tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post6748900301522912163..comments2023-10-22T03:37:37.574-04:00Comments on Baron It All: Dumb Writers (or Gullibles' Travails)Frank Baronhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-61156148407191996362007-05-04T11:35:00.000-04:002007-05-04T11:35:00.000-04:00Old tricks, new tricks, it is good to be informed....Old tricks, new tricks, it is good to be informed. Not that I think that I can write :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-22659765450268408362007-04-29T15:04:00.000-04:002007-04-29T15:04:00.000-04:00Yikes kappa! I guess you can lead someone to the t...Yikes kappa! I guess you can lead someone to the truth but can't make them believe.Frank Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-34794860112005577802007-04-28T19:09:00.000-04:002007-04-28T19:09:00.000-04:00Here here! I have a friend who got taken by the St...Here here! I have a friend who got taken by the Stylus Literary Agency, gave them money until they could get no more. Then six months later went with The New York Agency (same thing!) and again gave them money for awhile. I kept directing her to AW and Writer Beware sites even printed pages out, but she wouldn't beieve that they were a scam. "But I write so well that they're bound to find me a publisher. I'll be discovered!" It broke my heart.Kappa no Hehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00909580462578058631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-49183885098945185282007-04-28T18:57:00.000-04:002007-04-28T18:57:00.000-04:00I'm sure you're going about it the right way Bhasw...I'm sure you're going about it the right way Bhaswati. Good luck. :)Frank Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-46464873605572799672007-04-28T12:41:00.000-04:002007-04-28T12:41:00.000-04:00Great post, Frank. In the process of shortlisting ...Great post, Frank. In the process of shortlisting agents myself, I am glad my plan is a carbon copy of the steps you mentioned. Sharks are waiting to fleece people, but they can't really trap us if we keep our eyes open.Bhaswatihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15397144389576029618noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-82614411874919632632007-04-27T10:03:00.000-04:002007-04-27T10:03:00.000-04:00Yeah, pp, that's one of the oldest, and most "succ...Yeah, pp, that's one of the oldest, and most "successful" cons in the literary world. Not surprising really when you consider so many poets are gentle, trusting souls.<BR/><BR/>Cons are psychological bullies and I hate 'em.Frank Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-21310958412963092242007-04-26T23:51:00.000-04:002007-04-26T23:51:00.000-04:00One of the saddest things I ever read (well, a sad...One of the saddest things I ever read (well, a sad thing I read) was a poet describing his experience getting to and being at poetry.com's "award" ceremony. It was really very brave and noble, what he'd written about how vain and greedy he must have been to have fallen for it, and how humiliating the whole experience was. Not to mention the money.Paprikapinkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09236912376624098456noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-14300995616854469472007-04-26T00:10:00.000-04:002007-04-26T00:10:00.000-04:00Um...er...Abby dear...can we go somewhere private ...Um...er...Abby dear...can we go somewhere private and talk about this?<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>;)Frank Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-31694712596521977472007-04-25T22:13:00.000-04:002007-04-25T22:13:00.000-04:00I'm sure glad I'm not gullible. :-)But Frank...why...I'm sure glad I'm not gullible. :-)<BR/><BR/>But Frank...why did you charge me $200.00 to read my collection of essays? Why the extra $50.00 handling fee when it got sent directly to your home? By the way, do you have a tracking number for that big publishing contract you said you sent me months ago along with a life-changing amount of money? And how come you never answer my emails anymore?mogie222https://www.blogger.com/profile/06024514965061627826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-27209095131674208392007-04-25T19:37:00.000-04:002007-04-25T19:37:00.000-04:00You have company Crabby and I felt much as you do ...You have company Crabby and I felt much as you do at one time. But I came to realize that not every computer user is net savvy. Many don't have a clue how to conduct serious research. Others are naive in other areas. What we can do is try to counter misinformation and spread the truth about the business. Over and over and over again.Frank Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-88746902520465245882007-04-25T15:35:00.000-04:002007-04-25T15:35:00.000-04:00I know this sounds terrible, because scamsters are...I know this sounds terrible, because scamsters are the lowest form of life, but I often have a hard time feeling sorry for a lot of their "victims." At least those who are lured in by greed and vanity, and who get fleeced because they're too lazy or stubborn to check things out.<BR/><BR/>I mean, a lot of us wouldn't mind instant wealth and fame, but most of us eventually figure out that hard work is involved too.Crabby McSlackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12108791388350253344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-23665025482248343952007-04-24T11:41:00.000-04:002007-04-24T11:41:00.000-04:00Stace, I've seen that site but not for a long time...Stace, I've seen that site but not for a long time. Thanks for the reminder. :)<BR/><BR/>Yeah Aiden, there's a million of 'em. Most tend to play on people's greed. Many of the writing-based scams are more evil, to my mind, because they build up, then shatter, people's dreams.<BR/><BR/>Yes Bernita, as is often the case, it's the rare exceptions that fuel the (unrealistic) fantasies.<BR/><BR/>Btw, if I can figure out how (the NEW Blogger is still much of a mystery to me) I'm going to add you folks to my side list thingy. (Apologies, as always, for the techno-geekspeak.)Frank Baronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766219281485749395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-11895683485739340082007-04-24T07:34:00.000-04:002007-04-24T07:34:00.000-04:00If you read agent's blogs you will occasionaly see...If you read agent's blogs you will occasionaly see mention of a (very,very) rare/lightning strike instance where an agent/publisher does actually stumble upon a blog or story and contacts the writer. <BR/>Such serves to keep the idea alive, though gullibility and ignorance of the publishing world are the main culprits here.Bernitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05264585685253812090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-5906177776870065312007-04-24T04:06:00.000-04:002007-04-24T04:06:00.000-04:00you heard they took gullible out of the dictionary...you heard they took gullible out of the dictionary? <BR/><BR/>My favourite is the African mining family, that have sadly passed away, but they need an offshore account to hold the funds, as you are a distant (and i stress distant) relative you will recieve a commision.... WHo is really that stupid?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19155961.post-74168558602396953532007-04-24T02:07:00.000-04:002007-04-24T02:07:00.000-04:00It never fails to astonish me, how easily people f...It never fails to astonish me, how easily people fall into these kind of traps. <BR/><BR/>Did you ever see the scam-baiters? Check http://www.419eater.com/ it's so funny!Stacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13293741467822618216noreply@blogger.com