Why You Should Pay for Duotrope (and How You Can Win a Subscription!)

      If you haven’t heard the news, Duotrope, a popular site for tracking literary submissions, is moving to a paid model in January. Under the new pay structure, you can buy a year-long membership for $50, or purchase individual months at $5 each.

      Naturally, people were not pleased with the news. Who wants to pay for something if you’ve gotten it for free for years? Unfortunately, the numbers don’t lie and Duotrope can no longer survive on donations alone. Duotrope must start charging for membership, or it will disappear entirely.

      It’s not all bad news, though. There are good reasons to pay for Duotrope, and the new model might actually benefit you.

The Price

      First, let’s take a look at the price. Once the sticker shock fades away, you’re left with the hard numbers. You can pay $5 a month, or $50 a year, which works out to $4.17 per month.

      That’s less than the price of a large frappucino, and unlike the frappucino, you can enjoy a Duotrope membership for more than fifteen minutes. Put another way: if you saved a quarter during each weekday in 2013, you would be able to pay for a year’s membership and 1/3 of next year’s membership.

      Fifty dollars a year breaks down to fourteen cents a day. Though there are people who cannot afford that, it is well within the reach of many aspiring authors. The new price model also allows for gift subscriptions, which means friends and family can help support your writing (without writing those suspicious-sounding reviews). 

The Statistics

      Some writers are concerned that Duotrope’s statistics will become less useful when the data pool shrinks. Duotrope itself addressed these concerns, and they expect their statistics to become more accurate. It turns out that the people who submit frequent, valid reports are also likely to be donators to and active users of the site.
      Though the number of total Duotrope users will drop, Duotrope will retain the most helpful contributors. This isn’t an unfounded assumption: by tracking membership pre-orders, Duotrope has already accounted for 51,000 submission reports and seen a decrease of 92% in unreliable data.

      Unlike scientific studies where a bigger sample size is almost always better, reliable data is the heart of Duotrope. To an extent, there are right and wrong answers. Claiming a one-day wait before reporting a submission as “never responded” is not helpful for anyone. The new subscription model discourages erroneous reporting from single-submission users.

Your Writing Career

      We’ve said before: if you want to make money from your writing, you have to treat it like a business. Duotrope now joins the ranks of Scrivener, writing magazine subscriptions, nice pens, and notebooks as useful writer tools. You certainly don’t need any fancy extras to be a writer, but these tools increase your productivity and open your eyes to new markets.

      The new membership structure could gel well with your personal style. Month-to-month memberships can light a fire under procrastinators. If you know you only have a week left to use the site, you might enjoy scrambling to submit before the deadline. If you’re hesitant to pay for the service, that might work in your favor, too. You might end up submitting more stories to justify the price and feel like you got your money’s worth.

      Whether submitting under deadline or submitting due to buyer’s remorse, increased queries in targeted markets can only help your writing career.

      You might examine all the angles and still decide that Duotrope isn’t right for you. That’s fine, too. We’re not demanding that every writer must get a subscription. We’re just asking you to consider things besides cost.

Do you want to win a six-month subscription to Duotrope?

Share this post, then comment below explaining how you would use your subscription, why you would like the subscription, or how Duotrope has helped you in the past. Be sure to use the same name for both the share and the comment. The contest will run until January 10th, 2013. A random winner will be selected from all valid entries and the winner will be notified by January 15th, 2013. This is a PopularSoda contest and not affiliated with Duotrope.

Ebook Basics Class Handouts

      Last weekend, Lila went out into the “real” world to educate the public about ebooks at the OCH Art Market. If you couldn’t make it to New Orleans for the class, don’t worry! Here are the class handouts for you to download and share. 

Editors and Designers

Payment FAQ

Why Self Publishing

Got more ebook questions? Ask us on Twitter @popular_soda or email admin@popularsoda.com 

How to Save Your Writing (and Your Sanity)

Q: How many writers have lost months or years of work due to computer problems?

A: Too many.

     This isn’t a joke– it’s a scary possibility (or reality) for anyone who depends on their computer to store their work. All writers should back up their work in multiple places. We’ve put together a list of the most common ways to save and store your writing. Ideally, you’d use each method. Please, for your sake, use at least one.

 

Note:  This article focuses on backing up text files and writing work, not videos or photos for personal use.

