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A-Argus Better Book Publishers / W & B Publishers / Argus Enterprise Int'l

steam-engine

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I see you found the thread about them, but I'm linking it for other people's reference: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125704

But anyway, the trouble is the ship has sailed. They should have contacted the professional places to offer review copies before the book was launched. The big reviewers don't want to hear from individual authors, but from the publishers. They also don't want to know a year after the book is out.

Authors may help with some reviewers, such as book blogs. But you aren't expected to get Publishers Weekly to take a look at a review copy or to provide the review copies from your own pocket. That's the job of your publisher. Reading the thread, it sounds like the publisher isn't good at their job.

As for what to do, in my opinion, it's not promotional advice that you need. It's to discuss the details of your situation and see what your options are. The B&B thread will be of more use for that.

Thank you for your input.
Some writers are upset with A -Argus Better Book Publishers. I don’t understand why they spend $2,000-3,000 to publish the book then play games with the authors by not marketing it and ignoring our e-mails to them. In my current situation I could think only of getting out of contract and starting over. It will expire in 5 years from now. Knowing that these guys (the publishers) don’t talk to me, should I simply start looking for next publisher?
What B&B thread is?
Thank you, again
 
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Old Hack

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Thank you for your input.
A-Argus Better Book Publishers misled many writers. I don’t understand why the spend $2,000-3,000 to publish the book then play games with the authors by not marketing it and ignoring our e-mails to them. In my current situation I could think only of getting out of contract and starting over. It will expire in 5 years from now. Knowing that these guys (the publishers) don’t talk to us, should I simply start looking for next publisher?
What B&B thread is?
Thank you, again

They don't bother marketing the books they publish because they don't make their money from selling those books to readers: they make their money from the writers they publish.

Work on your next book and your next, and while you're writing learn as much as you can about publishing so that when you're ready to start querying your next book, you'll know better where to submit it and how the publishing process works.

I'll merge this with the BR&BC thread, as it really belongs there. And good luck.
 

steam-engine

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they didn't charge me and never mentioned about it

They don't bother marketing the books they publish because they don't make their money from selling those books to readers: they make their money from the writers they publish.

Work on your next book and your next, and while you're writing learn as much as you can about publishing so that when you're ready to start querying your next book, you'll know better where to submit it and how the publishing process works.

I'll merge this with the BR&BC thread, as it really belongs there. And good luck.
Hi Friend,
A-Argus never charged me and never asked about any money. I can speculate only why they behave like this.
But the fact is: as a year has elapsed, no sale statements, no marketing, they don't respond to e-mails. For how long I suppose to take it? As I asked previously: will expiration of contract mean that I am no longer attached to A-Argus? I have 5 years to wait.
You mentioned BR&BC thread. I can't find.
Thank you. I appreciate your support.
 

Old Hack

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I'm sorry, I misread your post: I thought the sum you mentioned was a sum you paid them, and didn't realise it was what you thought they'd spent on publishing your book. Ignore me.
 

gingerwoman

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According to Predators and Editors they are a "small vanity press." Oh actually there are two imprints under this name, A Better be Write is the "small vanity press" the other A-Argus says small press "poor contract not recommended." http://pred-ed.com/peba.ht
 
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Filigree

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Did they actually spent $2000 to $3000 to publish your book, Steam-engine?

A lot of these vanity outlets will claim their publishing costs are anywhere from $2K to above $20K per manuscript, with no real proof they're spending that kind of investment on the project.

If they even offer it, the ISBN will be bought as part of a block. The book either won't be edited at all, or lightly edited by a freelance contractor working for far less than the market rate - or for a nebulous cut of future royalties. Covers can be cheap stock images, barely photo manipulated if at all. 'Promotion' can consist of 'press releases' sent out through free services like PRLog.org, and meant more to ego-stroke the author than to reach buyers and reviewers.

I don't know how this publisher operates, but I have researched many vanity publishers recently. They tend to follow a script.
 

