AMAZON
Posted on 07/28/2011 7:36:52 PM PDT by Noumenon
All - Pearson Education, Inc contacted me regarding my 4th of July Tea Party speech. They wish to include it in the following publication:
Program/Title: Speaking in the Public Sphere; Edition: 1; Author(s): Steven Schwarze;
Initial Publication Date: 09/2011 (estimated); Number of Pages: 480 (estimated);
Proposed Price: $60.00 (estimated).
What does anyone know about this outfit? I have my own misgivings, but I'd like to hear from others. I have no intention of having my work demonized or otherwise used in a venue where I will have no say in its use. On the other hand, it may be a chance to reach other minds with what I believe is a vital message. A double edged sword, to be sure. Is it worth the risk?
$60 for 480 pages? lmao. =.=
Or $60 for a speech?
Nonetheless, they are going to publish this and profit off it far more than your lowly $60. =.=
I'd trust MM on this. If they are not offering a truckload of money, it might be prudent to offer them permission to reprint, but make sure you retain your rights to reuse your own words.
Not sure about the $60.00 reference - that may be the asking price for the textbook, given the context. Whatever the case, I’ll call them tomorrow and get a couple of the more critical questions answered.
Yeah, I probably read this in a hurry; my apologies.
$60 might be for the book itself, as you indicated.
As for Pearson Education, I have requested textbooks from them before and they have been fairly prompt given I am a Uni. professor. As such, I have not witnessed nor researched them enough to say if they have an ideological bent/bias. G/L.
http://contests.about.com/od/conttestscams/qt/poetryscams.htm
From then on, you’ll be deluged with offers to spend money on the site. These include:
•An offer to purchase a book with your poem in it (which will cost you $60 - $75).
•The chance to have your poem framed or printed on a coffee mug (for sky-high costs).
•The opportunity to attend a seminar, and even to be a poetry “judge” for just the cost of registration (often $595 or more).
These offers will come with high praise of your writing talents and plenty of ego stroking to make you think that you truly have been chosen on the basis of your talents. However, everyone who enters receives the same offers. Entrants have reported being deluged by these phony offers for years.
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Please note that in your communication, it says Edition 1. THAT is a red flag. Be very wary and get all the info you can about this.
Also note the “proposed price”. Why would they be tellng YOU what the price is for the book?
What they should be telling you is the estimated value of YOUR work, how many copies they expect to sell, and whether or not hey are willing to PAY you for the exclusive rights to publish YOUR work.
Make sure you have and KEEP all original copies and notes or revisions just in case.
Further, if it is ALREADY out in the public forum, and it appears it is, you might actually have lost your rights anyway and they would know this...which means they COULD publish it as compendium gleaned from public sources and would NOT need your permission to republish it...just as I could publish it on a blog even if I don’t have your permission. WHERE did they get a copy of it in the first place if you did NOT submit it yourself?
Therefore, you could rightfully ccnclude that this is an attempt to MAKE money off of you. Like I said. They appeal to your vanity.
ALSO, please note “Author(s): Steven Schwarze;”
Author? Not Editor. If this is different authors, it should say EDITED BY Steven Schwarze.
This doesn’t smell right.
I suggest you read this. It does NOT sound at all like what was described to you in this communication.
Pearson is a subsidiary of McGraw Hill.
Pearson is a subsidiary of McGraw Hill.
The English language section of the Swiss-German Pearson site has more info on the book: http://www.pearson.ch/HigherEducation/AllynBacon/1449/9780205567089/Speaking-in-the-Public-Sphere.aspx
Well gang, I sent it off after determining that I do indeed retain the rights to my work - I am granting them only the permission to print it. And they are willing to pay me for it. Pub date looks like it Aug 10, but I can’t be sure.
Never did get in contact with the author/editor, Schwarze. My email to his U of Montana addy bounced.
Thanks to all for your advice and insight.
Good on ya, Noumenon. It was a wonderful speech and you deserve it.
It’s only bad publicity if they don’t spell your name right, my friend.
Truth. Might make the task of publishing the book easier wonce it’s done.
Having “Published author” on your resume is never a bad thing.
Also true. Even if the reference runs something like, “And here’s a textbook example of a right-wing nut...”
If so then you'll have had an experience to share. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
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