#Black Rose Writing is the back door vanity press that took advantage of me | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blue-kyber · 9 months

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Something that scares me in contracts is, "We can do whatever we want with your story/idea, and publish it any way we see fit in any format existing and in future existence from here on in perpetuity without compensating you for any of it. Ever."

This sounds like, "Yeah, we like the idea, but we don't want to pay you. You sent it to us willingly, so thanks for the free content! Now go away."

Trident Media's contract is giving off these major vibes.

I've had my work stolen before, because I trusted the publisher to take a chance on me. They just wanted free content.

This is why as an audiobook narrator for ACX, someone posting their entire manuscript as an "audition script" is a major red flag. They can say 'no' to you, then turn around and use your work anyway, because audition submissions still have to follow ACX's stringent production guidelines.

As the author and creator, all rights remain with me and my family in perpetuity in any way, shape, or form. I get final say in anything involving my work. If I die, then my family gets final say.

I want my novel - my baby, my heart and soul - to be published, but I just can't trust a company due to my work being stolen from a more naive Me before.

I won't hand over my idea for someone to steal and have them point to the contract saying, "Our statement of theft is right here. It's not our fault if you didn't understand it. You don't have a leg to stand on. Now piss off."

I wanted to submit my story idea to Trident via Prose, but I'm not giving anyone any permission to do anything with my work unless I am directly involved, and I am compensated, and receive residuals for printings.

I want to find a literary agent to help me navigate this field, but so far, no one wants to take a chance on a new author. It's impossible to be published traditionally. It's been impossible since I started trying in the mid 00's.

New authors are a risk. And agents don't want to take risks.

It sucks.

For all writers, as soon as you write anything down - digital, or on paper - and there's a date, your idea is automatically copyright protected to you.

This is why it's extremely important to have a paper trail when you send anything out into the world.

Logging in my work digitally gives me those crucial dates and proof. Anything you put on Wattpad, or AO3, or fictionpress or fanfiction net are copyright protected.

If you are truly concerned - like I am with "Out There: The 1K," you can register your work with the Writers Guild or the Library of Congress. It can protect you from copyright infringement.

#traditional publishing #writing #publishing #back door vanity press #vanity press #You will never have rights to my work. EVER.#If you see the words #In perpetuity #or phrasing that translates to that #or they ask you to pay for your own books #RUN.#Black Rose Writing is the back door vanity press that took advantage of me #and took me for $1K that I had to borrow from family. My family believed in me and my book.#And I fell for a scam because after years of trying #Black Rose was the only one to say Yes back in 2010.#I got my rights back in 2011 after fighting with them.#I couldn't even give the books I'd bought away. I donated them. complete with the mistakes in the ebook format #that the publisher was supposed to fix and didn't and wanted to charge me for it.#I AM POOR.#I did...and still do... think 'This book will save me.'#It will get me out of poverty.#It will give me purpose and a sense of accomplishment #It'll save me financially and let me LIVE.#instead of living in constant fear #It will Get. Me. Out.#I need someone to take a chance on me and not scam me.

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