How To Spot An Insecure Writer/Editor
By little black duck
February 1, 2013
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I think there’s something new and fledgling writers should know:
There are people out there who will publish you who aren’t terribly interested in you as a writer or even care if you’re any good. They exist solely to prop up a deflated ego, or soothe a wounded sense of self, or simply act like a bully. They like being called “Editors” because it makes them feel important.
When we all start out, we desperately want to be published and we’ll do it for credit because that’s how it’s played. I’ve done it and I am proud of every one of those magazines and digests on my shelf. There are some very good credit/copy only publications out there with well formatted with beautiful layouts and a top-notch staff.
Kids, Twisted Dreams is not one of those publications and its editor Andrea Dean Van Scoyoc deserves neither your words nor your effort. Nevermind the utter lack of standards in its guidelines, because obviously when you’re a “self-publishing legend”, standards are for people who want to be read.
- “Submissions with name, address, phone number, word count or any other identifying info in either corner. Just type your name and the story name on the submission, nothing more.
- Submissions with words underlined when they are supposed to be italicized.
- Double-spaced submissions
Yeah, good manuscript habits are baloney. I know I *LOVE* it when I have to reformat my mss every time I want to submit because some editor is trying to be a rebel. It’s so freeing.
Oh, and because you might be an idiot (something I know I looked for when I was editor of Ghostlight):
WHY did I write basically the same thing, twice? Because if you had to read some of the submissions I get, you’d understand that apparently people either don’t read these guidelines or think they don’t apply to them, as I receive far too many submissions where it’s WOEFULLY apparent that one of the two scenarios above, applies.
By the way, break the convoluted rules and you’ll be BLACKLISTED.
From a “4 the Luv” magazine. O noes *weeps*
Click to embiggen because you simply must get the full feel of this individual’s compassion. (this was removed shortly after the Internet got wind of it).
Photo Credit © Brennon ThompSon
Well done. this must be your “moderately severe vertigo” talking, right Andrea?
So, what makes her such an authority that she can talk to people like that?
Well, she’s a Hereditary Witch [cite] (snort), a “self-publishing legend” [cite], teaches Shaanthi Yoga [cite], and is “a force of nature” [cite]. She’s on Goodreads, but she’s not interested in you, only in book signings.
“PLEASE NOTE! I AM NOT HERE TO COMPARE BOOKS OR READ OTHER’S WORKS. I AM HERE TO PROMOTE MY OWN WORKS ONLY!”
Classy. There a delusional ego on this one and maybe the yoga is supposed to help with that inner peace, but if her response to my friend Andrew‘s open comment is any indication, she might want to cast her Real Witch™ Circle Of Influence® a little wider.
So listen, Kids: this isn’t a magazine or author/editor you want to be associated with. You do not deserve to be talked to like an idiot or treated like she’s doing you a favor. Your words will put her magazine on the map, not the other way around. If she was such a popular underground editor, she’d be paying *something* more than a .pdf download. Hell, every one of my “4 the Luv” credits came with a print contributor’s copy – because the editor thought that much about me to see me in print. It speaks volumes. Much like this:
“Want me to pay you for submissions? Spread the word about my advertising rates, demand your local bookstores, trendy shops, whatever, carry Twisted Dreams to boost our sales, or spread the word to make us the most talked about magazine on the market today and that MIGHT happen. Until I start seeing money…you won’t. Sorry, that’s just the reality of owning a small, Indie magazine.
No it’s not.
Please note, if you have a DIAL UP CONNECTION, due to the size of each issue, you may not be able to download your free copy, so be mindful of that BEFORE you submit. I can not and WILL NOT be held responsible for your Internet connection or lack thereof.
Unreal. Yeah, put this on your Do Not Send list and spread the word.
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