Comments on: Romance Writers of America Want to Change Who Is Considered a Published Author http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html Cynfully Sweet, Cynfully Delicious Erotic Romances Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:18:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Cyn http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-38 Cyn Thu, 21 Jun 2007 02:10:26 +0000 http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-38 I received a nearly immediate response from Nicole Burnham denying RWA looks at publishers with microscopic scrutiny. One publisher I know said she would never again submit herself or her company to the sort of personal information RWA wanted in order to have RWA's nod of approval, and this owner has a former RWA president as one of her authors. Sounds microscopic to me. I received a nearly immediate response from Nicole Burnham denying RWA looks at publishers with microscopic scrutiny. One publisher I know said she would never again submit herself or her company to the sort of personal information RWA wanted in order to have RWA’s nod of approval, and this owner has a former RWA president as one of her authors. Sounds microscopic to me.

]]> By: Arin Rhys http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-39 Arin Rhys Fri, 22 Jun 2007 10:57:32 +0000 http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-39 Trisk was a RWA recognized publisher and look how THAT turned out. In Romance publishing there seems to be a taboo for an author to question a publisher too much and I don't see RWA or PAN doing anything to help that situation. Trisk was a RWA recognized publisher and look how THAT turned out.

In Romance publishing there seems to be a taboo for an author to question a publisher too much and I don’t see RWA or PAN doing anything to help that situation.

]]> By: December Quinn/Stacia Kane http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-40 December Quinn/Stacia Kane Fri, 22 Jun 2007 12:49:39 +0000 http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-40 I don't know about personal info required by RWA of the people running the house, but the actual guidelines ofr publisher recognition are readily available and are as follows: Romance Writers of America officially defines a publisher as one who does not offer subsidy or vanity contracts to RWA members, has been releasing books on a regular basis via national distribution for a minimum of one year, and can prove to RWA that it has sold a minimum of 1,500 hardcover or trade paperback copies or 5,000 copies of any other format of a romance/romantic novel. (https://www.rwanational.org/eweb/dynamicpage.aspx?webcode=ContestsRules#RITA) Hardly microscopic. I'm not necessarily disagreeing with the thrust of your argument, just clarifying. These are readily available on RWA's website and in lat month's copy of the RWR as well, if I remember correctly. I don’t know about personal info required by RWA of the people running the house, but the actual guidelines ofr publisher recognition are readily available and are as follows:

Romance Writers of America officially defines a publisher as one who does not offer subsidy or vanity contracts to RWA members, has been releasing books on a regular basis via national distribution for a minimum of one year, and can prove to RWA that it has sold a minimum of 1,500 hardcover or trade paperback copies or 5,000 copies of any other format of a romance/romantic novel. (https://www.rwanational.org/eweb/dynamicpage.aspx?webcode=ContestsRules#RITA)

Hardly microscopic.

I’m not necessarily disagreeing with the thrust of your argument, just clarifying. These are readily available on RWA’s website and in lat month’s copy of the RWR as well, if I remember correctly.

]]> By: Sunny Lyn http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-41 Sunny Lyn Fri, 22 Jun 2007 15:13:45 +0000 http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-41 There's not enough sand in the sandbox for me to sit with RWA right now. I love their conferences, love my friends within, even loved RWA itself at one time. This, however, sours me worse than organized religion does. Maybe if enough of us holler FOUL it'll keep the self-aggrandized from shoving their propoganda down our throats. RWA began as a service organization to help writers of romance. Now it has become the least heroic, the most dastardly villlain in its own story. There’s not enough sand in the sandbox for me to sit with RWA right now. I love their conferences, love my friends within, even loved RWA itself at one time. This, however, sours me worse than organized religion does. Maybe if enough of us holler FOUL it’ll keep the self-aggrandized from shoving their propoganda down our throats.

RWA began as a service organization to help writers of romance. Now it has become the least heroic, the most dastardly villlain in its own story.

]]> By: Cyn http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-43 Cyn Mon, 25 Jun 2007 06:36:02 +0000 http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-43 Hi December/Stacia, I've read those guidelines also, but I've also talked with three separate owners who've said that RWA examines them far beyond what they state. In one instance, a former president of RWA is an author and that publisher flat out stated she would never again subject herself or her company to the in-depth information RWA requested. I've been a member of RWA for about eight years now I guess and I don't see RWA changing with the times but rather trying to prevent change. The fact is a lot of RWA members are electronically published, including the big names like Nora Roberts. The electronic book business operates a lot differently than traditional print houses. RWA has already made it harder for e-pubs to gain recognition by requiring 5,000 copies of an eBook compaired to 1500 of a trade, which is why so many e-pubs are using companies like Lightning Source and Lulu for print purposes. They get a single author to sell 1500 print copies in a year, have been in business a year and can prove it, then voila, they are supposed to be an approved publisher. Xtasy did this some time ago (I think it was Xtasy) and met all the qualifications and were denied. I remember a scathing note on the main page of their web site decrying the hoops they were forced through. Thank you for your comment though. It is certainly clear the RWA of today is not the same as it once was. Hi December/Stacia,

I’ve read those guidelines also, but I’ve also talked with three separate owners who’ve said that RWA examines them far beyond what they state.

In one instance, a former president of RWA is an author and that publisher flat out stated she would never again subject herself or her company to the in-depth information RWA requested.

I’ve been a member of RWA for about eight years now I guess and I don’t see RWA changing with the times but rather trying to prevent change. The fact is a lot of RWA members are electronically published, including the big names like Nora Roberts.

The electronic book business operates a lot differently than traditional print houses. RWA has already made it harder for e-pubs to gain recognition by requiring 5,000 copies of an eBook compaired to 1500 of a trade, which is why so many e-pubs are using companies like Lightning Source and Lulu for print purposes. They get a single author to sell 1500 print copies in a year, have been in business a year and can prove it, then voila, they are supposed to be an approved publisher. Xtasy did this some time ago (I think it was Xtasy) and met all the qualifications and were denied. I remember a scathing note on the main page of their web site decrying the hoops they were forced through.

Thank you for your comment though. It is certainly clear the RWA of today is not the same as it once was.

]]> By: Cyn http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-49 Cyn Sat, 07 Jul 2007 05:29:41 +0000 http://www.lucyndastorey.com/blog/20/45.html#comment-49 Sunny Lyn, I love how you stated that...not enough sand in the sandbox. Maybe the best solution isn't to differentiate at all? Let RWA publish what they consider to be a decent contract, what qualities a reputable publisher should have and what they consider to be a professional author and then let each individual in RWA take that information and apply it to their own decisions regarding career. I know I'm more professional than some of the members in my local chapter who've been "published" for years and are PAN members, but yet haven't done another single thing to advance their career since their first book (or possibly two). Makes me wonder how the actor's guild makes decisions as to who is considered a real actor and who is considered a "wannabe". Sunny Lyn,

I love how you stated that…not enough sand in the sandbox.

Maybe the best solution isn’t to differentiate at all? Let RWA publish what they consider to be a decent contract, what qualities a reputable publisher should have and what they consider to be a professional author and then let each individual in RWA take that information and apply it to their own decisions regarding career.

I know I’m more professional than some of the members in my local chapter who’ve been “published” for years and are PAN members, but yet haven’t done another single thing to advance their career since their first book (or possibly two).

Makes me wonder how the actor’s guild makes decisions as to who is considered a real actor and who is considered a “wannabe”.

]]>