Publishing looks glossy from the outside. Inside? It’s built on unpaid labour.

My first book is out this year.
Here’s what I actually got paid, what my contract says, & why most authors can’t afford to do this twice.

kristie-de-garis.ghost.io/publ…

#Publishing #Books #Author #Writer

Published Doesn’t Mean Paid.

I want to talk about money. (Ugh, I know. How crass.) Specifically, how much money authors make, or more accurately, don’t. I signed my publishing deal in 2023. My advance was £2,500. That’s it.

^{Kristie De Garis (By Hand)}

Hey #WritingCommunity, here is a working masterlist of lit mags and presses that are on Mastodon and will be posting submission calls. This resource will be updated periodically, so make sure you bookmark it for future reference. :)

All handles have been added with consent from the representatives. If you are an EIC or staff member, please get in touch and I'll add you to the list.

[updated 02 Jan '24]

#LitMags #SmallPress #Publishing

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…

Lit Mags, Presses & Other Publishing Venues on Mastodon

Sheet1 Lit Mags & Presses on Mastodon This is a working masterlist of Mastodon pages on which submission calls and print/web issues will be shared. All handles have been added with consent from the representatives.

^{Google Docs}

The #EuropeanCommission is finally considering whether "#OpenSource software (#OSS)…can be used as a foundation for developing the new #publishing platform" for EC-funded #OpenAccess research.
op.europa.eu/en/publication-de…

Unfortunately, the new software would merely "underpin" #OpenResearchEurope (#ORE), not replace it. ORE is proprietary software owned by #TaylorAndFrancis. When the EC called for bids on ORE, it did not require open code despite many calls to do so.

#FLOSS #OpenInfrastructure

Analysis of the requirements for the Open Source infrastructure of the Open Research Europe Publishing Platform.

Open Research Europe (ORE) is the peer-reviewed open-access publishing platform of the European Commission. It follows the post-publication peer review model to promote scientific transparency and reuse.

^{Publications Office of the EU}

This is big. No #embargoes. No #APCs.

"The #EU is ready to agree that immediate #OpenAccess to papers reporting publicly funded research should become the norm, w/o authors having to pay fees & that the bloc should support #nonprofit scholarly publishing models.

In a move that could send shockwaves through commercial scholarly #publishing, the positions are due to be adopted by the Council of the EU member state governments later this month."
researchprofessionalnews.com/r…

#Europe #RightsRetention

EU ready to back immediate open access without author fees - Research Professional News

Provisionally agreed position also expresses support for non-profit publishing models

^{Rachel Magee (Research Professional News)}

Awww, poor little tiny Internet Archive. Boo hoo! Poor Silicon Valley, having to obey laws meant to protect the mere serfs & plebians who actually make content for a living. Who write. Who create. Who are not just riding off other people's work. People. Like. Me.

#writers #publishing #copyright

Here’s my suggestion: get your AI to write books, then get your AI to read them.

Repeat this infinitely in a closed loop of techbro busywork until you get bored or die.

Leave the rest of us to create and appreciate the art form in a modest human way.

#chatgpt #ai #techbros #publishing #ebook #writing #writingCommunity #amWriting #reading #amReading

Two things here: First, good luck to all the publishers and agents who will face a torrent of this glossy, incomprehensible shit over the next few years.

Second: For real creators, this will add to the growing swamp of unfiltered shit that new books find themselves in online. The sheer quantities that these can be produced in will make real books even harder to find.

#AI #ChildrensBooks #Publishing #SelfPublishing #Writer #Art #Illustration #AIArt

In this Substack post, I interviewed my agent about how he chose which editors to send my novel manuscript to (and his sub lists are #diverse in a way the #publishing industry often isn't, and the novel eventually drew three publishers to an auction). I also share thoughts on revising to prepare for this process. Hope it's helpful!

sarahcypher.substack.com/p/wha…

#AmRevising #WritingLife #WritingCommunity #AmEditing #submission #query #agent

I thought maybe instead of trying to post all over again, it could be easier to show people what we are offering. Just a few days left! #Kickstarter #KickstarterReads #Publishing

kickstarter.com/projects/atthi…

In fantastic news for authors and the publishing industry, Penguin Random House is NOT going to appeal the court's decision to block its acquisition of Simon & Schuster. This merger would have seen two of the 'Big 5' publishing corporations combined, giving the new company a dangerous amount of influence on publishing worldwide, having a detrimental effect on authors' payments and readers' choices. SO GLAD IT'S SCRAPPED FOR GOOD.

booksandpublishing.com.au/arti…

#Publishing #PublishingNews #News

PRH, S&S deal scrapped | Books+Publishing

Purchase a subscription to view job ads and other premium content on Books+Publishing.

^{www.booksandpublishing.com.au}

I started writing on Substack to talk about the process a manuscript takes in traditional publishing, and how to navigate the process without losing the book's soul.

It's a happy story that starts at the end of many rejections, and I'll post some threads in case the takeaways are faster/easier to get here vs. Substack. The site is The Bird's Eye, and it's completely free and goes to folks' inboxes every other week.

sarahcypher.substack.com/

#writing #publishing #WritingCommunity #author #novel

The Bird's Eye

A longtime writer and indie book editor shares notes on debuting with a Big Five publisher. Click to read The Bird's Eye, by Sarah Cypher, a Substack publication. Launched a month ago.

^{The Bird's Eye}

Lesson 5. The agent has to say yes, but SO DO YOU. Find *your* agent, not just any agent. Preserving your power to say no is important at many stages of the publishing journey (multiple offers, bad deal terms, etc.), and you want an agent who respects you and gives good advice. I can't stress this enough. 6/8

#WritingCommunity #agents #LiteraryAgent #publishing #editing #querying

Full post: sarahcypher.substack.com/p/fin…

Step 2: Finding the Right Agent

Once your novel is done, here are five lessons it took me 20 years to learn.

^{Sarah Cypher (The Bird's Eye)}

Dear @libreoffice, your message is clearly an understatement.

"Designing with LibreOffice" is a book about making full use of the writing experience of the LibreOffice Suite.

"LibreOffice is as much a desktop publishing application as an office suite"

designingwithlibreoffice.com/

#OpenSource #LibreOffice #Design #Publishing

Designing with LibreOffice

Visit the post for more.

^{Designing with LibreOffice}

I'm a Blind writer that writes romance, making sure Disability is given agency in romance! I've published books, short stories, and more. I'm on sub with more books. I have a literary agent. If any romance readers want to check out my work, My main writing page is here blindjournalist.wordpress.com/…

I also blog, blindjournalist.wordpress.com/…

My guide to Mastodon/Fedi is here blindjournalist.wordpress.com/… #RomanceLandia #Romance #CripLit #Publishing #writingcommunity

Mastodon for writers and readers

This post includes Fediverse accessibility resources in addition to the below. I finally did it. I deleted Twitter off my phone and subsequent apps off my phone. I still kept my twitter account act…

^{Robert Kingett}

A bit more info:

1. I am a #TraditionallyPublished #author of #books for #teens
2. I believe in more #equity in #TraditionalPublishing, especially when it comes to payment, marketing, and support for #BlackAuthors
3. I try to be #positive online, but #publishing is a hard, hard industry to be in
4. I'm trying to hold on to the joy of #writing regardless ... 💕

- 1st book (out now): WHEN THE STARS LEAD TO YOU (ronnidavis.com/books2/when-the…)
- 2nd book (Spring 2024) THIS NIGHT IS OURS