Fiona L. Woods's Blog, page 221
July 24, 2021
Bad Contract Alert: ByteDance's Reading/Writing App - Writer Beware
Panzer was shaken from his afternoon nap by crying and the gnashing of teeth coming from the Catosphere. Our brave kitty boy hopped in the Panzermobile and headed out. Following all the chaos took him to the Writer Beware site. There he found a post about the newest contract writers need to avoid.
I'll have nightmares about this.
According to Victoria Strauss' post, there's a new readers' app looking for writers. The app is ByteDance's Fictum. You might recognize ByteDance as TikTok's parent company. The post dissects Fictum's writers' contract. The contract states on the first tier writers are expected to produce 1,000 words per day per month. That's 30,000 words per month. For this, the writer will be paid $200 per month. In total the writer is to produce 200,000 words. The post points out other problems with the contract including cancellation clauses, royalty payment clauses, copyright clauses, right of first refusal for anything you write during the contract, and there's even more. There are several links to other posts included.
Panzer says, "Everybody says cats aren't good at math. ... But ... 30,000 words for $200 is only $0.01 per word, right?"
Note: This is a v-e-r-y l-o-n-g post. Bring a big glass of lemonade, three chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) and a brownie. If you plan to follow the links, you decide what to bring.
To read the post tootle over to bad contract
I'll have nightmares about this.According to Victoria Strauss' post, there's a new readers' app looking for writers. The app is ByteDance's Fictum. You might recognize ByteDance as TikTok's parent company. The post dissects Fictum's writers' contract. The contract states on the first tier writers are expected to produce 1,000 words per day per month. That's 30,000 words per month. For this, the writer will be paid $200 per month. In total the writer is to produce 200,000 words. The post points out other problems with the contract including cancellation clauses, royalty payment clauses, copyright clauses, right of first refusal for anything you write during the contract, and there's even more. There are several links to other posts included.
Panzer says, "Everybody says cats aren't good at math. ... But ... 30,000 words for $200 is only $0.01 per word, right?"
Note: This is a v-e-r-y l-o-n-g post. Bring a big glass of lemonade, three chocolate chip cookies (biscuits) and a brownie. If you plan to follow the links, you decide what to bring.
To read the post tootle over to bad contract
July 23, 2021
Reaching Readers at the Dollar Store - Publishers Weekly
Today, Panzer made a stop at the Publishers Weekly site. With a little digging in the posts, our inquisitive kitty found one about selling in dollar stores.
An interesting market idea.
According to the post by Karen Raugust, some of those books you see in dollar stores aren't remaindered books. They're actually books supplied by publishers. Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Five Below, and Family Dollar stores are all viable market places for new book sales. While the profit margins are lower, the opportunity for greater sales will make up for it. The post includes interviews with publishers and distributors. The sale of children's books is concentrated on.
Panzer says, "This little kitty didn't know those were new books."
Note: This is a very long post. Bring a thermos of iced tea and two muffins for your reading today.
To read the post tootle over to Dollar Store
An interesting market idea.According to the post by Karen Raugust, some of those books you see in dollar stores aren't remaindered books. They're actually books supplied by publishers. Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Five Below, and Family Dollar stores are all viable market places for new book sales. While the profit margins are lower, the opportunity for greater sales will make up for it. The post includes interviews with publishers and distributors. The sale of children's books is concentrated on.
Panzer says, "This little kitty didn't know those were new books."
Note: This is a very long post. Bring a thermos of iced tea and two muffins for your reading today.
To read the post tootle over to Dollar Store
July 22, 2021
The UK's Welbeck Publishing Group To Publish in Australia, New Zealand - Publishing Perspectives
Today as Panzer was tootling around in the Catosphere he suddenly heard clapping and cheering outside. Following all the hullabaloo took our traveling kitty pilot to the Publishing Perspectives site. With no digging at all he found a post about the Welbeck Publishing Group.
It sounds interesting.
According to the post by Porter Anderson, Welbeck Publishing Group announced the opening of a publishing subsidiary in Sydney, Australia. The company also announced Australia's Booktopia acquired twenty-five percent ownership in the new Australian publishing subsidiary. Plans are for the subsidiary to publish 50 books per year. The post includes links to other information about the companies.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... A whole new market for authors in Australia and New Zealand."
Note:This is a long-medium length post. Bring a large glass of lemonade, a chocolate chip cookie (biscuit) and a brownie for today's reading. If you plan to follow the links in the post, you decide what extra treats to bring.
