PAMB and its quotes

More wisdom from PAMB, about why it isn't necessary to edit books.

Aside from spelling and grammar, the editor isn't me. He or she can't look inside my head or read one of the [redacted] novels and get a sense of what I am trying to say or how I am trying to say it, because I have my own unique way of writing a suspense novel that two out of two reviewers liked.

Any book that I write and submit to PA is mine and mine alone. It is my own unique view into what I perceive to be a part of the world I am trying to portray in fiction, and the factual reality that is non fiction if I ever do decide to go that route. If one or any of my books becomes a movie, TV show, or the like I hope that I am part of the concept and not left out in the cold.

I am proud to say that all three [redacted] novels will be released without editing, so that the readers will be reading my writing to enjoy.

Sassenach said:

More wisdom from PAMB, about why it isn't necessary to edit books.

Aside from spelling and grammar, the editor isn't me. He or she can't look inside my head or read one of the [redacted] novels and get a sense of what I am trying to say or how I am trying to say it, because I have my own unique way of writing a suspense novel that two out of two reviewers liked.

Any book that I write and submit to PA is mine and mine alone. It is my own unique view into what I perceive to be a part of the world I am trying to portray in fiction, and the factual reality that is non fiction if I ever do decide to go that route. If one or any of my books becomes a movie, TV show, or the like I hope that I am part of the concept and not left out in the cold.

I am proud to say that all three [redacted] novels will be released without editing, so that the readers will be reading my writing to enjoy.

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Sounds like a classic case of 'Golden Word Syndrome' to me. I remember a time when I used to suffer from it. It is not fun to be worried about the changes an editor will put in your work.

Even so, and with the highest of respect to the author in question, the author is not the authority on whether the book is good or not. That is the place of the reader. The editor's job is to look at a book from a reader's perspective, as I understand it. That's why a legitimate editor is so important to a book's success.

He or she can't look inside my head or read one of the [redacted] novels and get a sense of what I am trying to say or how I am trying to say it,

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This is exactly why one needs an editor. If when reading the novel one can't get a sense of what the author is saying, then it needs to be rewritten.

For anyone who wants to be a professional writer, being willing to listen to a good editor, or even a critique partner, is essential. You have to put the good of the book above your own ego. You have to want to communicate to the reader more than anything else. Whatever makes your book better should be your goal, not some imagined purity of word that is worth worshipping because you typed it.

As for book sales, my books have sold anywhere from 15,000-35,000 copies (except the one that just came out last month). They've all been translated into other languages. I'm a total nobody. No one's ever heard of me; no one buys them because I'm the author. The sales are okay, but nothing to brag about -- certainly far from best sellers. But I guarantee you I was paid more than a dollar, and that they're on bookshelves in real bookstores. For any lurking PA authors, I am typical of the reason that whole "they only publish celebrities" thing is a fabrication. To repeat: I am nobody. Not famous in the slightest and I have 5 books in print with more on the way. Wake up and begin the process of getting out of your contract. Save your future books for a real publisher.

-- Joanna

Something else about that drive to get a certain PA book to the #1-on-Amazon slot that any lurker from the PAMB can take home:

It won't help.

Listen: AuthorHouse already had one of their books at the #1 spot on the Amazon best-seller list. AuthorHouse books still aren't stocked in bookstores; everyone knows that AuthorHouse is a POD vanity. Their authors still don't get any respect.

What's more, real publishers know how easy it is to manipulate Amazon rankings. No one cares if your book was a #1 Amazon seller for a couple of hours.

I know a fanfiction writer who had a POD book. She had a lot of online fans on a mailing list because of her fanfiction. They coordinated a mass book buying to try to get her to #1 on Amazon. Some people bought multiple copies and since her mailing list had over 1500 people on it, this was no small operation. They coordinated the time worldwide so that they all bought their books at the exact same moment.

Her book went to #6 for about 3 minutes and then steadily fell back to obscurity. She did not become rich or famous and the POD publisher is now defunct.

Amazon rankings are meaningless.

-- Joanna

He or she can't look inside my head or read one of the [redacted] novels and get a sense of what I am trying to say or how I am trying to say it....

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This person is proud of the fact that readers can't figure out what he's trying to say.

I'm sure his mom will enjoy his book(s) very much. (His books haven't come out yet -- they aren't even scheduled. Yet he's still quoted on the PA "Testimonials" page. Talk about your honeymooner!)

pamb said:

He or she can't look inside my head or read one of the [redacted] novels and get a sense of what I am trying to say or how I am trying to say it....

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When my first manuscript, which was a mess, was critiqued, I was very annoyed that no one "got it". No one understood what I was saying.

Thankfully, before I embarrassed myself in front of the group, I realized that if I were a better writer, they would understand. Hopefully, that's where I'm headed.

Unfortunately this author went to PA, and now he thinks his words really are "Golden".

I keep reading this on the PAMB:

PAMB said:

Pa spent their time and money to do the book....so now it is our turn to give effort in our part......

