Someone has been stealing manuscripts and sowing distrust in the book industry

[whiling]

For the past five years, a mysterious figure has been stealing books before their release. Is it espionage? Revenge? A trap? Or a complete waste of time? @reeveswiedeman and @lilapearl report https://t.co/IDxfst4T5n
- New York Magazine (@NYMag) August 17, 2021

• Someone has been impersonating people within the publishing industry to get advance

Comments

[ladychips]

wait what are they doing with the manuscripts? how are they scamming people for more work? i have so many questions (that could probably all be answered by clicking the link)

[whiling]

No one knows. The article explains there's a little known job called literary scouting where the aim is to be the first to get a manuscript so potential interested parties (for example, Hollywood studios/directors wanting to make an adaptation) can get the tiniest step ahead of the competition. Like if you have even a day in advance to read something before anyone else you're in a better position to make an offer.

Since the pandemic began they've been getting more malicious by telling someone to die of covid, threatening the article's author, and they scammed translators by impersonating industry people and asking them to do work and then ghosting them when it's time for payment.

They also seem to have gained access to some industry people's email accounts and so there's other theories that it might be hackers doing low-level work to prove their skills or a security company wanting to push their services.

[trendsnational]

Article is behind a paywall, im really considering subscriving to New York mag, I read The Cut way more often then I realized.

[whiling]

Is it breaking the rules if I repost the article somewhere off-site and link to it 👀

edit: Does this work? https://outline.com/kAPeTW

[ahkna]

You should see if there's a browser extension that let's you bypass it.

[boomingvoice]

Yes! I cancelled my NYTimes and replaced with nymag and WaPo and I am satisfied.

[lalameanslove]

Oooh lemme settle in to read with a glass of wine 👀

[stillglows]

can someone do a summary? the article is behind a paywall :(

[whiling]

Does this work? https://outline.com/kAPeTW

[numbedtoe]

That was a ride.

An obsessive reader maybe? There have been book thieves that only wanted the book and not any profit. Wild. Hope they figure it out cause dang lol

[bullybreed]

Every time I run out of free articles on vulture, I use a different browser or device. So if you have used up your limit on chrome, try accessing it on safari or Mozilla if you have additional browsers installed

[sandstorm]

Clearly, it's Celebrity #6 from the shower curtain.