• Guest please check The Index before starting a thread.

Maestro Publishing

Aranyanee

Registered
Joined
Oct 17, 2012
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Hi all,

I don't usually post on AbsoluteWrite although I have gotten answers to many questions here.

I just applied to a place called Maestro Publishing via Craigslist. Yes, I know Craigslist is notoriously unreliable but, well, I just wanted to try something new.

And I came across an ad for ghostwriting romance. I emailed them. They asked me to write a sample. I wrote it. They approved it. And I'm working out the terms.

However, I find no information about them online. There's a website: maestropublishing.com but it has no information.

Has anyone worked with them? As of now, they are looking a bit fishy to me, but if someone has something good to say about them, I'd like to know.

Thanks,

Aranyanee
 

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 5, 2005
Messages
9,907
Reaction score
1,834
Location
Hiding in my writing cave
Website
www.cathyclamp.com
Welcome to the forum, Aranyanee!

I couldn't find out much from a brief search, so I'm going to port your question over to our Background check forum. The regulars there have some astounding collective knowledge! Keep your hands inside the thread at all times and hang on tight!
 

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 16, 2010
Messages
16,441
Reaction score
1,529
Location
between rising apes and falling angels
Website
www.cranehanabooks.com
Aranyanee, I followed the address to the blog page of 'The Harmonious Programmer', which looks like a tech writing and coding service. Why they'd be getting into romance writing I have no idea. There is a blank page associated with 'The Maestro Publishing Group'. No other leads that I could find.

I've taken several gigs off Craigslist, but usually researched the company before I accepted their offers. The one time I ignored something sketchy (a very recent bankruptcy in the same field), I ended up losing money and product. So be careful here. If you do work for them, be aware that competent ghostwriters charge real money, not the low fees you are likely to be quoted. Get paid up front - do not settle for a 'percentage' of sales, since it's also unlikely this outfit has a strong marketing and distribution network.
 

veinglory

volitare nequeo
Self-Ban
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
28,750
Reaction score
2,933
Location
right here
Website
www.veinglory.com
Yes, well, everyone knows romance is a license to print money (not).

I agree. Only do it if they pay on delivery, and an acceptable amount for handing over copyright (given that this is a ghostwriting gig).
 

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess
Kind Benefactor
Absolute Sage
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Messages
6,704
Reaction score
1,314
Location
Far from the madding crowd
Website
www.victoriastrauss.com
Even if there were abundant information, and a clear connection with writing or publishing, I'd be wary because this is clearly a new venture with nothing published as yet. There's a really high failure rate for new small presses, and it's no fun to be caught up in that. It's a good idea to wait to approach until the company has been publishing books for at least a year--that doesn't eliminate all risk, obviously, but it does show some stability, gives you a chance of evaluate things like quality and marketing, and also provides time for complaints to surface.

- Victoria
 

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless
Staff member
Super Moderator
Moderator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
13,952
Reaction score
1,746
Location
Coastal Desert
M'kay, presuming we've got the right Maestro, Farrell's is "a small development firm specializing in web solutions for non-profits and small businesses". I can find no connection to publishing books 'n' such, so I'm refiling under Other.