Accounta--who?

I guess the comment I made yesterday about accountability might've seemed like it came out of left field. I don't know if corporate America worries about such things, but assessment and accountability have become big buzzwords in academe. Simply put, it means: Are we doing what we set out to do? And more importantly, how can we prove to the legislature and accrediting bodies that we're doing what we're supposed to?

There are so many shameful scams targeting writers out there, I sometimes worry that people look askance at Brian's contests and think, 'Where's the catch?"

You have every right to be skeptical. Heaven knows there seems to be no end to the people out there devising ways to get into aspiring writers' pocketbooks and wallets. Every time someone asks you for a contest entry fee, conference registration fee, workshop tuition, reading/editing/book doctoring fee, or to buy their how-to-be-a-writer book, magazine, or DVD, you have to question whether the cost is justified. And in cases like this that might seem too good to be true, it's healthy to look for the catch.

I see this blog as a chance for a kind of site visit where we let outsiders examine our processes and we show that everything is in order. I hope to present you with evidence and information to put your mind at ease. So stay tuned...