Authors Guild

[donroc]

I am have two non-POD, non-self/vanity novels to be published within the next eight months and would like to hear from those with experience advising why one should/should not apply to join the Authors Guild.

www.donaldmichaelplatt.com (http://www.donaldmichaelplatt.com)

:Shrug:

[Shadow_Ferret]

There's an Author's Guild?

[JamieFord]

Here's the link: http://www.authorsguild.org/

I see their ads on Publishers Marketplace and have wondered about them myself. Anyone a member?

[Damian_Rucci]

What is the author's guild for? Is it a publisher or a grouping

[Shadow_Ferret]

Looks like a group that takes your yearly dues so you can say your a member of the group.

[Jamesaritchie]

I prefer the National Writers Union. They do a LOT of good work for writers.
http://www.nwu.org/nwu/

Then again, so does the Author's Guild. Both groups constantly fight to get writer's better pay, better rights, etc. Both groups can also sometimes help writers with health insurance, legal fees, etc.

[Joe Moore]

The Authors Guild is one of the oldest, most respected and most powerful writer's organizations in the world. Among the many benefits they offer members are their legal services which include contract review for non-agented writers and legal assistance in contract and other writing-related disputes. If you qualify to join, you'll be in the company of some of the most successful and prestigious writers, agents and publishers in the world.

[wayndom]

I don't really know anything about the Author's Guild, but I do know the Screenwriters of America is worth joining, because it's a real union that fights for and wins real rights for its members. The reason it can do this is that Hollywood consists of only a few major studios, the number of writers who work there is relatively small, and it's fairly easy to get all of them "on the same page." I suspect another big reason is that originally, everyone who worked for the studios was an employee, so it was easy to get everyone to agree on negotiating terms.

No such solidarity exists among novelists, however. We're not employees, don't work under contract, and are all over the world, let alone the country. As a result, to the best of my knowledge, the most the Authors Guild can really offer is group health plans, if you're making your living writing.

Please, somebody tell me I'm wrong...

[Joe Moore]

. . . the most the Authors Guild can really offer is group health plans, if you're making your living writing.The AG does offer group health which is a benefit if you're self employed as writers are. But if you ever have to hire the services of an entertainment lawyer who specializes in literary publishing issues, you would quickly burn through the annual membership fee paid to the AG which includes legal advice from publishing law experts. This is particularly important for writers who deal directly with publishers or who enter into disputes with agents or pubs.

[donroc]

Thank you all. Now I must decide.

www.donaldmichaelplatt.com

[Jamesaritchie]

I don't really know anything about the Author's Guild, but I do know the Screenwriters of America is worth joining, because it's a real union that fights for and wins real rights for its members. The reason it can do this is that Hollywood consists of only a few major studios, the number of writers who work there is relatively small, and it's fairly easy to get all of them "on the same page." I suspect another big reason is that originally, everyone who worked for the studios was an employee, so it was easy to get everyone to agree on negotiating terms.

No such solidarity exists among novelists, however. We're not employees, don't work under contract, and are all over the world, let alone the country. As a result, to the best of my knowledge, the most the Authors Guild can really offer is group health plans, if you're making your living writing.

Please, somebody tell me I'm wrong...

The Author's Guild offers a great many services. And so does the National Writers Union, which is also a real union. One of the biggest in fact. It's affiliated with the AFL-CIO. And both groups have quite a bit of clout with publishers, and frequently go to court to protect writers.

If enough writers would join these organizations, the world would be much better place for writers.

[Novelhistorian]

I've been a member of the Authors Guild for about ten years, and I've never regretted it. Aside from the quarterly newsletter, which is randomly useful, I've gotten: a manual on contracts, which discusses the most usual clauses one by one, offering advice on each; free legal advice about a contractual matter regarding foreign rights; a very useful publication on copyright; an inexpensive website, which includes the tools for building it and registration of a domain name; and the satisfaction of supporting an organization that supports writers' interests, whether financial, legal, or the matter of free expression.

[Barret Oliver]

First and foremost, the Author's Guild is a for-profit company. It's not a true "guild" in the legal sense of the word. Unlike the WGA, you're not obligated to join it when you sell a novel.

Second, on their website, they list their dues as: "first year dues are $90. (After the first year, dues are charged on a sliding scale, depending on your writing income, but most members continue to pay $90.)"

I have sent no less than three emails to their contact address asking what the "sliding scale" is. Nobody has ever bothered to email me a response. Nowhere on their website do they list this mysterious "sliding scale." I'm not reassured by their line about "most members continue to pay $90).

There are a lot of for-profit companies out there "working tirelessly to help authors," etc. etc., while taking your $$$. They're just one of many, they don't have the ability to call a strike (unlike the WGA), so to call themselves a "guild" is disingenuous, in my opinion.

If your writing is good enough, find yourself an agent. He or she will be a thousand times better at protecting your rights and giving you advice (sorry, but paying $90 for some pamphlet on contract negotiations that comes in the mail is simply not worth it. Even if you don't have an agent, you can check out books from your local library for free which cover the same topics).

