Author: HBMarcus
Date:   04-05-02 09:24

Yes, I know I spelled it wrong. I just scanned the topics and saw 'dusty board' far too much. What is the deal with message boards? I see tons of life on PA's board. Mindsight is as void of life as this one unless I go over there and upset everyone with a dose of reality land.
"Where does the average everyday Joe like myself go for a little action?" -Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice

Author: Thanks anyway
Date:   04-05-02 12:01

Mr. Marcus,

This is a writing board, 90% of the discussions are about writing/editing/publishing/promotion/agents/etc. though threads do wander sometimes. Because it remains fairly focused on writing and is visited by writers, the posts wax and wane as interest in a writing topic waxes and wanes.

The same is true of Eclectic Too, The Rumor Mill, Write4Kids, Mindsight Forum and any number of other writing boards. PA is a chat board visited by some beginning writers -- without the mentoring that is available on a board like this -- over 90% of the topics are chat. There are other chat boards that are visited by writers, though writers *do* tend to like to talk about writing.

Probably you should visit some of the chat boards at DelphiForums where you will find them every bit as active as PA. Chat boards are very popular among folks who love to debate/expound/pontificate/giggle/tell jokes/get naked/etc. There are many many chat boards available on the Internet. I am sure you will be able to find one if you look -- though if the PA chat board is so lively and interesting, why would you want to visit writing boards and complain because they their talk about writing topics limits the number of posts?

Author: Brad Maier
Date:   04-05-02 13:40

Marcus: Rather than waste your time and energy, and ours, with complaints about how dead the board is, why not post something that people will respond to, get people talking about something. Surely you can think of something interesting to post here, to stir some life up.

Author: A.C. Crispin
Date:   04-06-02 10:26

It's been my experience that many of the diehard pro-Publish America people come onto boards hoping to cause trouble. Many of them act like trolls.

Several of them have charged me and Victoria Strauss with plagiarism. Of course these charges are totally unfounded, but they never post any evidence or admit they're wrong.

They just make little jabs and then fade back into the woodwork.

Typical troll behavior.

-Ann C. Crispin

Author: HBMarcus
Date:   04-07-02 11:12

Gee whiz folks, I wasn't trying to comnplain, get naked, be insulting, or pick on Strauss. I just noticed some comments on here when I first looked that told me everyone was bored. I'm not a PA saber rattler. I just jump on folks that bad-mouth them for doing them a favor.
Brad, I sure would like to breath life into this board. That was my intent when I posted. I didn't think it was going to upset anyone other than people from whinesight. All I do is boost the number of hits by posting on there. I don't want to make them popular. They are far too negative even for me. I look at their rantings and look at how well my book is doing and think: "Golly folks, maybe it's you. Get off your butt and do something with your book other than complain."
Is that out of line with you folks?

Author: A.C. Crispin
Date:   04-07-02 14:44

Mr. Marcus:

I've seen your comments about how wonderful PA is, and how anyone who disagrees with any aspect of the PA program is a schmuck.

That said, I don't know if you are one of the PA people that has trashed Victoria Strauss and me, accusing us of stealing our books. Maybe you aren't one. But being associated with PA at all these days, after all the crap they've spewed at me and Victoria, tends to make me more than wary.

Returning to the original subject of this thread...perhaps you ought to start up a conversation about some aspect of writing you're interested in -- one that's unrelated to PA?

Bring up another subject, make some good and witty comments. I'm sure you'll be able to get a lively and useful conversation going. I promise to stay out of it, so you'll have the field to yourself.

-Ann C. Crispin

Author: HBMarcus
Date:   04-09-02 22:14

Gee whiz Ann, what is your problem? First of all I don't trash people for talking bad about PA. If you read anything you would know that I trash people for...

#1. Being fakes: That pretentious nature that soon engulfs the ego of a published writer. Suddenly they are an authority on writing as you can see every day on C.E.'s site. Some of these people become so full of themselves that they give bad advice to people who are just starting out. In my opinion that is just plain wrong.

#2. Bashing PA for failing: Too many people sat back after being published and thought PA would do it all for them. These people claim to have been duped by PA. The only thing PA did wrong was trust these people to get off their butts and sell their books. These are first-time authors! Nobody knows who they are. Yet they thought getting published meant a matter of time before the truck-full of cash dumped in their front yard.

