Spent a bit more time at A&E than I’d like over the last couple of days, so haven’t written the brilliant blog update that I didn’t have in mind anyway. I could tell you gross stories about nose bleeds and Rapid Rhino “nasal tampons” but, quite frankly, I don’t want to relive the memories and I very much doubt that even horror writer friends would wish to learn all the – splendidly gory – details. While I’ve been malingering, the world has been spinning. As The Now Show song went for this week: “There’s nothing funny in the news today.” War, nuclear disaster and Britain’s demise. I’d have contemplated joining the march against NHS reorganization, except I was making the most of our local facilities while they exist.
In the world of writing, yesterday was Anti-Conning Writers’ Day, thanks to Sally Quilford. These days, we have google and various blogs and forums which dish the dirt on dodgy competitions or agents. But there are also far more scams these days – the web makes it all so easy. Remember: if it looks too good to be true it probably is. I’ll come out now and say I was conned, when I’d just begun to write and sub. It makes me feel sick to remember. Almost as sick as thinking of Rapid Rhinos, blue strings and all.
If the thought of sharks isn’t enough to stop wannabe writers in their tracks, this is a brilliantly funny explanation of the horrors [f-word warning] by Chuck Wendig . And here is all you really need to know to write a story explained by Diana Wynne Jones, RIP.
Fox Unkennelled - Myfanwy Fox 
I disagree with Wendig on one point. Snookie is definitely not self aware. If she were she’d be nauseous like the rest of us.
I’ve not ben scammed yet, but I did have a tiny glimmer of hope that Poetry.com was actually something more than a profit center for a group of Russian hackers.
Don’t feel too badly about the nose tampons. When I owned recording studios it was common practice to use self stick sanitary napkins as snare drum muffers. Everything should have at least two uses.
Cheers, Ron.
“Everything should have at least two uses.” So very true.
As I said a while ago, some people would consider themselves scammed to publish for nothing. So it’s up to us what we want to give or offer. But I do think we should know what we are doing – and that’s where the real scammers excel in fooling hopeful wannabe writers.