Online

      Both Dropbox and Google Drive have a free, basic plan that allows you to back up your work. These services let you access your work from any computer or supported mobile device. Here’s a handy chart for a quick overview of their different features.

      You can sign up for both services and use them for different purposes. Lila uses Google Drive for sharing and editing while Dropbox runs in the background to save any late-night ramblings or half-finished work.

PS: If you sign up for Dropbox through our referral link, we’ll both get an extra 500MB of storage.

 

Offline

      External harddrives and USB flash drives can keep your work safe in a different way. They provide a separate physical location (other than your main computer) for the storage of your work. The main problem with these items is that they’re susceptible to everything that kills computers: water, power surges, equipment malfunction, dropping, fire, bullets, lightning strikes, etc. And unlike Dropbox and Google Drive, these devices won’t automatically update. You’ll have to manually copy files to these external storage sources.

      USB flash drives and external harddrives can be useful if you want to back up your work but lack internet access (or visit somewhere that doesn’t have internet access). Also, USB sticks are cheap: you can usually find 8GB sticks for less than $10, and you might even find USB flash drives for two or three dollars during a sale.

      Of course, there’s always one last offline option: hard copies. If you want to feel like a spy, print out your manuscript and keep it in a safe deposit box. For a more realistic (and cheaper) alternative, print out a few copies. Keep one at your place and ask friends or family members to hold the others. It’s not a bad idea to invest in a fire- and water-proof safe. You’ll be able to securely store any writing work as well as delicate or important personal objects.

      The cost of printing hard copies can be prohibitively expensive for prolific (or graphomanic) writers. You can try to minimize cost by printing out only specific documents or using tricks to fit more words on a single page, like decreasing the font size, using a thin font like Arial Narrow, widening the margins, and putting poems into column. It’s a lot of work, but remember: hard copies are always compatible, no matter what happens to computer software.

Got ebook questions? Send them to admin@popularsoda.com. And if you liked this post, don’t forget to share it!

Why You Need to Trash More Writing (and How NaNoWriMo Can Help)

This is an opinion piece by Lila Moore, founder of PopularSoda.com

      I’ve said before that if you want to make money writing, you have to treat it like a business. Let’s add something else to that:

      If you want to perfect your writing as an art form, treat it like art.

      That looks pretty, but what does it actually mean?

      It means you need to write things and then throw them out. A lot of them. And often.

      In writing communities, I often see writers post snippets and bits of stories, wondering if it’s worth finishing or if it was even a good idea in the first place. It’s always worth finishing. It’s not always worth publishing. Voluntarily and creatively writing will strengthen your ability.

      You can learn from everything you write, even if you never show it to anyone else. I wrote a novel when I was thirteen and promptly lost it in a computer crash. But I learned. I found that I had the drive to complete a full-length manuscript, and I realized that you should never keep all your writing in one place. During a train ride from Boston to NYC, I wrote a quick (and admittedly terrible) story about vampires versus aliens. The story was a joke, but I learned that I could pump out a lot of words on a deadline. I write poems to my friend in Japan that follow the rhyme scheme of a certain pop song. The limited structure forces me to be creative in a way that free verse does not.

      I have hundreds of half-songs and paragraphs and little ideas and I learn from all of them (even if I’m learning what NOT to do).

      There seems to be such a focus on making things perfect for publication. Publication may be the goal, but you aren’t going to get there without a strong skill set. You improve your writing through practice.  Not every painting is a well-publicized masterpiece, not every song makes it onto the final album, and not every scene is saved from the cutting room floor. And like ice skaters falling on their bums and skateboarders wiping out, you’re going to make mistakes, but that’s okay.

      You’re just writing. Not publishing. 

      One of my favorite musical artists, Tori Amos, calls the process “noodling around”. She’ll sit at her piano and play without actively working on a defined song. Other musicians call it jamming. Visual artists doodle in notebooks. What’s the equivalent for writers?

      Do you noodle? Do you riff? Do you word-vomit? Do you bleed? Do you spit straight truth from the top of the dome?

      I write a lot of things just to play with words. I write a lot of things already knowing I won’t develop them further than a paragraph or a half-finished poem. If I’m writing an important scene, I write it more than once. I feel most comfortable when I write it once by hand, once on the computer, and then type up my hand-written notes, self-editing as I go, melding the versions into one, and deleting everything that doesn’t fit. Time-consuming? Most definitely, but we’re talking about writing as an art.

