Tenth Street Press

PeterBernfeld · Feb 24, 2013

Hello everybody, my first post on here.
My agent has come up with a contract with an Australian company called Tenth Street Press. At the moment they publish 'erotica' but are starting a new imprint under another name shortly which will publish other genres.

There are no upfront fees (I've taken a look at their site and anyway the agent says she will only submit to what she calls genuine publishers). They claim to take just 15% of sales proceeds (if I'm reading that correctly) and say they actively aim to get books into book stores as well as on Amazon et al. Has anybody had any dealings with them? I have done a site search and it appears that they are not the subject of an existing thread but apologies if I missed it.

AmberS · Feb 24, 2013

Website seems to be here: http://www.tenthstreetpress.com/

Animated gifs and Google ads on a publisher website and at least two of those listed (The Way of a Man With a Maid, My Secret Life) are old books now in the public domain - not positive that's the right terminology, but they aren't books submitted to or edited by them. Personally, I wouldn't sign.

CaoPaux · Feb 24, 2013

Also, what's the contract say re: editing? On the website, there's a strong implication you'll need to pay for it, either through them or a third party.

veinglory · Feb 24, 2013

The website is fugly and they charge for editing ("we have copy editing services, if required at a charge"). I wouldn't touch this one.

aliceshortcake · Feb 24, 2013

I wonder if the author of this TSP book paid for copy-editing services?

"I'm Amelia, captain of the Aquarius. We crash landed on your planet we only wish to rest here while we mend our ship", said Amelia.

Queen Latexia approached Amelia looking her up and down before attempting to unzip her suit.

"What are you doing?" asked Amelia embarassed.

"She's hot captain! Although not as hot as you", said Lee who was a co-pilot on the Aquarius.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AAJU6XM/?tag=absowrit-20

"I think that's all you need to know about this publisher", said Alice crossing her long legs clad in shiny black latex.

PeterBernfeld · Feb 24, 2013

Actually I think some of you might have missed a couple of things although thanks for your replies.
To clear up the editing 'thing'. Yes they do offer a service for a fee and NO it is not obligatory nor will I be using it. Still waiting to see the contract as the agent is going through it. As I understand it if you do not use the editing/proof reading service then they will do a final 'before printing' formatting and proof-reading check which does not attract any charge. This I would expect from any publisher having experienced one who simply (at no upfront charge) simply published a manuscript without carrying out any formatting check.
AS I said they will allegedly be starting a new imprint which will I assume not feature the books currently on display. I'll post again as and when I see the finished contract but if there is any question of money upfront the agent will simply reject it before I get to see it.

jennontheisland · Feb 24, 2013

The issue of money upfront aside, your agent is submitting to a publisher that charges for editing? Who is your agent?

PeterBernfeld · Feb 24, 2013

Sigh. Jen please read the post. The publisher offers an editing/proof reading service. You don't have to use it, it is not 'compulsory', it is not 'part of the deal'. As most of us should know there is a cost (if you self-publish as I do) to editing and proof reading and my guess is that this is an attempt by what seems to be a traditional publisher to get a slice of that particular pie. If you already have had your m/s edited and proof read, in my case by the agent, then you will not need this service. Their royalties appear to be higher than some TPs but the agent is going through the contract at the moment, I have not seen it yet.

What I'm actually after is facts rather than opinions. I know enough to do my own due diligence in this. I thank everybody for their responses but I repeat my question.

Has anybody had any dealings with Tenth street Press?

Theo81 · Feb 25, 2013

PeterBernfeld said:
Sigh. Jen please read the post. The publisher offers an editing/proof reading service. You don't have to use it, it is not 'compulsory', it is not 'part of the deal'. As most of us should know there is a cost (if you self-publish as I do) to editing and proof reading and my guess is that this is an attempt by what seems to be a traditional publisher to get a slice of that particular pie. If you already have had your m/s edited and proof read, in my case by the agent, then you will not need this service. Their royalties appear to be higher than some TPs but the agent is going through the contract at the moment, I have not seen it yet.

What I'm actually after is facts rather than opinions. I know enough to do my own due diligence in this. I thank everybody for their responses but I repeat my question.

Has anybody had any dealings with Tenth street Press?

Peter, I understand your frustration, really, but this is setting off big warning bells about your agent. I strongly urge you to check out their thread here.

Publishers edit. They do not charge for it.

A publisher which only edits if you pay for it is not normal.

The fact they don't demand you do so makes it worse: your book may have been edited, but it will be judged alongside those which may not have been.

You are paying your agent 15% of your earnings. Do you honestly feel they are earning that by submitting to this press?

A bad agent or publisher is worse than none at all.

Publishers edit. It's part of their job.

Marian Perera · Feb 25, 2013

PeterBernfeld said:
Has anybody had any dealings with Tenth street Press?

You don't need to have taken crystal meth to warn people against it.

Jersey Chick · Feb 25, 2013

1, That website is ugly. It looks very amateurish and is pretty hard on the eyes.

2. They offer copy editing services for a fee. This is something a publisher should do as part of getting your book ready for publication. It's part of the editing process and I'm bothered that they offer it as a service. Truth be told, I'm leery of any publisher who offers paid services and would steer clear of them.

3, They suggest you use an editor before subbing. They want it pre-edited. Why? Don't they have editors of their own to edit your books? Again, I'd steer clear of any publisher who doesn't have editors. Way clear. Editing is also part of what publishers are supposed to do.

This would be a total pass for me. I don't have to have dealings with them to know I should avoid them.

veinglory · Feb 25, 2013

They way I read it you do not get full editing for free, and you should. That is a big part of what a real publisher does.

That aside, their website is nasty and their published books don't inspire confidence.

Amazon feedback shows unhappiness about repackaged public domain material, an author insulting someone who posted a bad review etc.

Paperback copies, when available, are priced at $22-$32 .

So what about this publisher is appealing? There may be something, but I am not seeing it.

Stacia Kane · Feb 25, 2013

veinglory said:
They way I read it you do not get full editing for free, and you should. That is a big part of what a real publisher does.

That aside, their website is nasty and their published books don't inspire confidence.

Amazon feedback shows unhappiness about repackaged public domain material, an author insulting someone who posted a bad review etc.

Paperback copies, when available, are priced at $22-$32 .

So what about this publisher is appealing? There may be something, but I am not seeing it.

I'll add that the blurbs I read are close to unintelligible, and clicking the book covers on the site takes you to a variety of different bookstore pages; they don't all lead to Amazon or ARE or B&N, and there's no indication which one you'll end up at when you click. Makes it very hard to buy a book (or especially more than one book), if you wanted to.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 25, 2013

That edition of My Secret Life, BTW, though it has a Tenth Street Press colophon inside, is actually printed through Lulu.com.

The text in the sample is filled with typical scanner errors (e.g. of! for off). I expect that the pseudonymous "Walter," being dead for 120 years, didn't pay for copy editing. Someone should have.

This press has Amateur Hour stamped all over it. I'm sure you can do better.

AmberS · Feb 25, 2013

A publisher should provide full editing (content, line/copy editing, and proofreading).

Tenth Street Press

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AmberS

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veinglory

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aliceshortcake

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jennontheisland

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Theo81

Marian Perera

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veinglory

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AmberS

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