I'm Worried |
Author: Julian Ruberte (206.248.126.---)
Date: 05-13-08 23:19
As a writer as yet unpublished, I know what it's like to feel lost. I know what it feels like to wonder if you'll ever make it, and if anyone, apart from your family members, even if them, will like what you wrote. But I'm not so anxious that I would go out into this industry and throw myself at the first person who spoke of giving me a chance, because they want to "help" me. And of course, their help is gratitious. HA!
Seriously, what is up with the amount of people coming into this website offering their services? I don't want to start any feuds with anybody. And I don't come into this website to make enemies. But the amount of people, who are probably scammers, showing up here is beginning to tick me off.
What does everyone else think?
PS. Sorry but I just had to rant about this. If it's wrong, then I don't mind being wrong just this once. :P
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: Frank Baron (---.cpe.net.cable.roger)
Date: 05-14-08 09:13
Partly it's because this site isn't well moderated. Partly it's because it accepts ad revenue from questionable sources. Birds of a feather....
All sharks know where easy prey hangs out. (As an experienced writer, I'm allowed to mix metaphors.) Writing boards collect newbies like velvet does lint. And not all of them are as street-wise as you seem to be. A goodly proportion of them are naive and starved for validation.
Yum-yum-yum. Chomp-chomp-chomp go the sharks.
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: Busy Lizzy (---.dip.t-dialin.net)
Date: 05-14-08 10:09
I'm worried, too. Not long ago, I started a thread in "Smoko" called:
"What's special about WN?"
Now the time is ripe for a thread: "What's going wrong in WN?"
Every second thread ends in bashing and screaming and cursing, because people are of a different opinion.
Every third thread is nothing but scam and windy offers for innocent newbies.
If this continues, goodbye everyone. It was nice knowing you.
Busy Lizzy
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: Gravity Fades (---.43.18.203.nw.nuvox.net)
Date: 05-14-08 11:42
As Frank said, there's one moderator here, and he usually seems to be usually MIA. And I don't fault him for it; he's probably holding down a fulltime job, and this ranks pretty far down on his list. Much like a cleaning lady at a hotsheet motel (sorry for the anology, but it fits), he only comes in once in a while to clean. As my old D.I. used to say, "It is what it is."
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: Gravity Fades (---.43.18.203.nw.nuvox.net)
Date: 05-14-08 11:43
Double "usually." Sigh. This site needs an edit button.
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: A.L. Sirois (155.91.28.---)
Date: 05-14-08 11:58
Sharks and trolls, sharks and trolls... Still, there is good advice here to be had if you're patient and can ignore the ignoramuses. Most sites are either undermoderated or overmoderated. So it goes...
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: d. Leroy (63.123.69.---)
Date: 05-14-08 17:46
I think it was said best earlier, but in a different way - you go fishing where the fish are.
My biggest concerns are the younger folks who have not been educated (painfully educated, sometimes) by the world.
I don't believe that everything is a scam, but if the advertisement is on a public message board frequented by desperate people - it probably is.
Do I practice what I preach? Usually.
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: Simon Says (---.socal.res.rr.com)
Date: 05-14-08 18:50
I know a lot of reputable script consultants and script coverage providers who post on screenwriting message boards, primarily because that is where there target market is. Being able to reach potential clients at no cost also allows them to keep their prices more affordable.
Are there scammers and unqualified people posting their services on those boards? I'm sure that there are, but they are in the minority, at least on the boards I am referring to.
My point is that although you want to proceed with caution if you find someone seeking clients on a board like this, that in itself doesn't mean they are scammers or unqualified. It's up to each person to do his own due diligence and then to make an educated decision when choosing whether or not to buy a product or contract a service.
There is a whole world out there of people who are in the business of helping writers, because they actually feel they have something to offer writers and not because they are out to use and abuse and bilk writers.
I believe that the distrust of the scammers out there has led to a paranoia that taints many legitimate, trustworthy, talented, hardworking editors, consultants, coaches, etc.
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: Julian Ruberte (206.248.126.---)
Date: 05-14-08 21:10
I agree with what Simon says. LOL no pun intended.
It's not that I'm saying every person who offers help is doing so as a scam. But I have no way of veryfying who's a scammer and who is genuinely trying to help. And add to that my distrusting nature, sorry it's one of my flaws, then I see scammers in every corner.
My experiences with these types of persons is not good. So then, I don't trust anybody who offers help or who seeks clients freely. But at the same time, I understand how some of these people may be genuine and so I can also understand the need for some writers to use those services they provide. And I don't judge anyone without knowing the whole story. But at the same time I would never use those services myself. I'm weird like that.
Que sera, sera. :D
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: Kate Humphrey (---.hsd1.md.comcast.net)
Date: 05-15-08 13:28
This only relates to the original posts in the most remote way, but since you all started about the usefulness of the board: I take what I think is useful, and don't read what I am not interested in. Most scammers seem to have streams of messages after them saying they are a scam, for those who are that desperate to be recognized. I don't read them. I think the board is good for questions or things you want feedback on, and although not everyone writes all that well, they are entitled to feedback as much as I am, so I just skim their stuff. There are people who are simply not ready for feeback and don't appreciate the honesty, but, the way I see it, that's not my issue. I like the feedback I get, and usually find it useful. And I don't involve myself (if I can help it) in the feuds. Every site is gonna have some fo those, no matter how well it is monitored. KAte
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Re: I'm Worried |
Author: Precious de Leon (195.229.236.---)
Date: 05-17-08 06:29
I'm not sure how I feel about this 'youth' or newbie -bashing. Being young doesn't necessarily mean being stupid. There are well-educated AND well-meaning young folk out there. In fact, I consider myself to be one of this group.
I concede that there are some young people out there aren't really serious about these writer's boards. So am I just supposed to raise my hands and say "a few bad eggs..."?
Lastly, I agree with Ms Kate, when she said "...I take what I think is useful, and don't read what I am not interested in..."
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Re: I\'m Worried mmwallace3@bellsouth.net |
Author: Mary M Wallace (---.sip.mgm.bellsouth.net)
Date: 05-17-08 11:21
I recently sent a query to an agent in L.A. and received a message that if I was interested in following up I should re-send my query by snail mail, and a cover letter with my signature since they never read anything unless they have written permission, i.e. the cover letter with signature being said permission. At first I was ready to follow up, then got to thinking and went to P & E, lo and behold, not recommended because they charge a reading fee. This after reading many admiring comments by writers the agency has represented. Question: Without naming the agency, has anyone done business with an L.A. agency such as this?
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Re: I\'m Worried mmwallace3@bellsouth.net |
Author: Joe Zeff (---.lsanca.dsl-w.verizon.net)
Date: 05-17-08 15:35
Even without seeing what's in P&E I'd be suspicious of that agency. They claim that they never read anything without authorization and the cover letter provides that but how do they know they have authorization to read the cover letter? They don't until they've read it, which means that they're violating their own stated policy. Run away!
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