I read the posts about Victoria on the PA board from the slash and run poster that nobody cared about. Why are you lumping yourself in the same situation? NOBODY WAS TALKING ABOUT YOU! It all refered to an article in Texas that may or may not have existed. Who knows? It wasn't a very reliable scource if they couldn't stay on the board for too long. The posters jumped all over it of course for the opinions Victoria posted about how any big house would have treated them better. HOW? If you are an unknown, you will have to do as much promoting with PA as you would for anyone else. Their money is in the big stars of the game. They won't set up a cardboard display in every bookstore in America for the new kid on the block.

As far as you are concerned, I've seen your opinions also. You aren't Victoria Strauss. Live with it.

Author: A.C. Crispin
Date:   04-09-02 22:37

Mr. Marcus, I'm afraid you are truth challenged tonight. You were indeed one of the people that trashed Victoria. Since I made my original comment a kind soul forwarded your PA posts to me, so I know this to be true. It's also true that you did not accuse ME of plagiarism in your post, which was wise of you. My advice is: don't.

Neither you nor anyone else associated with PA has even one iota of convincing evidence that anyone committed plagiarism. I know for a fact that Victoria Strauss is innocent of PA's charges.

Actually, you and the other PA authors should thank Victoria and me. PA changed their contract just in time for our Writers Digest article to come out. If I were you, I'd get them to change your contract retroactively. I've seen comments from Willem Meiners that he will consider doing this for authors who ask him to do so. (Just a little unsolicited WB advice.)

BTW, if you actually read our Writers Digest article, you'll see that all of the PA claims that the article "endorses" PA or that Victoria and I "praised" PA are all horse hockey. Publish America is mentioned one time, in the sidebar, with the notation that they did not choose to take part in our POD contract survey. That's it, end of story. Such a notation hardly constitutes either praise or endorsement. PA's claims otherwise are pathetic fabrications.

I suggested that you bring up another subject and discuss it with some of the fine folks who populate Writers.net. Apparently you have no interest in anything except promoting PA and needling me. Fine. Have it your way.

That said, we now have nothing more to discuss...unless, of course, you'd like accuse me of plagiarism. If your life has been boring lately, that would certainly alleviate that condition.

No? Glad to find that you're a smart fellow, as well as a "wit." Have a nice life.

;-)

-Ann C. Crispin

Author: HBMarcus
Date:   04-10-02 21:32

Jeepers! What channel were you watching?
I as with just about everyone else treated the finger pointer as a joke. Read what I said before you take somebody's word for it. Goofing on Victoria isn't quite the same as jumping on the bandwagon with someone who clearly had a serious problem with Victoria and made a huge deal out of some article. All I was doing was mocking the poster. You would have to be pretty darn shallow not to notice. Do you remember the part where I finally pointed out to them that they needed mental help for ranting on and on about it?

By the way, the contracts were not changed for the article. They changed their policy long before that. Would you like me to quote from the one I signed LAST YEAR? As far as the article goes, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I never mentioned a word pro or con about it because I never read it. So watch where you point that truth-challenged thing.

As far as subject matter goes for this site, the home page says this is to be informative. Well, you can't do much better than this. This isn't a bunch of smug posturing dweebs with their first published work telling people how to wear their fez. This is in the trenches, peddling to Walmarts, dealing with reviews and articles in your face, and yes, even spouting: "My house kicks your house's butt! Ask any tree-hugger." This is the real world of the first timers. This is what you deal with when you get the word out about your book.

I think that is closer to reality land than saying: "Send out a query letter, send them three chapters, sign the contract, and cash the checks they send you." Who are you trying to convince, me or you?

Author: A.C. Crispin
Date:   04-10-02 23:32

Mr. Marcus, I'm glad you're happy with PA, and your contract, and your advance. We don't really have anything more to discuss along those lines. My publication experience has been so different from yours that we have no common ground on which to compare notes.

But I'm glad you're pleased and happy. May you sell a slew of books.

-Ann C. Crispin

Author: william adams
Date:   08-17-02 11:30

pub america has a big full page c3 4c ad in this edition of WD

would WD run an ad of an unreputable company?

some folks like pub america
some don't

annie is one that doesn't

does anyone have any facts about them
that would stand up in a court of law

or is everything said about them and other pods just opinions based on the writers prejudices?