Pubslush – a "kickstarter" for authors

Look before you leap! In 2011, Writers Beware, “a publishing industry watchdog group sponsored by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America with additional support from the Mystery Writers of America,” offered some significant criticism of Pubslush and its contract:

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/09/pubslush-press.html

http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2011/09/pubslush-press-update.html

Here’s the substance of their criticism at that time:

*****QUOTE*****
Unfortunately, also, PUBSLUSH doesn’t seem to want to address the other contract issues I flagged. I’m particularly worried about the lack of an adequate rights reversion clause (not only is “out of print” not defined, books must be out of print for a full two years before authors can request return of rights; PUBSLUSH insists that “two years is standard in any publication agreement,” but this is just not true); about the fact that royalty rates aren’t fixed (they will be set only upon a work’s selection for publication, which means that writers must bind themselves to a publication agreement with no idea of what they will actually be paid); and about the option clause’s sweeping claim on sequels and related works.

Last but not least–and leaving aside all questions about the viability of the PUBSLUSH concept–I remain concerned about PUBSLUSH’s staff’s apparent lack of publishing industry experience.

PUBSLUSH’s willingness to respond to criticism, and to put changes in place, is welcome and commendable. But there’s still plenty here to suggest that writers should be cautious.
*****END QUOTE*****

I’m going to add Writer Beware to the websites that I follow.

This site is a complete Con. Forget ‘concerns’ and ‘criticism’. The whole thing adds up one fat CON.