To read the post tootle over to Welbeck Publishing Group
It sounds interesting.According to the post by Porter Anderson, Welbeck Publishing Group announced the opening of a publishing subsidiary in Sydney, Australia. The company also announced Australia's Booktopia acquired twenty-five percent ownership in the new Australian publishing subsidiary. Plans are for the subsidiary to publish 50 books per year. The post includes links to other information about the companies.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... A whole new market for authors in Australia and New Zealand."
Note:This is a long-medium length post. Bring a large glass of lemonade, a chocolate chip cookie (biscuit) and a brownie for today's reading. If you plan to follow the links in the post, you decide what extra treats to bring.
To read the post tootle over to Welbeck Publishing Group
July 21, 2021
Celebrating 2019 and 2020 Agatha Nominated Best Short Stories - Writers Who Kill
Today's trip into the Catosphere took Panzer to the Writers Who Kill site. There our brave kitty boy found a post about the Agatha Awards for Best Short Stories.
Go away Covid-thingey. We're finished with you.
The post by Paula Gail Benson list the nominees and the winners of the 2019 and 2020 Agatha Awards. Also included in the post are seven author bios with photos. There are only seven included because some authors were nominees both years. Because of Covid-19 the 2019 and 2020 Malice Domestic conferences were held online.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty recognizes most of the writers from the Short Mystery Fiction Society."
Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a glass of lemonade and two cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to Short Story Agatha Award
Go away Covid-thingey. We're finished with you.The post by Paula Gail Benson list the nominees and the winners of the 2019 and 2020 Agatha Awards. Also included in the post are seven author bios with photos. There are only seven included because some authors were nominees both years. Because of Covid-19 the 2019 and 2020 Malice Domestic conferences were held online.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... This little kitty recognizes most of the writers from the Short Mystery Fiction Society."
Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a glass of lemonade and two cookies (biscuits) for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to Short Story Agatha Award
July 20, 2021
ITW Thriller Award Winners 2021 - Mystery Fanfare
Today, when Panzer got back from the Catosphere, our fastidious kitty boy decided to do some work on the Panzermobile. As he was cleaning out the wheel wells, he found a wadded up post stuck in there. Flattening it out, he discovered it was about the International Thriller Writers winners.
Finally ... Nap time ... zzzz
According to the post at the Mystery Fanfare site, the 2021 International Thriller Writers Awards have been announced. There are six awards covering best hardback novel, best first novel, best paperback novel, best short story, best young adult novel, and best ebook novel. All six winners are listed in the post.
Panzer says, "Even if I live to be twenty, I'll never finish my To-Be-Read pile."
Note: This is a short post. You won't need to bring anything to eat or drink when you read this post.
To read the post tootle over to ITW award winners
Finally ... Nap time ... zzzzAccording to the post at the Mystery Fanfare site, the 2021 International Thriller Writers Awards have been announced. There are six awards covering best hardback novel, best first novel, best paperback novel, best short story, best young adult novel, and best ebook novel. All six winners are listed in the post.
Panzer says, "Even if I live to be twenty, I'll never finish my To-Be-Read pile."
Note: This is a short post. You won't need to bring anything to eat or drink when you read this post.
To read the post tootle over to ITW award winners
Joy Rides To Win - The Rap Sheet
Panzer made a quick stop at The Rap Sheet site. There he discovered a post about the Hammett Prize.
How do you get nominated?
According to J. Kingston Pierce's post, David Joy's novel When These Mountains Burn has won the Hammett Prize. The Hammett is presented by the International Association of Crime Writers. The post contains links to reviews of the novel.
Panzer says, "Well ... that means there's another novel to go on my To-Be-Read pile."
Note: This is a short post. Bring a glass of iced tea for today's reading selections. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring some cookies (biscuits).
To read the post tootle over to Hammett Award
How do you get nominated?According to J. Kingston Pierce's post, David Joy's novel When These Mountains Burn has won the Hammett Prize. The Hammett is presented by the International Association of Crime Writers. The post contains links to reviews of the novel.
Panzer says, "Well ... that means there's another novel to go on my To-Be-Read pile."
Note: This is a short post. Bring a glass of iced tea for today's reading selections. If you plan to follow the links in the post, bring some cookies (biscuits).
To read the post tootle over to Hammett Award
July 19, 2021
A New Panzerism
Panzer on the fairness of things:
At first it didn't seem right.
What's His Name shouted and swatted me when I accidentally landed on his head in the middle of the night.
Then he said the punishment should equal the offense.
Now ...
Equal is fair.
I agree he's right.
So ...
He deserves what I left in his new slippers.