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Or other versions with the same meaning. PA does not spend very much money on their authors, in comparision to what a commercial publisher spends! I wish I knew the actual numbers, but just look at this one fact:

A commercial publisher does a print run, which means investing the publishing house's money in a book that may or may not sell.

PA has the book printed when it's orders. They've put out no money. They've taken no risk.

What did they spend so much time and money on?

The best advice I ever got was in 7th grade (30+ years ago) when a writer spoke to our class. He said if you want to be a writer, take a few business courses in college, because writing is a business and the writer needs to understand it.

I believe that's still true today, although we have the internet and AW to help us.

I while back I calculated that PA spends around $300 per title. The author pays this back, and more, with his first fifty-book order.

James D. Macdonald said:

I while back I calculated that PA spends around $300 per title. The author pays this back, and more, with his first fifty-book order.

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I wonder how much houses like Tor or Baen spend per title?

It would be an interesting comparison, I think, to show by numbers what kind of faith PA puts in its authors' works versus the kind of faith a legitimate house puts in its authors' works.

Both of those publishers also do a Profit/Loss analysis to estimate if they'll get their money back and make a profit

None of it involves the author and their credit card.

Of course it involves the author - as in how much of an advance they're going to pay said author! ;-)

That's my kind of publisher!

You want numbers? You got numbers!

http://alg.livejournal.com/84032.html#cutid1

http://alg.livejournal.com/89781.html#cutid1

James D. Macdonald said:

You want numbers? You got numbers!

http://alg.livejournal.com/84032.html#cutid1

http://alg.livejournal.com/89781.html#cutid1

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Wow! I've only read Part the First and I am amazed at how much money publishing houses have to spend on one book. The information in the essay is well worth the read.

Wait, that information's all wrong. Not once did she figure in the cost of tone letters.

-- Joanna

Anna's blog is worth bookmarking. She's on my LJ list, so I can keep up with her great advice.

James D. Macdonald said:

You want numbers? You got numbers!

http://alg.livejournal.com/84032.html#cutid1

http://alg.livejournal.com/89781.html#cutid1

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Thank you, Uncle Jim.

He's at it again. This is the perfect PA customer:

While you are correct that you book will have to sell before you make money I can assure you that a bookstore is NOT the place for you to make money selling books.

Tri

PA not only has some very good writers in their stable, it may be the last avenue of real writers.

My, dear, dear friend. You are not exclusive. Prick that bubble you're in and come out to gaze upon the hundreds of thousands of other authors who are doing the exact same thing you're doing. PA is actually the last avenue you should be trodding, when everyone else seems to be on a more clearly defined road, or super-highway.

Tri

triceretops said:

He's at it again. This is the perfect PA customer:

While you are correct that you book will have to sell before you make money I can assure you that a bookstore is NOT the place for you to make money selling books.

Tri

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On some level, that quote is correct. PA books won't make money in bookstores, because the bookstores, generally, won't shelve them.

another PAMB quote

The internet and word of mouth is the way to go. That's why I have asked everyone who can to buy Normandy 1944 from Amazon, and if they can't, send an email about it to everyone in their address book.
Most of the people in your address books are friends, and if they haven't bought your book by now, they probably won't...so you've got nothing to lose and a good deed to gain. Just write one email, and send it to them all at once. Easy.
When we tell people we know, or anyone else for that matter, that our book is great, they take it with a grain of salt. But if we praise someone else's book, they take it more seriously. That's why this could work.
Give us a hand. It would be great to see what a bunch of PA authors could do, if they pulled together, and many of those people who won't give us a second look might start taking notice.
If we can get the word out, momentum will start making things happen--things we weren't even expecting. That's the way PR works.

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The sad part of this is that they really believe this would work. Personally, if I don't recognize the email address I don't open the mail, but then again, I wouldn't ask my friends and relatives to send out spam email in the hopes that I might get one or two sales either.

Give us a hand. It would be great to see what a bunch of PA authors could do, if they pulled together, and many of those people who won't give us a second look might start taking notice.
If we can get the word out, momentum will start making things happen--things we weren't even expecting. That's the way PR works.

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Anyone else appreciate the irony in this PAMB post?

People are taking notice of PA. PR works in mysterious ways—like on the AW board.

Oh yes. The public is becoming very aware of PA. Just not in the way the PA authors would hope...

This is from the Bookstores-Are-Bad guy.

http://bb.publishamerica.com/viewtopic.php?t=18093

PAMB said:

Now, the reason that we have trouble with Barnes and Noble, Borders, and so forth is that they own their on subsidy publishing companies. People pay to have them publish their books, the bookstores carry the books, which are print on demand, and the bookstore makes out from the sale of the book and from the author themselves. The reason they don't what us is that WE ARE the competition.

That would be like a Walmart store having only Sears products in thier store that just will not happen.

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Funny, I was just at Barnes and Nobels the other day, and you know what I saw? Books published by all the big, commerical publishers and some small ones too. What I didn't see were books published by PA.

Hmmm...so PA books are the competition, but all the other publishers aren't? This doesn't even make sense in the non-sensical PA world view.