song sharking
n.— «The personals are full of them; want ads promising easy fame and fortune for people with undiscovered talent. Music industry neophytes show up, audition, and receive every promise under the sun, if they put up a little of their own cash first “as a show of good faith.” The practice is called “song sharking,” and though the scam’s potency has faded in recent years, it still exists in smaller communities, on means to prey on people’s dreams and finances.» —“Craig Zobel on ‘Great World of Sound” by Matt Singer IFC.com Sept. 10, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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There was a time when William Shakespeare was just another little seven-year-old in school. Classes in his day were demanding — and all in Latin. A new book argues that this rigorous curriculum actually nurtured the creativity that later flourished...