      Artists don’t suddenly appear. They work. The aforementioned Tori Amos started “noodling around” on piano when she was two, received a scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory at five, got kicked out at 11, played bars at 13, failed with her first band at 25, and finally found commercial success at 27– 25 years after she started playing. Michaelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel when he was only 33 years old, but his artist apprenticeship started when he was 13– twenty years before. He completed the Pietà at 24 years old, only 11 short years after he started working full-time as an artist.

      Malcolm Gladwell talks about the 10,000 hour rule: you must do something for ten thousand hours before you achieve expertise in the field. From the Beatles to Bill Gates, he presents a compelling case in his book, Outliers. In writing, some swear by a million word rule: you need to write a million words before you pen your best works.

      And that brings us back to NaNoWriMo. Fifty thousand words in a month is a great start. So write those words. Write more than the amount you need. Write everything that’s in your head. Write scenes that don’t fit and exposition that’s too long and conversations that are unrealistic. Write boring characters and major plot holes and top it off with a deus ex machina. Write  three novels’ worth of material and then gleefully turn your back on most of it.

      Because you have to. This is the practice before perfection.

How to Write a Book Review Like a Human (Cheat Sheet Included)

      Our post on scam reviews led to some great conversations and questions. However, there was one question that stood out above the rest. Over and over, we heard, “I think I sound like a scammer! How can I write a review like a human?”

      Well, you asked and we delivered. Here are our tips to writing reputable, honest, and real reviews.

If you bought the book, show it.

      Several ebookstores will distinguish your review if you purchase and review the book on the same site. This is the first step to setting yourself apart from the scammers.  Amazon has Amazon Verified Purchase: “Customers reading an Amazon Verified Purchase review can use this information to help them decide which reviews are most helpful in their purchasing decisions.” On Amazon, the Amazon Verified Purchase tag will appear below the name of the reviewer.

      Smashwords goes even further with its review system. Besides tagging reviews by Smashwords customers, the site adds additional information. For example, you can see if the book was “reviewed day of purchase”, “reviewed within month of purchase”, or if it was reviewed before the author started charging (“review of free ebook”). Same-day reviews of extremely lengthy books can throw up red flags. However, if you buy the book, take time to read the book, and use some of our other tips, you’ll create a strong and trustworthy review.

8 Common Types of Scam Reviews (with Real Examples!)

There’s been lots of talk about fake reviews in the ebook world in the past few weeks. Here are the eight most common patterns found in scam reviews. 

1. No Mention of the Contents

This should throw up an immediate red flag. A reviewer who praises a book without mentioning any specific details about the story has likely never read it.

2. Generic Superlatives

This goes hand-in-hand with the previous pattern. Best book, fantastic, masterpiece, these are some strong words. They’re weakened when there’s no evidence to support these claims.

Terms of Service: Vanity Publishing, e-publishing, and Self-Publishing

      Recent conversations about vanity publishing, e-publishing, and self-publishing got our heads spinning as we tried to advocate for self-publishing, only to find our points dismissed by someone who confused it with vanity publishing. So let’s go back to basics here.

None of us in the ebook sphere can have productive, progressive, and sometimes painful conversation about self-publishing if we don’t define self-publishing in the same way.

      We posted a comment on this blog about our view on the differences between the terms. Here’s the fleshed-out version of our view on self-publishing, vanity publishing, traditional publishing, and e-publishing.

Traditional Publishing

      For many years, this was the only way to be published. Stick with us for this history lesson:

      An author would write a book, polish the manuscript, and then send out query letters to agents. Any interested agents would contact the author for more information and a full manuscript. Then, it became the agent’s responsibility to send the manuscript to publishing houses and work out a deal. The publishing house took care of editing, cover design, and marketing for no money upfront: they took their cut from the sale of each book. The agent wasn’t paid upfront either, but only after the publishing deal went through.

      The process wasn’t totally transparent, and it was up to the individual author to choose a reputable agent who would best represent his interests. In addition, the process could take years and it was hit-or-miss. Some of the best-selling books of our time were repeatedly rejected for publication. It was nothing to do with the quality of the work; rather, the demands of the market, the views of the individual editor, and simple human error all contributed to this imperfect process.

e-publishing

      e-publishing is an umbrella term. It simply refers to things which were published electronically. Sometimes they have a corresponding print version. Sometimes they don’t. The New York Times has an electronic edition available for ereaders and tablets. So does The Onion, Star Trek Magazine, and Cowboys and Indians. JK Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy has an ebook version, and the Harry Potter ebooks are available through Pottermore.

     e-publishing is not disreputable in and of itself.

