Comments on: The Business Rusch: Why Writers Disappear (Part Three)

By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Kristine Kathryn Rusch — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 19:16:35 +0000

You’re probably right about how much she’s learned, Lyn. Somewhere down the road, she’ll wonder why indie writer who sell fewer books make more money than she does and seem happier. But for now, she knows better than to make those comments about self-publishing ever again.

By: Lyn Perry

Lyn Perry — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 10:43:14 +0000

Good points, Kris. And she may have even been referring to how one can make *millions* self-publishing. As far as I know, no indie author is selling a million copies of one book like she has. In her mind, that may be what money means. Why self-publish when you can only make 50k to 70k a year?? Still seems a bit arrogant to me, but like we both said, she doesn’t need to learn this route (I doubt she still has learned it, other than enough to cover her unfortunate comments, but that’s just imo.) Thanks for your response earlier.

By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Kristine Kathryn Rusch — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 06:16:13 +0000

Actually, Francis, your copyright exists from the moment you commit your story to a form. The only reason to register is for statutory damages if your copyright is infringed. It's better to register than to not, but you don't have to register to take a case to a federal court. Check out the Copyright Handbook for information on what copyright is and what statutory damages are, and the reasons to register.

By: Francis Hamit

Francis Hamit — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 04:48:06 +0000

You can make group registrations of several short works over the course of a year at the US Copyright Office. The fees are higher now. You have no protection if you fail to do this because the only place you can sue for copyright infringement is a Federal District Court. Registration in hand is required. It’s best done within 90 days so you can claim statutory damages. Your copyright registration covers all derivative uses, such as film and television. “Brokeback Mountain” was based on a nine page short story. You never know where opportunity will happen. Spend the money and invest in yourself. BTW the two best courses I took for a writing career were Accounting and Business Law.

By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Kristine Kathryn Rusch — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 22:13:46 +0000

Thanks, Jane. I’ll check that out. Because I think all of us who are in the arts are going through a massive change at the moment, and survival is…confusing…at best.

By: Jane Frank

Jane Frank — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 21:59:56 +0000

Your “why writers disappear” series really struck a chord with me. Commercial artists/illustrators in SF/F who create in “traditional media” have had to deal with similarly complex contractual quagmires, rapidly changing and eroding economic/marketing situations, strong socio-economic incentives for abandoning the literary arena, with very much the same working conditions (isolation) and response (discouragement), so that your “bottom line” trio (personality, personal problems, lack of business skills) seem very much on the mark, and apply equally well to established artists in the sf/f genre. The collection of essays I put together in “Paint or Pixel: The Digital Divide in Illustration Art” (NonStop Press, 2005) was my version of a ‘wake up call’ to those in the visual arts side of this industry . . . who might be thinking the 1980s would last forever. Fact is, the road has been just as bumpy for illustrators as for writers working in the sf/f genre. So your reasons for “disappearance” makes us first cousins and although I can’t recall ever meeting you in person – I sincerely hope that will be rectified in the future. In the meantime I want to thank you for your clarity, and for inspiring me to give new thought to the interesting times we are living in ….

By: josephine wade

josephine wade — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:39:51 +0000

Or you could just have young children. They keep you hopping up every 15 minutes or so .

Thanks for all the advice good thread.

By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Kristine Kathryn Rusch — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:14:21 +0000

It’s pretty common to get that notification, Rraythe, and I’ve wondered the same thing myself. You might have to register and then get back to them. I don’t know. Anyone have that experience with a previously unpublished piece?

By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Kristine Kathryn Rusch — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:13:18 +0000

Oh, no, Joe, that’s a very common one, and one I discuss in the Freelancer’s Guide under (of all things) success. Here’s the link to part one: http://kriswrites.com/2009/10/08/freelancers-survival-guide-success-part-one/ (It’s a five-part series.)

By: Rraythe

Rraythe — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:04:56 +0000

Or, another example, I had Amazon contact me saying they found one of my short stories elsewhere on the web (wouldn’t say where) and I had so many days to provide proof that it was my story. Fortunately, they picked one of the stories that had been previously published, so I offered to provide a copy of my original contract. But for ones I’ve only self-pubbed, that would be harder, because at this point I can’t afford to pay $30 to register the copyright every time I self-pub a short story. But one wonders what that would have done to my author account if they’d decided that I didn’t have (or couldn’t prove I did have) the rights to publish that one story?