[Novelhistorian]

Seems a little strong to me that on the basis of three unrequited e-mails, a spurned writer concludes that the Authors Guild must be out to screw its members, that the $90 is just a come-on, and that all you get for it is a pamphlet you could find elsewhere. From this corner, about a decade's worth of experience with the AG sez otherwise.

Incidentally, when I figured it was time for me to part company with my agent--remember, the guy who was supposed to be looking out for me, but didn't really?--the guild gave me useful, free legal advice.

[ACEnders]

I don't know much about the Guild except when looking for an agent, it's a pretty good thing if the agent is a member of the guild.

[CheshireCat]

The Author's Guild is one of the very few organizations for professional writers (NOT screenwriters) that actually works to safeguard our rights. They have lobbied against laws that would have been harmful to freelance writers and novelists (the IRS's attempt to have us capitalize expenses, for one), and monitor industry contracts and other paperwork, offering their recommendations as well as legal counsel to authors.

Because we are not unionized (nor ever likely to be), neither the Author's Guild nor any other organization can set minimum standards and practices for novelists and other freelance writers, or compel publishers to abide by such terms. All they can do is recommend.

BUT when the Author's Guild speaks out against something, the publishers tend to listen. And that's worth a lot.

As for that sliding dues scale, it's based on a percentage of what you earn as a writer, and it has a cap of, I believe, $500. (I let my membership lapse for various reasons, but plan to rejoin in 2008.)

My advice is, if you're a newly published writer, join the Guild and find out whether it suits you. It may not.

Or it may be the best dues money you'll ever spend.

[CheshireCat]

First and foremost, the Author's Guild is a for-profit company. It's not a true "guild" in the legal sense of the word. Unlike the WGA, you're not obligated to join it when you sell a novel.

Just FYI, the Guild is a "for profit" company because a non-profit cannot lobby. The Guild needs to be able to lobby (spending some of those dues we've been talking about) so as to influence lawmakers in favor of legislation to help writers.

[Barret Oliver]

Well, Mr. Novel Historian,

Since you're a member, why don't you post the information regarding the sliding scale here? It's interesting how nobody seems to be able to post the information, and the guild refuses to release it.

[Incidentally, when I figured it was time for me to part company with my agent--remember, the guy who was supposed to be looking out for me, but didn't really?--the guild gave me useful, free legal advice.[/QUOTE]

Let's see, Mr. Novel Historian has stated that he's been a member of the guild for nearly ten years. At $90 fees per year (more if Mr. Novel Historian's novels have actually sold), according to my calculations, the "useful, free legal advice" he talks about wasn't exactly free -- it cost him $900.00. I'd rather hire a real lawyer.

[Novelhistorian]

Several posters, myself among them, have tried to explain to you, Barret Oliver, what the Authors Guild really does and how it works, and that the advantages go far beyond the legal advice. If you don't want to believe these posts, that's fine. Don't join the organization. But I find your tone insulting and snide, so I'm not inclined to go into my file for the piece of paper that might tell you what you demand to know.

[Barret Oliver]

As opposed to just admitting you don't know.

[QUOTE=I'm not inclined to go into my file for the piece of paper that might tell you what you demand to know.[/QUOTE]

[David I]

Well, Mr. Novel Historian...

What is this "Mister" business? I thought "Novelhistorian" was a pretty gender-neutral handle.

In any case, the Author's Guild (I am not a member--but maybe I ought to be) does a good job in at least some cases--especially when they have to take a case against an agent to court. One such case is mentioned in another thread (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13068)over on the Bewares forum.

In any case, I don't understand quite why you're so wound up about this. As far as I can see, nobody is trying to force you to join anything, and I've found the discussion here to be informative and polite.

[Birol]

Tasini vs. NY Times (http://www.nwu.org/nwu/index.php?cmd=showPrinter&page_id=1.2.13.2.6)

[Birol]

Barret, why don't you ease up on the snark a bit? People are responding to your questions, even though they are not obligated to do so. They will not continue to do so if you insist on being snide.

[CheshireCat]

What I can't figure out is why the sliding-scale dues business bothers him.

They don't demand a financial statement, Mr. Oliver, so you can lie if you want to keep paying the entry-level $90 dues.

That's assuming you earn enough to slide the scale, of course.

[Barret Oliver]

Lol, nevermind my question about "Macmillan New Writing" I just googled them.

And I quote: "and there is a minimum of communication between publisher and author."

Hahaha, I love it. I wonder what the so called "Author's Guild" thinks of that. :)

[rugcat]

Why is it that nobody here can answer a simple freaking question? I feel like I'm surrounded by a thousand yipping chihuahua's. . .

And in return, I get a response from a moron like NovelHistorian, who uses big words like "unrequited" and then accuses me of being "snide." Hah Sorry if I'm not a wanna-be-writer like NovelHistorian, who throws $90 bucks a year to some no-name organization for ten years. Always nice to welcome a new member here at AW, especially one so polite and generous with his opinions.

[Cranky]

Always nice to welcome a new member here at AW, especially one so polite and generous with his opinions.