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Another thought: if they haven't sent you a royalty statement or other contact for a year, and if they are unresponsive, you may be able to get your rights back under breach of contract. Read your contract carefully.

Did they put your book up on Amazon? You can tell instantly if you've had any sales on Amazon, if your book has an Amazon Sales Rank associated with it (located in the publisher info on the book's Amazon page). No rank = no sales on Amazon for that version. Any rank over 1,000,000 indicates extremely low sales since publication.

If there's a rank, there was at least one sale, and you can leverage them on not reporting it in a timely manner. Many publishers won't cut a royalty check for small amounts, but you should at least be able to find your sales numbers.
 

Ashley Shemain

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Hello delaneyeh:
Is there any update to your post on March 2010?
Argus has offered to publish my book, but they have not asked for any money. Have they cleaned up their act? Their website shows many published books which is corroborated when one checks Amazon. Several authors, since 2010, (also listed on Amazon) have had multiple books published by Argus, surely they would have learned their lesson from their first bad experience with them.
Do you have any follow up feedback after March 2010?

Many thanks

Ashley
 

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How are the Amazon sales ranks of those books, Ashley? Looking at that number can tell you how well they are selling (sort of) on Amazon.

And no, having multiple books per author is no barometer. Once someone has been vanity published they tend to stay with vanity publishers. Lots of psych reasons: inertia, believing the excuses, the sunk cost fallacy...

Added: is this outfit even on Amazon?
 
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Polenth

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Hello delaneyeh:
Is there any update to your post on March 2010?
Argus has offered to publish my book, but they have not asked for any money. Have they cleaned up their act? Their website shows many published books which is corroborated when one checks Amazon. Several authors, since 2010, (also listed on Amazon) have had multiple books published by Argus, surely they would have learned their lesson from their first bad experience with them.
Do you have any follow up feedback after March 2010?

Publishers who work on a vanity or author mill strategy don't suddenly change. They continue to hand out contracts to everyone, because that's how they make their money. They don't care if your book is good or bad. Fees may not be directly for publication, but will often sneak in at the sides (pay this editor, buy this marketing, buy fifty copies to sell yourself at events). Make sure you do read the whole thread, as the last negative comment from one of their authors was in 2014, not 2010.

A writer who has been rejected everywhere is in a vulnerable position emotionally. It's hard to take an endless string of rejections. Which is why people sign up to publishers like this and why they might continue signing up. Here is a publisher saying they're wonderful and offering a contract, at a time when they're feeling low. But you need to harsh about the warm fuzzies, because feeling snuggly won't sell your book to readers, and won't help your career. A publisher isn't worth going with simply because they said yes when everyone else said no.
 

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The sad truth is that (in my direct experience) the main reason other publishers said 'No' is because the manuscript wasn't good enough to be published. At that point an author has two choices: improve the book, or put on the literary equivalent of beer goggles and accept the first vanity publisher who appeals to their wounded ego.
 
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triceretops

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Author mills or inexperienced small press publishers are much more apt to accept a substandard manuscript than the pros who've been at this for awhile and really know the mechanics of what a "good, ready" manuscript is v.s. one that needs severe editing and revisions.

Hmmm...now that sentence needs editing. It needs broken up. That's the kind of thing I'm talking about.
 

aliceshortcake

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The sad truth is that (in my direct experience) the main reason other publishers said 'No' is because the manuscript wasn't good enough to be published. At that point an author has two choices: improve the book, or put on the literary equivalent of beer goggles and accept the first vanity publisher who appeals to their wounded ego.

All you need to do is have a random gander* at a handful of vanity-pubbed books via Amazon's Look Inside feature. They range from the 'almost of publishable quality' to the 'author couldn't write their way out of a wet paper bag and probably doesn't read much'. Occasionaly you come across a book that might have stood a chance of being commercially published, but the author couldn't face any more rejections or was misled into believing that new writers don't stand a chance of being picked up by a real publisher.

*Why do so many great band names occur to you when you're too old to start a band?
 

CaoPaux

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Still going. Recent books are mostly under the name/imprint W & B Publishers.