Hi,
chrisolander and welcome to AW.
chrisolander:
It is not a vanity press. It simply prints books...at 20% below the rip-offs elsewhere.
I think the point that people are getting at is that Novelmaker still require people to pay for books to be put into print and they're doing so when Novelmaker clearly has no intention and no way of distributing books for commercial sale. The reason why this tends to make people suspicious as to motives is because at the same time, Novelmaker are trying to trade on people who are looking for an agent or thinking about commercial publication, for example:
Taken From Novelmake's FAQ:
We believe publishers will continue to rely mostly on literary agents to screen and recommend works for their consideration. But literary agents and publishers scout for new talent on NovelMaker.com, and that is one of the many compelling reasons to upload your works to our site.
chrisolander:
It lets you post your work and get feedback.
Well so do a lot of other sites - the SYW community here in AW is a place to post work and get feedback. However, not many of those sites are also pushing a POD facility and many aren't interested in also selling software to users.
chrisolander:
It showcases "best in class" each month.
YouWriteOn in the UK has a similar concept and even though that does genuinely have ties to some respected agencies, it hasn't led to a huge number of authors getting agents. Yes, some people have done so but that was a site that was supported by the British Arts Council and has some industry backing. Novelmaker doesn't seem to have that (unless you have evidence otherwise). In addition, the agents associated with YouWriteOn are named and transparent. I don't see that information on Novelmaker.
chrisolander:
It provides a FORUM, that is FREE, for writers and readers.
Again, so do plenty of other sites including the SYW Forums here on AW.
chrisolander:
Agents? Yes, they're coming, slowly but surely, but many have contacted us.
Agents have contacted Novelmaker? Can you share which agencies have been in contact with Novelmaker?
As you must be aware, there are unfortunately a large number of scam or downright incompetent agents out there (none of whom have made a sale) and there is always a danger that a display site such as Novelmaker (in the sense that it's a site where people display their manuscripts) can bring them out of the woodwork to try and fleece the people using your services. Can you tell us what measures Novelmaker have in place to ensure that its users do not fall victim to such predators?
chrisolander:
Okay... go to writing.com, poetry.com, and all those others. Enter a "contest." Pay for comments and feedback. You want that? Go for it
You're right - those sites are complete rip offs.
I think it would put many peoples' minds at ease if you could give an assurance that people using Novelmaker won't be subjected to pressure to use the POD service that you offer. In addition, I took a look at the pricing page
here and was a little confused. Do you require people using the service to make a minimum purchase of 10 books or can they only purchase one copy? In addition, is the charge for say, 10 copies of a 40 page 8.5" by 11" book 6.60 or 66 dollars? There also appear to be a lot of additional charges which you identify as extra services, e.g. cover design from $100, which seems to be quite steep if you're only using clip art.
Does anyone else know how those prices compare to a POD site like Lulu?
chrisolander:
And the suggestion that POD is pricey is absurd. NO ONE sells books of this quality for less money.
Yes, but who are you selling them to? Your own
formatting page suggests that you're not geared up to get books into shops, given that you have to go back to the author to get instructions if a bookstore asks for a copy.
Saundra
Uh huh. The axe-grinder.
Beware!
Chris - what exactly do you think that comment accomplished? If you're the same
Chris Olander identified as President and CEO of Novelmaker then making such a cheap and, frankly, childish remark doesn't do a huge amount for your business credibility. In fact, it makes you look like a wanker.
MM