How to Spot–and Avoid–Predatory “Pay to Play” Publishing Contracts

Scammers flourish in places where art and business intersect, because too many artists (including writers) don’t learn to protect themselves and their rights. The best way to protect yourself as an author is to learn as much as possible about the publishing industry, including how to identify the warning signs of predatory publishing deals. Today, we’re kicking off a mini-series on scam avoidance with a look at predatory “pay to play” publishing contracts. Industry standard publishing contracts: — Do not require the author to pay for anything up front, including publishing costs. — Do not allow the publisher to deduct the costs of publication from

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Niomon: Japan’s Well-Guarded Temple Gates

Most Japanese Buddhist temples have gates at the entrance. In some cases, these gates perform the standard function: indicating the entrance to the temple precinct. In other cases, the gates are larger, more elaborate, and also serve a secondary function: they house the temple’s nio  or kongōrikishi, guardian statues who protect the temple and its treasures. (Gates with nio in them are also often known as “niomon”). The statues stand guard inside enclosed bays at either side of the gate: While the one with its mouth closed is vocalizing “ɦūṃ” (Sanskrit: हूँ):

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Tracking and Managing the Costs of Publication

How much did you spend on your last book release? Many authors don’t know, and that’s true regardless of the author’s publishing path. In my experience, author-publishers (sometimes also called “self-published authors”) often (but not always) have a better grasp of expenditures than traditionally published authors do.  Regardless of your publishing path, you should know how much you spend on each book release, & in what category expenditures fall.  Tracking expenditures properly is the first step toward evaluating whether your expenditures are effective, and whether or not you should repeat them with subsequent books. Create and maintain an expense and expenditure spreadsheet (or notebook) for

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