Letters To The Editor For March 3rd

March 03, 2010

Letters To The Editor For March 3rd
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QUALITY, ORIGINAL MARKETS FOR WRITERS

Angela,

I have been reading your newsletter for too long without thanking you for all of your hard work. I read and look at your job listings every week. Your newsletter not only supplies information, but also hope. When I get tired of the drudgery of content farms, you give me evidence that what I am doing is not in vain, that there are fulfilling opportunities out there. Writing opportunities are scattered around, peppered with so many scams that the search for jobs can get really frustrating, and it's way nice to have a solid base of job listings that inspire me to look further.

Thanks,
Heather

HECK, YEAH, I'M MAD! IS THAT A PROBLEM?!

Hi Angela,

I've been a fan of yours for several years and have always felt that your "anger" towards the low-lives out there in the publishing world...well, they deserve it! (And what I think you're expressing on behalf of the many thousands of honest, hard-working writers out here should be classified as "outrage" and not "anger.")

I'm no expert on psychology, but here's my impression of the email from the person concerned about your so-called anger issues: I think that person doesn't like you. I think that person has reasons; like not appreciating you shining a very bright spotlight on their questionable, unethical, predatory and perhaps even illegal activities. I think you've been making it difficult for that person and his/her acquaintances to rip-off writers who are struggling just to make a decent living doing what they do best...write.

Instead of banging you over the head with threatened lawsuits and smear campaigns, which this person has, no doubt, seen won't work, I think he/she is trying to get inside your head and play games. Subtle games that might cause you to start doubting your motives and re-think your life.

Don't let him/her do it. Angela, you've done a spectacular job these past many years on our behalf. You stand guard on our behalf against exploiters and crooks. You make us aware of unsavory individuals who would steal the fruits of our labor, use those fruits for their own gain and decline to pay us for quality work done for their behalf. You alert us to safe jobs and project opportunities. And, you share a little bit of your family life with us...all for FREE! I don't see how you do it.

So, don't for a moment even begin to think that person who wrote you the poison pen letter is right. If anyone has an anger problem, I feel that it's them.

Keep fighting the good fight. We all appreciate what you do for us!

Cordially,
Jeff Adams

~~~~~

Dear Angela,

In response to the e-mail you received from M...

Here. You take a break for a few moments, I mean from all that anger. If it would help I'll take it while you go make a cup of tea. I carry a good load of it around myself so I'm accustomed to the weight.

I experienced three reactions when I read M's e-mail. A chuckle, revulsion and, uh oh, anger. M's message either dripped with sweet venom or naivete, heavy, and pleasant as the smell of too much (any, really) cheap perfume in a restaurant. At the table next to me, I mean you, right after the meal is served so it's too late to leave. You want to hope it is naivete and not poisoned honey delivered with an actor's gentle but stern expression of concern for you and your readers. The possibility of it being naivete presents problems though, because in itself it can give you one heck of a headache, or, you leave yourself open to taking in more poison if you've misjudged. Your response was excellent, either way.

Girl, you've got beautiful, brass ovaries and the world needs more people like you. Bad guys are out there and they don't go away when good people stop fighting them. I know you know this. Your work is admirable. You perform a great service.

Stay safe and well and may God bless and keep you and yours.

Sincerely,

Diane

~~~~~

Dear Ms. Hoy:

I think if I was your Uncle Elmer instead of simply a casual reader and author, I'd chuck a snowball your way. Yes, you've made enemies, but you have a good husband and family, and I'm pretty sure you've had a lot of laughs along the way. And, you probably make several new friends every week. I'm one of them. Or at least, a steady reader and genuine fan of what you're doing. My dad (Tales from the Cherokee Strip) was a fireman and ambulance driver who often came home angry and sad when he lost a child or young adult. What especially galled him was to see young children of love and promise leave this life, while the town drunk went back to sleeping under the bridge after a free ride to the hospital when he drank some sterno. On the other hand, Dad had a lot of laughs, raised four children, stayed with his wife, fought fires, and saved some lives. Once, a little girl with enormous eyes (his description) wandered into the fire station with her parents to thank him for pulling her out of a wrecked car. Worth it all, he told me.

Yes, Ms. Hoy, there's probably a life-sized picture of you at the AMAZON board room. They throw darts at it during the beginning of every meeting. There's also a lot of fellows and ladies who see a light under the door every Wednesday when they log onto your site.

