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Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

compellingsciencefiction.com

31–40 of 85 posts

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#31
As soon as you publish your work online -no matter how promising the security of the platform is, you just don't know how and who copied your work then translated somewhere in taiwanese and started making the £££ which should be in your account.

Writers, why you just don't stop writing for Internet? Self-publishing can be more promising than online publishing, ain't?

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#32
post #11
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm disheartened that my site seems scary to you -- the "we" referenced is myself and some friends who have signed up as slush readers. I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know what information I could publish that would give you confidence in the site. It sounds like I should put up an 'about' page with some information about myself and my readers. For now, here's my linkedin page, to put a face to the face…

Writers are paranoid . I played around with a self-publishing site last year ( http://webfiction.co ) and was surprised more than once by how worried writers were about getting ripped off, losing control of their work, etc. I think there are so many shady characters in the space that everyone has been burned. Basically everyone wants someone else to take a chance on you to provide social proof. Consider tracking down…

Your site looks very nice, are you not running it any more?

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#33
post #31

As soon as you publish your work online -no matter how promising the security of the platform is, you just don't know how and who copied your work then translated somewhere in taiwanese and started making the £££ which should be in your account. Writers, why you just don't stop writing for Internet? Self-publishing can be more promising than online publishing, ain't?

The author of The Martian started out publishing it as a serial on his own website. Seemed to work out pretty well.

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#34
post #31

As soon as you publish your work online -no matter how promising the security of the platform is, you just don't know how and who copied your work then translated somewhere in taiwanese and started making the £££ which should be in your account. Writers, why you just don't stop writing for Internet? Self-publishing can be more promising than online publishing, ain't?

Not really. Copyright in the US at least permits a base-level of protection, and should domestic or international plagarism occur, then having the original file(s) and correspondence would be excellent evidence. 'Copying ideas' like gets brought up often in lawsuits against movies are essentially non-starter cases. Ideas can't be copyrighted, simply the telling of the story.

In my circle of people, self-publishing is simply still a 'vanity' project and commercially not viable.

Being part of a reviewed, curated, and edited publication benefits the writer and reading public much in the same way that certain record labels (ex: Hospital) release materials that fit within their mold of quality.

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#35
post #18
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Writers are paranoid . I played around with a self-publishing site last year ( http://webfiction.co ) and was surprised more than once by how worried writers were about getting ripped off, losing control of their work, etc. I think there are so many shady characters in the space that everyone has been burned. Basically everyone wants someone else to take a chance on you to provide social proof. Consider tracking down…

Getting some social proof is a great idea. I have some author friends in real life, so maybe having endorsements from them on social media will help instill confidence. I think the first few months will be the hardest, but eventually we'll have a track record.

No, don't do that. Writers do not need social media endorsements for publishers. Show yourself and if you are new in the field then what's your roadmap? Have you raised any funds? If yes, how and if no then how you'll pay. Your website has only two pags mentioning nothing about you at all. If your website is hosted on a shared-hosting then it'll be taken down by your "human and bot" visitors collectively after publishing your first issue.

Precisely, tell writers your raodmap so a trust bond can be created between you (as a publisher) and writer. Do you agree?

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#36
I smell hollywood. Is this a solicitation for science fiction stories, or is something fishing for movie concepts/treatments?

I would be very hesitant to share anything without some sort of guarantee that your ideas (ideas aren't subject to copyright) will not be taken and turned into a film script. The descriptions of what the website is looking for seem like the outcome of an LA focus group. Be careful. Read the contract before committing anything.

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#37
post #33
post #31

As soon as you publish your work online -no matter how promising the security of the platform is, you just don't know how and who copied your work then translated somewhere in taiwanese and started making the £££ which should be in your account. Writers, why you just don't stop writing for Internet? Self-publishing can be more promising than online publishing, ain't?

The author of The Martian started out publishing it as a serial on his own website. Seemed to work out pretty well.

That might be the better argument. Sure, you might be skipping out on the handful of $'s that that small Taiwanese market might bring you, but would they have bought your published book anyway?

However, when Hollywood needs to film rights, they'll have to come to you and buy the license according to your terms.

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#38
post #31

As soon as you publish your work online -no matter how promising the security of the platform is, you just don't know how and who copied your work then translated somewhere in taiwanese and started making the £££ which should be in your account. Writers, why you just don't stop writing for Internet? Self-publishing can be more promising than online publishing, ain't?

I have a friend that is a published SF author and he spends a couple of hours each week sending out copyright takedown emails (and managing responses, etc). Usually it's someone who likes his work and just wants to share it, but several times he has caught exact copy/paste editions being put out there under someone else's name.

They have a reason to be paranoid about ownership.

Blatant promotion link: http://www.amazon.com/K.-M.-Tolan/e/B005EXKWGU/

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#39
I am a coder by day, but I'm nearing completion of a full length novel (100,000 words) and ready to self-publish on Kindle and possibly Smashwords. I'll have to take a look at this for some other works. I have some other short stories I've been kicking around.

I particularly like the bias against dystopian fiction as I feel the same way. I also eschew themes like moral decay in the future, since as humans I believe we'll evolve emotionally and intellectually. To put it into perspective, if you look at recent human history you will find slavery, concentration camps, overt racism, all of which have been mostly wiped out.

Re: Show HN: I'm looking for science fiction writers

#40
post #8
post #5

I like the idea, but it's a bit disheartening to submit stories to an unknown organization whose website includes zero details about who the publisher will be or how the stories will be published. I get that it's a "self-funded hobby," but it could just as well be a scam by a nameless, faceless group of con men. Considering the domain is registered anonymously through Amazon, there is absolutely no information availa…

I'm disheartened that my site seems scary to you -- the "we" referenced is myself and some friends who have signed up as slush readers. I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know what information I could publish that would give you confidence in the site. It sounds like I should put up an 'about' page with some information about myself and my readers. For now, here's my linkedin page, to put a face to the face…

You want to be a publisher? That sounds great, writers need opportunities and someone willing to put in the effort to make that happen is something to be encouraged.

Yet that's a terribly sad page. No theming, no brand, no idea at all about who's running this thing.

Spend fifty bucks and get yourself a logo at least. Show that you care about your identity.

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