Has anyone been approached by Group MVP publishers?

[gagginforit]

I got an email from someone wanting to publish my stories. Sounds ok but you never know if things you get in email are legit. Anyone know anything about them?

Many thanks.

 

[Weird Harold]

I got an email from someone wanting to publish my stories. Sounds ok but you never know if things you get in email are legit. Anyone know anything about them?

Many thanks.

Yes, others have been approached by Group MVP and there are at least two old threads about them although I couldn't find them with the search function because "MVP" is too short.

IIRC, the consensus is that they're semi-legit, but not a good way to get published unless you're desperate -- essentially, they want your story for next to nothing.

 

[cloudy]

Yep, I got an email from them, too. I was going to ask them some questions, but my computer crashed, and I lost the message/email address - and it just hasn't been important enough for me to go to the trouble to find it.

 

[Lord DragonsWing]

I got approached by one a few months ago. But what they were offering was pennies. So I'd be careful. It's not about the money, I admit. I would love to just be in print. But I don't want it to cost me anything either. And by the one that contacted me, it would have.

 

[Dirty Slut]

If it costs you money to print, and you didn't go the self publishing route then don't bite at their offer.

DS

 

[Brinnie]

I want to publish your art...


but no, it wasn't me.

 

[shereads]

I haven't been approached by any publishers. I guess they only approach writers with more than one story. But honestly, if nobody wants to pay me for "I Can't Watch Benny Hill While You're Sucking My Dick," where is the incentive to write the sequel, "Let's See if Al Roker Catches the Monkey" ?

 

[gagginforit]

I want to publish your art...


but no, it wasn't me.

Art? Well that's a joke, but thanks, I'm glad you liked em.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

I haven't been approached by any publishers. I guess they only approach writers with more than one story. But honestly, if nobody wants to pay me for "I Can't Watch Benny Hill While You're Sucking My Dick," where is the incentive to write the sequel, "Let's See if Al Roker Catches the Monkey" ?

What about, art for art's sake?
Okay, then maybe,

For the spiritual rewards?
Don't like that one either, huh? There's always,

Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, I gotta write, who knows why?
Better let me get back to you on this one.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[velvetpie]

Yeah, I got an e-mail from them. Don't think I want to go down that route. It had a strange vibe to it that made me think twice.

 

[gauchecritic]

I thought I was going bonkers, someone actually asking to use my stories.

I mailed them asking about terms and such and they replied saying exclusive work (if they ever asked for any) would be paid at $20 (Canadian) for between 1800 to 2200 words. I think they're living in the golden age of science fiction paying a penny a word.

On the other hand it is payment, I was intrigued... until I read the attachment.

I should have realised with the original mail:

"Hi!

I read a few of your stories and I would like to publish them...let me
know if you're interested!

Looking forward to hear from you!"

Notice the plurals.

They sent me a letter of authorization to fill in (or out or whatever):

I, ____________________________________________, hereby authorize Group MVP to duplicate/use partly or entirely the content of my stories, to be printed in a form of a digest dedicated for adult audience. I do realize that the copyrights remain mine.
I will receive in exchange of my services a subscription to the digest where my stories appear.

I'm still considering the offer just to see them in print but I'm not going to give them carte blanche on 'the content of my stories' and trust that they actually will send me a subscription if and/or when they decide to use any or all of them.

Interestingly I'd received a mail from Alexis James Publishing, the day before, a geocities site, asking me to submit one of my humorous stories for a forthcoming edition of theirs (hers?) This one was at least effusive (if mispelled) about a particular story and they have an actual site to look at here.

 

[English Lady]

I got the email, I replied. I've given the lady permission to use several stories she wished to use, but I specified which one. I've not recieved a copy yet, but I don't know how often they're published and how good post is from cananda to England *L*

Why not? what is there to loose?

 

[Kirk482002]

I thought I was going bonkers, someone actually asking to use my stories.

I mailed them asking about terms and such and they replied saying exclusive work (if they ever asked for any) would be paid at $20 (Canadian) for between 1800 to 2200 words. I think they're living in the golden age of science fiction paying a penny a word.

On the other hand it is payment, I was intrigued... until I read the attachment.

I should have realised with the original mail:

"Hi!

I read a few of your stories and I would like to publish them...let me
know if you're interested!

Looking forward to hear from you!"

Notice the plurals.

They sent me a letter of authorization to fill in (or out or whatever):

I, ____________________________________________, hereby authorize Group MVP to duplicate/use partly or entirely the content of my stories, to be printed in a form of a digest dedicated for adult audience. I do realize that the copyrights remain mine.
I will receive in exchange of my services a subscription to the digest where my stories appear.

I'm still considering the offer just to see them in print but I'm not going to give them carte blanche on 'the content of my stories' and trust that they actually will send me a subscription if and/or when they decide to use any or all of them.

Interestingly I'd received a mail from Alexis James Publishing, the day before, a geocities site, asking me to submit one of my humorous stories for a forthcoming edition of theirs (hers?) This one was at least effusive (if mispelled) about a particular story and they have an actual site to look at here.

I was contacted too, but, as you say above, they didn't mention a single story they were interested in. That bothered me. I don't have a lot of stories on the site and the ones I do have, I put a lot of work into. If I were to be paid anything for my stories, I'd want to know they were going to appear as I wrote them, or have first right to see any editing...

Kirk

 

[Penelope Street]

Has anyone been approached by Group MVP publishers?

Has anyone not been approached by Group MVP publishers?

 

[rgraham666]

Has anyone not been approached by Group MVP publishers?

Me. I don't know whether I should be concerned or relieved.

 

[Guest]

Me. I don't know whether I should be concerned or relieved.

Me neither, Rob.

I think I'm feeling left out.