Should it be any other way?

So keep Going. One of my favorite characters from a favorite novel (THE LAST HURRAH by Edwin O'Conner), stated he hoped that his friends would weep and his enemies would cheer at his funeral. He never wanted to leave by the back door.
He got his wish, by the way.

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

Douglass Nelson

~~~~~

Angela,

I read your editorial in this week's WritersWeekly. I have been hit over the head with the same purse, my friend. When you put yourself out there, someone is going to shoot at the target. Comes with the territory. I've been asked if I was becoming negative (i.e., angry) because I spoke on scams, slow-paying editors or bad contracts for several weeks in a row. Some folks are just Pollyanna and mean well, but they don't realize that those of us standing up against the con jobs out there helps keep them happy and in better spirits as they learn who and what to avoid. Keep up the good work.

C. Hope Clark
Editor, FundsforWriters
http://www.fundsforwriters.com

~~~~~

Hi, Angela,

Two things regarding Heck, Yeah, I'm Mad! Is That a Problem?!

First, I have no idea whether or not you have ANY enemies, but I do know that you have many friends, thanks to your decade of providing excellent service to writers like me.

Second, your newsletter presents much more than just "your anger" which, as you justly observe, comes out when warranted. It seems to me that that person has overlooked the many nurturing, supportive articles and comments that you have personally written, and the many positive, helpful articles by other writers that you publish in WritersWeekly.

This correspondence of yours reminded me of a comment made by the character, Emma Leaphorn, in one of the tragically small series of videos made of Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn mysteries. Emma is consoling Joe, who is feeling really bummed out by the world, after a disillusioning series of events. She says in effect, "It's funny, when you think about it. A person looks at the world in a given way, and it is frightening, and ugly. He looks at it another way, and it is affirming, and beautiful. Same world, two different ways of looking at it."

Same WritersWeekly, same Angela--two different ways of perceiving.

Thank you for making my positive perceptions possible.

Regards (hugs all around),

Kevin

~~~~~

Dear Angela,

Regarding your recent posting about the reader who accused you of being "angry". I just want to say to you, and to this person, that I for one deeply appreciate all you have done on behalf of those of us who strive to make a living as professional writers of quality and integrity. You've been a reliable source of inspiration, encouragement and practical advice for years, and a relentless, tireless advocate for writer's rights and best interests. Goodness knows, we need more people like you who recognize the challenges facing serious writers and who strive to improve things for us all in terms of the respect we receive and the wages we are paid for our worthy labors. I thank you, applaud you and support your ongoing efforts on the (occasionally ungrateful) behalf of all of us who are serious about this craft and calling. If you are in fact angry (and I personally think you'd be more than justified in being so, given the practices that are so widespread in our industry, and which you have tirelessly fought to expose and rectify), then we also owe you thanks for channeling that anger into well-considered, professionally delivered words and actions that benefit us all.

With great sincerity and respect, your faithful reader,

Dale Kiefer

~~~~~

Dear Angela,

Thank you for doing what you do!

You are about the only thing between rapacious jerks and writers struggling to make a living, and I'm sure you have been threatened by creeps. I live in England now; I moved here last year and semi-retired partly because I couldn't tolerate the wild west attitude in the U.S. a moment longer. But I still read writersweekly.com, and congratulate you not only for your successful work, but for your fortitude. I think you are a shining example of ethics in an industry that increasingly shows none.

Sincerely,

Laura H. McBride
Publisher
Muffin Dog Press LLC (equine and travel books)
http://www.muffindogpress.com (travel website)
England Southwest
http://www.englandsouthwest.com

Blog: www.englandsouthwest.blogspot.com
McBride's personal website: www.lauraharrisonmcbride.net

~~~~~

Hey Angela!

I think it's great what you are doing and have done for writers. Don't let those who don't truly see the big picture discourage you with their negativity.

The world of freelance writing is complex without a lot of guidelines and many writers get taken advantage of time after time (myself included)... It is so good to know there is someone like you out there who knows the business and is looking out for writers by sharing stories that are REAL so that we are aware of the good and the BAD of this business.

As a working writer, THANK YOU for everything you do!

Best,
Kristi

~~~~~

Hi Angela,

I have been a reader of yours for about a year now (in my half-hearted attempt to quit my day job and become a freelance writer).