However, there is a very low barrier to entry in this marketplace. A major media corporation can spend millions of dollars on a beautiful electronic edition with corresponding app. Or someone sitting at home in front of his computer can blast his poorly written ebook across the internetscape. e-publishing is all of these things. In our eyes, e-publishing isn’t inherently bad, but there’s e-publishing done well and e-publishing that’s not.

Quick Questions: Using Copyright

      In the first part of our Quick Questions regarding copyright, we discussed establishing copyright. Now we’ll talk about using copyright, finding a copyright holder, defending your copyright claim, and how to use Creative Commons licenses.

      Please keep in mind that copyright laws can be specific to your country. Check with the office or department which oversees copyright in your location for the most accurate and relevant laws. This is a quick overview of copyright laws and not legal advice. Please consult a lawyer for specific and sensitive copyright-related questions. 

How do I find the copyright holder?

      Most mass-produced works (such as printed books, CDs, or DVDs) will have copyright holder information either on the packaging or in the work itself.

      If you’re looking for the copyright holder for an obscure, damaged, or local product, you’ll have to do some sleuthing. First, you’ll need to determine the copyright holder’s country of origin. A French author who was published in France will not show up in the US Copyright Office records. If the work’s creator followed her country’s process, her work will be listed in her country’s database.

      If the work was not officially registered, and you’re looking for a specific person, the only option left is search engines. People search engines such as Spokeo and Pipl can connect you to individals (for a price). Whois lookups can give you information about the owner of a particular domain name. And old standbys like Facebook or LinkedIn can provide you with other ways to track down copyright holders.

What is Creative Commons?

Quick Questions: Establishing Copyright

      In the second installment of Quick Questions, we’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions regarding copyright.

      Please note: Copyright is dependent on the country of the author. We will try to speak only about the biggest issues involving copyright; however, even general points may be contradicted by country-specific laws. Please consult with your country’s copyright office for answers and clarifications on copyright within your government’s jurisdiction. This is a quick overview of copyright laws and not legal advice. Please consult a lawyer for specific and sensitive copyright-related questions. 

What is copyright?

     In its most general form, copyright is exclusive rights to original material. The Australian copyright office says “Copyright is not a tangible thing. It is made up of a bundle of exclusive economic rights to do certain acts with an original work or other copyright subject-matter.”

      This means you can copy it (you have the “right” to copy it), sell it for ten thousand dollars, sell it for ten cents, bequeath the work and copyright as a gift, or keep the material hidden in a cave like you’re Gollum squatting on the One Ring. Copyright is granted by the government, so many specifics on copyright law will be unique to your country (don’t worry if you’re a world traveler– we’ll get to that in a minute).

      At its heart, copyright tries to keep other people from making money on things you’ve created and don’t intend to offer for free.
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What does copyright protect?

3 Serious Questions About Your Self-Promotion Strategy

     Congratulations! Your ebook is finally out (or almost out). Now it’s time for a big marketing push. It should be easy compared to the odyssey of writing the book, right?

     Not so fast. We’ve seen money wasted, opportunities squandered, and readers alienated because indie authors failed to do due diligence before jumping into promoting their books. To help you create effective campaigns and avoid their mistakes, here are three serious questions to ask yourself before you start marketing.

 

1. What are your realistic, concrete goals?

     Becoming a best-selling author, having loads of adoring fans, and getting a movie deal are great goals. Unfortunately, they’re not realistic (and potentially unquantifiable- how do you measure adoration?). Set your sights on smaller, measurable goals. Smaller goals tend to have more straightforward paths: it’s easier and more proactive to work on getting 100 views for a blog post than to wait for a Hollywood studio to knock on your door with a movie deal.

      Bite-sized goals are also achievable. And where ultimate goals are all-or-nothing (you either have a book deal or you don’t), smaller goals can be modified at any time. Those 100 views on a blog post? Maybe you thought you’d get them all within a day, but it’s just as respectable to get those views in three days. Or a week. Realistic, concrete goals related to book promotion can be things like…

• 100 ebook sales
• 100 Twitter followers
•  Three genuine reviews from strangers
• Guest posting on your favorite ebook site
• Creation of a personalized media kit
• A book blogger’s acceptance of your ebook for review