance my hobby through hard work.There are enough con artists in this business (fee-charging agents come to mind) already. We don't need writers behaving like this. If he goes ahead with his scam, I hope he gets caught and pays the price.

Robert E. Keller
http://www.scrollsofatlantis.com/

Surely the first time he speaks on the phone to an agent, they'll realise his b**** dropped along time ago?

gothicangel said:

Surely the first time he speaks on the phone to an agent, they'll realise his b**** dropped along time ago?

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What was the name of that woman who pretended to be a teenage boy and wrote a fake memoir (or at least a fiction supposedly based on 'his' real life)? JT Leroy or something? She got away with it for a while. Look it up; it's quite bizarre, and yet sort of sad. I think she had real problems.

Its happened a few times before. Anthony Godby Johnson is another. Also Kaycee Nicole and Kodee Kennings.

James81 said:

I thought that was blatantly obvious?

If you want to see what happens to a guy like this, google James Frey. And all HE did was add a few embellishments to a memoir. EMBELLISHMENTS....little tweaks here and there.

Outright, blatant, lying about everything you are? He's going to get crucified upside down for that.

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What ever happened to Frey?

brainstorm77 said:

What ever happened to Frey?

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He signed a three-book, seven-figure deal with Harper Collins.

Prozyan said:

He signed a three-book, seven-figure deal with Harper Collins.

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Geez!