* From Cat Wisdom for humans
At first it didn't seem right.
What's His Name shouted and swatted me when I accidentally landed on his head in the middle of the night.
Then he said the punishment should equal the offense.
Now ...
Equal is fair.I agree he's right.
So ...
He deserves what I left in his new slippers.
* From Cat Wisdom for humans
July 17, 2021
Book cover design tutorials (best art and fonts + photoshop tips) - CreativIndie
Panzer is on author Derek Murphy's email list. Before he began his writing career, Derek Murphy was a book cover designer. His email today includes a link to a series of tutorials he put together on book cover design. The tutorials demonstrate fonts, mood, character, background, lighting, magic, and typography. The tutorials are free to watch on YouTube.
Free is good. Double free is great.
Panzer says, "Don't worry if you don't have Photoshop. Gimp software works just like Photoshop and it's free."
To watch the tutorials tootle over to book cover design tutorials
Free is good. Double free is great.Panzer says, "Don't worry if you don't have Photoshop. Gimp software works just like Photoshop and it's free."
To watch the tutorials tootle over to book cover design tutorials
July 16, 2021
Locked Room vs. Closed Circle Mysteries - What's the difference between these traditional mystery sub-genres - Something Is Going To Happen
Today Panzer made a trip to the Something Is Going To Happen site. There he found a post about the Locked Room mysteries and the Closed Circle mysteries. Something Is Going To Happen is the blog of the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.
No ghosts. Good. They're scary.
In her post Gigi Pandian explains the differences and overlaps of the Looked Room mystery and the Closed Circle mystery. Hint: Locked Room is a crime in a locked room that couldn't have happened. A Closed Circle is a specified number of people trapped in a location. She also explains what you can and cannot do in these types of mysteries. Hint: No ghosts or secret passages allowed.
Panzer says, "This is interesting information for both writers and readers."
Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a large glass of lemonade, two cookies (biscuits), and a brownie for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to mystery sub-genres
No ghosts. Good. They're scary.In her post Gigi Pandian explains the differences and overlaps of the Looked Room mystery and the Closed Circle mystery. Hint: Locked Room is a crime in a locked room that couldn't have happened. A Closed Circle is a specified number of people trapped in a location. She also explains what you can and cannot do in these types of mysteries. Hint: No ghosts or secret passages allowed.
Panzer says, "This is interesting information for both writers and readers."
Note: This is a long-medium length post. Bring a large glass of lemonade, two cookies (biscuits), and a brownie for today's reading selection.
To read the post tootle over to mystery sub-genres
July 15, 2021
Plaintiffs Oppose Discovery Delay in E-book Price Fixing Case Amazon - Publishers Weekly
Panzer's day began with a trip to the Publishers Weekly site. There our traveling kitty pilot found a post about one of the lawsuits against Amazon mentioned in the day before yesterday's post.
According to Andrew Albanese's post, the plaintiffs in the case against Amazon and the Big 5 publishers have asked the judge not to grant the company's request to delay the discovery phase. Amazon has filed to dismiss the case against the company and wants the discovery phase stopped until the dismissal is decided. The judge has not decided how to rule on the discovery question yet. The plaintiff's case accuses Amazon and the Big 5 publishers of price-fixing. This is based on the most favored nations clauses in the contracts between Amazon and the publishers. The post includes several links to other information about the case.
It is a waste of my nap time.
Panzer says, "Hmm ... A delay makes sense to this little kitty. If the company does the discovery now and the case gets dismissed, that's a lot of wasted time and money."
Note: This is a short-medium length post. Bring a large glass of iced tea for today's reading. If you plan to follow the links in the post, you will need to decide what to bring to eat and drink during your reading.
To read the post tootle over to Amazon
According to Andrew Albanese's post, the plaintiffs in the case against Amazon and the Big 5 publishers have asked the judge not to grant the company's request to delay the discovery phase. Amazon has filed to dismiss the case against the company and wants the discovery phase stopped until the dismissal is decided. The judge has not decided how to rule on the discovery question yet. The plaintiff's case accuses Amazon and the Big 5 publishers of price-fixing. This is based on the most favored nations clauses in the contracts between Amazon and the publishers. The post includes several links to other information about the case.
It is a waste of my nap time.Panzer says, "Hmm ... A delay makes sense to this little kitty. If the company does the discovery now and the case gets dismissed, that's a lot of wasted time and money."
Note: This is a short-medium length post. Bring a large glass of iced tea for today's reading. If you plan to follow the links in the post, you will need to decide what to bring to eat and drink during your reading.
To read the post tootle over to Amazon
