Edit Ink

NOTE: These materials were originally collected by The Write Connection, a website dedicated to exposing literary scams.

Attorney General's Charges Against Edit Ink

EDITING FIRM BILKED WRITERS OUT OF $5.5 MILLION--SUIT

ALBANY, N.Y. (Reuters) - A firm of ``book doctors'' who allegedly created a network
of fake agents and publishers to lure aspiring writers into spending thousands for
editing of ''excellent'' manuscripts was sued by New York state Friday.

In a multi-million dollar civil action, New York Attorney General Dennis Vacco
charged that Edit Ink, run by William Appel and Denise Sterrs, fraudulently generated
$5.5 million in fees through the scam. He said the firm lured would-be authors through
ads placed on the Internet and in literary publications such as the New York Times
Book Review. Form letters that blatantly played to the fragile egos of writers were
sent to each of thousands of would-be authors who submitted manuscripts. They were
told their work showed ``great promise and excellent commercial possibilities, but
needed professional editing before it could be published.'' The letters referred writers
to Edit Ink, which would bring the manuscript ``closer to publication'' -- for $5 a page,
the suit alleged. While hopeful authors were told only the most promising submissions
were referred to Edit Ink, the same form letter was sent to every writer and
manuscripts were not read. The supposed publisher or agent would then receive a 15
percent kickback from Edit Ink for every manuscript submitted for editing, Vacco said.
Once the manuscript was edited and supposedly submitted for publication, authors
received a letter saying the work could not be published after all.

The scheme began to unravel when desperate writers began checking with the
publishers to whom they had been told their work had been submitted, and learned that
not only had the manuscripts not been received, but the publishers had never even
heard of the agents. This was because Appel allegedly set up people in his network
with little or no experience in publishing. His sister-in-law and a friend who was
formerly a swimming pool salesman posed as literary agents or publishing houses. One
established author beat the sham firm at its own game, however, submitting a fake
manuscript described as ``a series of blatantly incoherent pages,'' only to receive the
standard form letter saying the manuscript was ``close to marketable'' and referring
him to Edit Ink for a final edit. Some authors were so encouraged by the letters they
intially received that after their work was ultimately rejected, they sent their
manuscripts to other phony agents in the network. When they received the same
flattering letters time and again referring them to Edit Ink, the fraud became apparent,
Vacco said.

One author on disability who is supported by her son spent $1,600 for editing after
receiving a flattering letter. In her affidavit she said she and her family all concluded
that ``the enouragement was too hard to pass up.'' The defendants were charged with
false advertising, deceptive business practices and fradulent or illegal conduct. The
civil action seeks unspecified damages, penalties and fines.

Edit Ink has been effectively shut down by a temporary restraining order.

(NOTE: This press release is too optimistic. Edit Ink is still in operation pending appeal of the indictment, and soliciting for business!)

Letters and Other Materials Received From Edit Ink

These letters were received from agents queried from Jeff Herman's Writer's Guide to Publishers, Editors and Literary Agents and The Guide to Literary Agents. These agents contact writers with a form letter requesting a complete project. Below is the standard reply to the submission(s), as well as the Edit Ink brochure and follow up letters.


Re: Your Novel

Dear Writer,

Thank you very much for sending me your manuscript. You have potential as a writer. My professional time limitations--along with other constraints-- prevent me from committing to a project unless it is near perfect.

I reject projects that are submitted to me. The rejections do not receive an encouragement to have the work improved because I believe that it would be a waste of time and money.

Your project could be improved by the services of an editor. I have been contacted by Edit Ink and they have asked me to recommend their services to writers. They have sent the following information:

Denise Sterrs and Bill Appel have been instructors with the Writer's Digest School. Bill has had five novels published. Denise has been an editor for Meteor Publishing. Bill is a member of P.E.N. and has reviewed books for Publisher's Weekly. In addition, Bill has taught at Bard College. Denise worked for Write Word Workshop and is a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association. They also coauthor a monthly column for Writer's Journal called "Ask The Book Doctors." They employ a staff of editors. You can reach Edit Ink at 172 Holtz Drive, Cheektowaga, NY, 14225, (716) 626-4431, FAX (716) 626-4388.

I understand that many writers have been very satisfied with the assistance that Edit Ink has provided. I recommend that you contact Edit Ink and take advantage of their services.

August 26, 1997

Dear Author:

We've recently received word from ******** of ******** Agency that you have been referred to us. Like all agents, ********* is inundated with manuscripts, but only a select few have the market potential to be referred to us. He is aware that in the past publishers often bought a promising book and then assigned an editor to help the author shape it for publication. Most publishers today insist on an edited book. That's where we come in.

By way of introduction, we're the 'book doctors" or developmental editors ******** suggested you contact. As you can see by the enclosed material, you would be utilizing the skills of our professional editorial staff who have been hand picked and trained in all aspects of developmental editing by our founders, Bill Appel and Denise Sterrs.

Because most of our clients come to us as a result of referrals from literary agents and publishers, we don't have to advertise and can pass that savings along. If finances are a problem, we can work in increments of as little as 100 pages, or,
whole or partial payment can be put on VISA/Mastercard/Discover/Diners Club/
American Express. The key here is that we try to be flexible and give writers options.

To find out about our current rates and turnaround times, you can reach Bill and Denise Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm eastern time and on Saturdays from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at 716/626-4431 or by fax at 716/626-4388.

We're looking forward to working with you, but if not, we wish you the best of luck with your writing.

Sincerely,

Edit Ink

M.B.

Authorized Representative

P.S. You're getting closer to publication!

Solicitation by Edit Ink

The Write Connection received the following letter October 3rd, 1997, with the enclosure below.

Dear Sirs,

This is in regard to the infamous Edit, Ink, which you have so nicely exposed on your web site. I would prefer that you do not use my name in this: I have the misfortune to know Bill Appel and Denise Sterrs. Back in the early nineties they asked me to do several sleazy things, which I refused to do. I teach a writing course, and my students keep running up against Edit, Ink. Sometimes I am too late to stop them.

The enclosed is just a little sidelight on the kind of sleaze that Edit, Ink indulges in. Apparently, in 1995, they did a mass mailing to the Mystery Writers of America membership list. (This is the only list we could figure they had. Several people I know got this letter.) They are clearly offering $500 for endorsements from people who have never dealt with them.

I checked out the list of publications of the two writers whose endorsements they have printed on the second sheet, by running them through Amazon book store. (I was too lazy to do the Library of Congress and have found Amazon to be almost as good, anyway.) Gregory St. Germain's books all came out in the early 1980s--none of them had a publication date later than 1985, thought I could not find Dying Light or Ben Wilder. Nancy Biracree's books are mostly written with her husband and come out in the late 1980s. if indeed she is "Susie Tompkins" she dumped her husband and went into diet books in the 1990s.

The significant thing about this is that Edit, Ink didn't exist until 1991 at the earliest, so that they couldn't have made St. Germain an established novelist (he hasn't published anything in 12 years) or turned Nancy Biracree's "hobby" (about 7 books) into a rewarding career (one book, one tape, as Susie Tompkins).

Apparently, this little scam didn't work--at least I haven't seen any prominent mystery writers endorsing Edit Ink.




7 August, 1995

Dear Mystery Writer:

The enclosed ad was placed in Publisher's Weekly and is open to all novelists having at least two novels published.

$500 Endorsement Fee

for published novelists or nonfiction writers for long established literary criticism service. Send list of publishing credits to: PO Box 511, Williamsville, NY 14221.

Please find enclosed a sampling of endorsements already quoted from writers as well as an editor at Walker & Co. Thank You,

Bill Appel Member, MWA