Thursday, January 26, 2006

Update: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

I cancelled my subscription.

Not sure if I mentioned before that originally, subscribers could post anonymously. And despite this note in their Subscription Terms and Conditions 2.7 - Account Security - firstwriter.com is obliged to ensure that your account is secure and that your personal details are not accessible to any third party. firstwriter.com must not and will not discuss your account or any of your personal details with, or act upon any request made in relation to your account by any person who does not provide your full username and password as proof of identity or accountholder authority they changed and started listing your name, town and country when you posted a comment on the site.

I asked them to remove my personal information. They've told me there's no need, they aren't disclosing my personal information, I'm choosing that when i choose to post.

Fuck that shit.

Nobody sent out a notice about the change. Plus it nullifies the usefulness of the comments entirely. I discovered the personal data went up after I'd made a comment. That's not giving you the option.

That's also not respecting your client base, the people who pay for the service.

And so I've cancelled. They'll keep my money no doubt, for the 7+ months I already paid for. Filthy bastards.

But since they've told me I can't be sued for stating my opinion, here's my opinion of them: the subscription is a waste of money and a waste of your time. I would encourage all legitimate agents, presses, magazines and contest organizers, as well as serious writers, to use Agent Query, refer to places like Preditors and Editors and check out free services like:
The New Writer's Network,Absolute Writer and the simply wonderful Miss Snark.

And the agency and publisher websites, which will always have the latest info.

7 comments:

Confessions of a Starving Mystery Writer said...

You know I have to admit you had me at "fuck that shit". Any intellectual woman who will say that, of course, can have my baby(of which none currently walk the earth and its probably a good thing).

But your veament(sic) diatribe(sic) makes you oh, so sexy.

Sorry for the spelling my intelligence is drolling out on my sleeve.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Thanks RJ!

And to think my husband said I was just being wreckless and ill-tempered...

Confessions of a Starving Mystery Writer said...

I like it...

Anonymous said...

You stood up for yourself.
That's always a good thing.

If no one complains, nothing changes.

Ask any Russian Czar.

WannabeMe said...

Bardawill, I say the same thing about Big Toe Bunion. We little Bunions have to stick together, too, you know.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Which bunion do you call the old heel?

Anonymous said...

I think firstwriter.com should be listed as scammers on Preditors and Editors. They're taking money from innocent new writers and promoting scammers to them. Even if there is a disclaimer saying they're not responsible for the information and people should check things out form themselves, that doesn't excuse making no attempt to keep scammers off their site.

Kate