Is your work that bad?

drybonesreborn · Jan 4, 2007

OK, I prayed to be accepted at "Word Association Publishers" I'm not sure if they are vainity or not, though I do have to pay. They don't charge a reading fee, but I have to pay 200 bucks for a cover, and other charges, totalling 2,800 apx.

Ok, what's worse, getting accepted to a potental not out in the open vainity press becuase somone I know happens to know them, or get rejected?

How can you tell what's worse?

WildScribe · Jan 4, 2007

Getting accepted would be worse. DON'T PAY!

J. Weiland · Jan 4, 2007

A wise man or woman once said "the money goes to the author, not the other way round," or something like it.

MidnightMuse · Jan 4, 2007

Put the checkbook down, and back away slowly. 'Tis a far, far better thing to suffer the toils of legitimate publishing than to pay anyone anything.

Amy K. Jones · Jan 4, 2007

If you are ready to publish, and are dying to see what the final outcome will be; rather than giving this company a ton of money, why not format your book, and take it to a local printing company? They will create (for a significantly smaller fee) what you can count as a mock-up of your final product.

Taking this route will save you major money, frustration, and allow you to do final proofing of your work, all the while enjoying the very first copy of your book! ...You'd be surprised how easy it is to spot flaws when your reading them in a book, as opposed to a manuscript.

Good luck!

Cath · Jan 4, 2007

You might be able to tell from the responses so far that the weight of opinion is against paying to publish.

There are better methods if you want to self publish - Lulu would be a great one. (You'll find info about Lulu and other self publishing options here: POD Self-Publishing and E-Publishing)

Have you gotten feedback from beta readers about the novel, yet? If so, and it's good so far, why not try sending this out to a non-vanity publisher?

Dawn R · Jan 4, 2007

Welcome aboard. Always nice to see a new face. Listen to these good people. They truly have your best interests at heart.

Little Red Barn · Jan 4, 2007

First Welcome drybone! :welcome:

Stay around here and learn...I would not want to pay to publish...my 2 cents

veinglory · Jan 4, 2007

People that charge thousands of dollar typically don't reject people. It sounds like you have a sneaky feeling you could do better, why not give it a try? Or if you are looking at pay-to-play trip on down to the self-publishing forum and pick the best available option in that category (my top picks would cost way less than that and provide a service at least as good if not better).

stormie · Jan 4, 2007

Paying money to get your book published is worse--far worse--than rejection from commercial publishers. Once the money is gone, it's gone. And all you'll have is a book that may or may not be ready for prime time.

If you get a rejection, you square your shoulders, get that chin up, polish that manuscript, then send it on its way again. Rejection does get easier with time, and along with it you will become a better writer.

Anyway, welcome to the boards!

johnzakour · Jan 4, 2007

Don't pay. Do what you hacve to do to find somebody who will pay you to publish your novel.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Jan 5, 2007

Ditto. But welcome to the Cooler. There's a LOT of wonderful, accurate information on both publishing and publishers within these hallowed walls. Don't send a red cent (or any other colored cent, for that matter) until you've explored AW.

Freckles · Jan 5, 2007

Like others said, pay = BAD! Good luck and welcome!

jdkiggins · Jan 5, 2007

What everyone else said, and welcome to the forum.

Andre_Laurent · Jan 6, 2007

No, no, no... do not pay. You're supposed to get paid, not pay them. If you can't get it published, keep polishing it until it's ready.

drybonesreborn · Jan 6, 2007

Amy K. Jones said:
If you are ready to publish, and are dying to see what the final outcome will be; rather than giving this company a ton of money, why not format your book, and take it to a local printing company? They will create (for a significantly smaller fee) what you can count as a mock-up of your final product.

Taking this route will save you major money, frustration, and allow you to do final proofing of your work, all the while enjoying the very first copy of your book! ...You'd be surprised how easy it is to spot flaws when your reading them in a book, as opposed to a manuscript.

Good luck!

Would they do a better than a job that is 'vainty' press? I hope so!

drybonesreborn · Jan 6, 2007

kimmi 57 said:
First Welcome drybone!
Stay around here and learn...I would not want to pay to publish...my 2 cents

Thanks all!

Ugh, the site I'm at has 'Flamers'. Ever heard of Deviantart.com?

You can see your work--like drawings there.

Well, as for my 'first' fanfiction novel, some person had to lash out through a note on my work.
This person insulted my beliefs, rather than my story, oh and said they said I scared away 'fanfiction' of this particular character---that it's 'popularity' died before I got to it.

I forgave them, and saw what I needed to improve on, and try to be better not bitter.

So, it's hard to find who's a flamer, undercover flamer or not.

Thanks!

veinglory · Jan 6, 2007

There are flamers everywhere--although with lighter moderation such s at DA there do tend to be more.

Of course if the work you speak of has a copyright issue then it should not be published for profit by any method at all.

drybonesreborn · Jan 6, 2007

veinglory said:
There are flamers everywhere--although with lighter moderation such s at DA there do tend to be more.

Of course if the work you speak of has a copyright issue then it should not be published for profit by any method at all.

No, I was saying if I posted up lines from a story, and tested the 'flamer' to see if it was worthy of getting published.

As in, a few words from some unknown published work, of good merit, seeing how good they were to get published. (Hope that makes sense).

Tiger · Jan 6, 2007

Welcome and Aloha.

drybonesreborn · Jan 6, 2007

Thanks.

Nickie · Jan 7, 2007

Welcome to AW, and I totally agree with what the others said: never pay to get published! A real publisher will pay YOU. There are lots of them around; just try your luck querying them.

Nickie

veinglory · Jan 7, 2007

In terms of getting some feedback on your work, I found critiquecircle.com very useful. You get a good range of honest opinions from published and unpublished members. For sci fi or fantasy critters.org can also be good.

A. Hamilton · Jan 7, 2007

Welcome to the Cooler Drybones.

drybonesreborn · Jan 7, 2007

P.H.Delarran said:
Welcome to the Cooler Drybones.

Thank you.

Is your work that bad?

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