Tag: velvet rope

Love’s Savage Post: A Reviewer’s Confessions

Loves Savage Destiny by Melissa BowersockIf you hang out in certain online forums or read particular blogs, you’ll be exposed to a lot of author horror stories. Some pertain to publishers, both large and small. Bad covers, no proofreading, or all kinds of financial shenanigans are a few I’ve heard. Just a few weeks ago Melissa Bowersock had a story about the publisher changing her title. Then there are the agent complaints (unresponsive, lack of follow-through, and wouldn’t negotiate for fear of upsetting the publisher are some examples). I sympathized, even though I’d never experienced these things. Or at least I hadn’t until Kat Brooks changed the title of this post. Her explanation was something like, “Come on Baby, sex sells. It’s just a title.” I’m embarrassed to even tell you what my original, not-at-all sexy title was.

But if I’m going to be completely truthful, there are times I sympathize … no, make that empathize, with agents and even publishers. Sometimes I Feel Like an Agent. Oh yeah, that was my original title. Not sexy at all. It’s a long story, but here goes. Continue reading “Love’s Savage Post: A Reviewer’s Confessions”

Velvet Rope-A-Dope

We recently conducted a poll of indie authors, asking about their general impressions regarding three areas of policy change at Amazon.

Coincidental with the recent sock-puppet scandal, Amazon began quietly marching a number of reviews off the site and into the darkness. Their stated reason for these actions are to assure the integrity of blah-blah, something or other, customer confidence, and something else. Continue reading “Velvet Rope-A-Dope”

Moving the Velvet Rope – by Stephen Hise

There are and have long been exclusive clubs. Some exert their exclusivity through means of social status or wealth. That’s why Cousin Eddie won’t be seen golfing at Snobmore Country Club. Others use the velvet rope and a bouncer who makes the individual decision as to whether someone is cool enough to get in. Often, the decisions of the bouncer seem enigmatic, capricious, and objectionable to those on the wrong side of the velvet rope.

That model of exclusivity is the one used (or perhaps imposed) by the traditional publishing industry. Their idea being to preserve the integrity of the written word by selectively choosing those who would produce the written word. What a great idea. I wonder how that worked out. Continue reading “Moving the Velvet Rope – by Stephen Hise”