;)

[MacAllister]

Mr. Oliver can take his name-calling and his nasty attitude somewhere else for three days. If he'd like to come back and be more pleasant, fine. Otherwise, he can go and grace some other lucky board with his charm and wit.

[Haggis]

Mr. Oliver can take his name-calling and his nasty attitude somewhere else for three days. If he'd like to come back and be more pleasant, fine. Otherwise, he can go and grace some other lucky board with his charm and wit.

And in the meantime, I'll just wait here patiently for the other 999 yipping Chihuahuas to join me. :D

[WriterGirl2007]

The Authors Guild is one of the oldest, most respected and most powerful writer's organizations in the world. Among the many benefits they offer members are their legal services which include contract review for non-agented writers and legal assistance in contract and other writing-related disputes. If you qualify to join, you'll be in the company of some of the most successful and prestigious writers, agents and publishers in the world.

You sold me! And according to the website, I qualify to join. So I'm signing up today! :)

[Joe Moore]

You sold me! And according to the website, I qualify to join. So I'm signing up today! :)Happily, I have never had to utilize the legal services of the AG. So the way I look at it, I can keep an entertainment attorney on retainer for $90 a year. Just like any other insurance, you hope you'll never need it. Good luck.

[Shadow_Ferret]

You sold me! And according to the website, I qualify to join. So I'm signing up today! :)
Lucky you. I'm still a wannabe.

[Novelhistorian]

Glad to know I'm a moron and a wannabe. No doubt when the Authors Guild quarterly bulletin runs my obituary, that will be the lead sentence.

[AnneMarble]

Glad to know I'm a moron and a wannabe. No doubt when the Authors Guild quarterly bulletin runs my obituary, that will be the lead sentence.
Well at least it will be memorable. ;)

I don't qualify yet. :cry: Note to self: Finish your blasted novel, revise it, and send it off. :D

[Susan Breen]

I'm a member. I actually sent in my application the day my manuscript was accepted. I'd been looking at those ads on the back of Poets & Writers for years and I always dreamed of joining. (As dreams go, joining Authors Guild is not a big one, but I've been working at this for years, so I've built up a lot of dreams.)

[Joe Moore]

For those interested, the following is an example of the work being done by the Authors Guild. I received this email today:

We received surprising and disappointing news in our freelance class action suit this morning. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, in a 2-1 decision, the district court's approval of the settlement.

That settlement, valued at up to $18 million, was to resolve the copyright infringement claims of freelance writers against database companies, such as Dow Jones and the owners of Lexis-Nexis, that had made digital use of the writers' articles without permission. Plaintiffs and defendants had arrived at settlement in 2005.

The appellate court ruled that the district court lacked jurisdiction over claims relating to unregistered freelance articles. Copyright registration is required to bring a suit for infringement, but since registration is viewed as a formality (comparable, many of us believe, to the requirement that one file a complaint in order to get into court), lawyers on both sides thought the settlement could resolve infringement claims for both registered and unregistered works.

The settlement had been objected to and appealed by a group of freelance writers who thought it failed to allot sufficient funds to the claims of authors of unregistered works. If this decision stands, of course, such claims would be shut out entirely.

The shard of good news is that there is a substantial dissenting opinion by Judge Walker. We are considering our options at the moment. One possibility is to seek an en banc review (a review by all of the judges of the 2nd Circuit) to see whether we can persuade a majority of the court to see things our way.

To see the court's decision, go to our website (http://authorsguild.org/).

[dear_swan]

i'm actually joining today. I got approved last week and now i just have to make that final phone call to pay the $90, which i think is pretty reasonable considering all the work they do for writers' rights. No man/woman is an island, after all :)

[scope]

I have been a member of the Authors Guild for many years and can tell you that it is without doubt the finest writers organization around. I probably don't have enough stamina to list here all the incredible things they do for writers in general, much less on a one-to-one basis. Whenever I have a question or problem, regardless of its scope, they are always there and respond with great knowledge and sincerity. Whenever I have a question that's beyond their scope (i.e., specific research material or data) they take their time and properly direct me. They are an extremely strong lobby for all writers. They rarely annoy you with any silly emails. They offer free and incredibly good legal advice. They have a marvelous medical plan for writers. They have free phone seminars about many aspects of writing and publishing. They have wonderful, inexpensive web pages for member ($3 to 9 dollars a month -- depending on what you want). If you have rights to an out of print book they can reprint it and offer it for sale through an arrangement with iUniverse and a slew of online sellers and Ingram (you still retain ownership). They give you all kinds of free, marvelous written material and updates that deal with any and everything going on in the business, as well as writing unto itself. And believe me, there is much, much more that they do. If you are curious just take a look at those on their board of directors.

I don't remember, but I believe that to join you have to be a published author -- not sure--check out their website.

Yearly dues are $90, and they will tell you right up front that subsequent yearly dues are based on a writer's yearly income. However, each year they merely ask you to pay the proper dues in line with your income. They don't check anything. So, if you wish to you can pay $90 each and every year.

IMHO if you are eligible to join AG and have the money you would be foolish not to.