I think it's great that you do such a thorough job of investigating, following up on, and holding accountable these posters of lies and deadbeat publishers. Somebody's got to do it!

Keep up the good work,

Erin
http://www.apoptic.com

~~~~~

Hi Angela,

Keep up the good work. Expose the crooks, do what you think is right and ignore the critics. (Maybe you strike too close to their home.) I've been in business for myself since 1984. When I started there were 22 other people doing what I did. Now there is one - me. I have been told I am tough, mean, not very trusting, too exacting ñ whatever. I have tossed out high dollar clients because I didn't trust them or knew them to be less than honest. I only misjudged one who came back to me and apologized.

People in my community think I am rich because I refuse to do business with shifty, shady people, some of whom have waved large sums of money under my nose, or made me offers they thought I wouldn't refuse in the form of setting me up in a fancy office and/or with free state-of-the-art equipment. I am not rich, I am principled. I use my gut feeling and over the years have gained a lot of experience in sizing people up. I have proven, so far, to be a good judge. I figure if the people criticize me to an extreme, it's because they have reason to fear I will find them out. On the other hand, I have developed a core of clients who thoroughly trust me and respect me.

I relinquished my leadership in my company to a long-term employee. She came to me from an atmosphere of "the customer is always right." Over the years, I taught her that if you can't trust them, you don't need them. She has developed my second sense and now feels she has succeeded in the business, because people say "You sound and act more like Ethel every day." No matter how they mean it, we take it as a complement.

You are to be commended on a job well done.

Ethel Geary

~~~~~

Hey Ang,

Just my personal comment - You are one brave lady doing a great service to many of us writers - apart from the sheer entertainment you provide sharing your life and your kids' silliness in your newsletters. I have forwarded your newsletter to countless writing colleagues, and some non-writers that simply could benefit from the maturity and sensible wisdom you expound. I feel like your newsletter isn't just a newsletter - it's a letter from a family member (a very smart family member) that I wouldn't want to have to get along without.

Know this - if you ran for President, (I know you'd have to ask Richard first) I would unhesitatingly vote for you. And while that may not seem like a big thing considering the current administration, I still take such things seriously, the greatest among them being integrity to your family, friends, and those you are committed to. It's a rare and wonderful gift in a person, and thank you for having it, espousing it, and cultivating it in your kids. One or more of them may just save the world some day because of what you have taught them.

Regards - and BIG HUGS, Marie

~~~~~

Hello Angela,

In response to your "concerned" emailer about anger issues.

I am also a long time reader of WritersWeekly. Many times I have not had the time to read the articles as thoroughly as I would like, but I must say, keep up the good work. Of course there are times when one is taking a stand, there are people who do not appreciate the courage that takes or understand the personal cost that can entail. What Whispers and Warnings does is give writers an avenue to start their research on many companies to determine if they want to do business with them. You do not ask us to believe everything implicitly, only to be aware of the pitfalls as well as positives in our business. Your site has prevented me from making some pretty grave mistakes in the past through providing information to understand the myriad path of publishing. When people threaten you with violence it is because they themselves feel threatened and there is nothing more threatening than the truth. Just ask the powers that be in Amazon.

Please continue to "be mad" on our behalf in the artist's world. Justified anger is healthy when channelled to attempt to eliminate unscrupulous activities.

I also like how you inform us about writing contests, interesting articles, comparative shopping, and also your personal take.

Barbara M. E. Bonthoux
EZ Art

~~~~~

You go girl! Thank God for you and what you are doing!

Somebody has to stand up for what is right. So few people do that these days. I know, from experience, that it's hard to take a stand the way that you have. And yes, it requires a certain amount of anger to make things happen. I call it "righteous indignation". I think you've done an excellent job of channelling that anger into something worthwhile -- something from which I and scores of other writers will benefit. You are a true pioneer.

No, Angela, your anger is not a problem. I am reminded of someone else who became angry when he discovered that his house was being used for purposes other than what was intended. He could have just stood there and shook his head. But he didn't - he became angry, at least that's the way I see it. After all, He turned over the merchants' tables. He saw what was happening and took action.

One of my former pastors used to say: "Don't let them bounce you out of the buggy!"

Kudos to you and hang in there!

Sincerely and with MUCH gratitude,
Gloria O'Donnell