Loser wanna be Peter David can't pay the rent.

Isn't that kind of like Brannon Braga and Rick Berman having open disdain for Star Trek fans? Some say Braga even hated them.

With some people, it doesn't matter how much you try to teach them.

The light bulb's never going to turn on.

There's a guy who's been sending me stuff for years. His skill level is exactly the same now as it was when I first started critiquing his work.

He should consider another line of work because he's never going to "get it".

Well, obviously freelancers should consider going back to their mercenary roots, because Soldier of Fortune will publish anything.

If we ever needed further proof that the “attorney/psychotherapist” whose every post is riddled with evidence that his only experience with either is at the receiving end (and probably pro bono) understands neither contracts, marketing, how to compose a professional résumé, nor the realities of a two-income household where, as in this case, one of the two participants is job-hunting, we have his words in this thread as continued confirmation. With every post he convinces us that his “professional experience” consists primarily of getting paid under the table at closing time…after he’s cleaned out the deep-fryer.

But his Mom makes some damn fine mini-pizzas.

So, for the adults – and forgive me if some of this is redundant – but a clarification about publishing contracts. The royalty period is every six months…after earn-out. So, you’ve written a novel, it’s been published anywhere from six to 18 months after you finished it, and within a year or two after that it’s earned past the original advance money such that you earn royalties. Royalties can be anywhere from 2-10% of the cover price, depending on the terms of the contract.

But let’s say your book’s done really well, and you’ve got a chunk of change coming in at the end of the six-month royalty period.

Let’s say your contract indicates “royalties to be paid in February and August annually.” Now, if your publisher is ethical, your agent will receive a check sometime in February and again in August. It won’t necessarily be on the first of the month, but it will be within the month.

If your publisher is less than ethical – as happened some years ago when the Science Fiction Writers of America filed a class-action suit against Pocket Books – your August payment will be reluctantly released the week after Thanksgiving. True story.

“We’re implementing a new computer system” was the excuse every time your agent called to ask them WTF. In actuality, they were holding the funds until the fourth quarter to collect an extra quarter’s interest…on your money. Thus the lawsuit, which SFWA won. Royalties were delivered on time thereafter.

But. These are the exigencies in the life of the midlist writer (of which there are some 50,000 in the U.S. – only the incredibly naïve think everyone’s a Stephen King).

Again, I’m being redundant, but the median income for published authors in the U.S. is a low four figures. Even Ike Asimov held onto his Day Job well into his writing career. Most of us do have other sources of income, such as KRAD’s editing services.

Like Peter David and a number of other Trek writers, KRAD started out working in-house, then took the plunge as a full-time writer. It’s daring, it’s risky, and it almost always depends on other sources of income – a spouse, a Day Job, often both. When that additional source of income is out looking for work, the atmosphere gets a little thin.

Unfortunately, the landlord is not impressed. Oh, your wife’s been out of work for x-number of weeks? That’s nice. You’ve got three five-figure checks coming in from three sources in another couple of weeks? That’s nice. Rent’s due today, buddy. Tell me another.

As for KRAD’s online credentials, I’d invite anyone whose professional experience tracks with putting yourself out there to attract the attention of potential clients to critique it. I think most of you will agree it’s solid, if a little brazen, but that’s his style. Squeaky wheel and all that. Everyone’s got their own style. I tend to be a little more low-key. But the style you present says “This is the kind of editor I’ll be.” Clients appreciate that.

Only someone whose job history consists of Deep Fryer Degreaser and Mediocre Internet Troll would fail to understand this.

Lastly, though, I don’t want to be entirely negative about Flashy’s contribution to this thread. In fact, I’d like to thank him for bringing your attention to Ain’t Exactly Clear which, as he pointed out – without understanding why – I’ve made available as a free download on Wattpad. Flashy fails to understand the purpose a site like Wattpad serves as a marketing tool while, in my case, I wait for one of two editors to get back to me on the salability of the manuscript.

Does Flashy spend his free time on Amazon sneering at the free Kindle samples and the Look Inside This Book feature? Or does my very own little stalklet reserve his attentions solely for me?

A normal person would say “Hey, a free book? ” Not our Flashy.

Even Skrain had the common sense to leave this thread after his initial rant. What does it say about our Flashy that he’s not even as bright as the guy who pwned himself with a cheap lighter and a pair of lesbian shoes?

I eagerly await his next descent into ever deeper absurdity…

And one out of 200,000 first novels ever sees print. My agent's figure, not mine. Also, silk purse, sow's ear.

I'd recommend you take your own advice.

Every post about your career points to that being ignored.

Garamet, you are badly mistaken.

You write a first draft of a novel that looks like the work of 7th grader. Hot women in bikinis swarm you because you're an author, and rappers put you in their music videos. The New York Times sends their book reviewer, who tries to seduce you, but you reject her because she has crabs. The editor who gave her the crabs forces her to run to the story with a faceless picture of you with a cucumber in your pants, because it's actually a picture of the camera man. Later, after Heidi Klum throws herself at you in a towel, you realize that the eight grade reading level is where it's at. At least that's how it is for guys. assuming they worked as a janitor in the White House.

Personal attack.

Lame

Well Tom Clancy hit it big with the first novel he ever wrote.

As did Margaret Mitchell with her one and only.

Clancy did sell his first novel, yes, to a relatively obscure publisher and for a very small advance. He also had the fallback of a career in insurance. GWTW was actually Mitchell's fourth novel, and she had a concomitant career as a society columnist.

As for writers and rejection slips: http://www.literaryrejections.com/best-sellers-initially-rejected/

Point taken.

Just wondering Garamet, what has been your fallback career?

But can the janitor become President?

I think "White House janitor" is 2,076th in the line of succession, right after "House Minority Leader's aide's stunt double".

Also, from what I've read of both (I lost time for Trek novels in the early 2000s), I'd take KRAD over PAD in the bottom of the ninth. The three of KRAD's I can remember reading were pretty consistently quality, whereas PAD may have written Q-Squared but he's also got The Rift and New Frontier (and Imzadi, bring it on fangirls) to answer for.

Your post to garamet introduced the "personal".

Personal attack.

Justified

No it did not.

Even if it did it is not for a third party to intervene on behalf of Garamet.

Yes it did.

Case closed.

Fine. Moderators and administrators want to whore for Garamet that is your business.

I've mentioned it here frequently but, as you like to point out, you can't distinguish one poster from another, so it's of no consequence to you.

A fair point. Though on the other hand I've frequently made factual statements here and most people seem to be unable to remember them so it works both ways.

People remember a lot of your statements, Dayton. That is half of your problem.

Get bent with that shit. You don't want 3rd party comments,take it to PM.

Pretty telling that you don't deny what I said.

There's a whole thread documenting his "factual" statements. Obviously we take them quite seriously.

Yes, but we were also commissioned to contribute to the "Good things about Dayton" thread which went for.....um...

ohh.. :-(

Man, one can find a pie chart for ANYthing!

People intervene for friends all the time. It's pretty much one of the fundamental qualities of a friendship.

And yet you're so dim that you refer to coming to a friends defense as "whoring".

Jesus really wants you to take your own life. Soon. Wife and kids too.

Pretty low to infer that a mans wife and children should die.

And why do you bother? You have no power whatsoever. You're not even a moderator. You're simply an internet non entity.

It is a fools errand trying to explain friendship to a man who has no friends.