PublishAmerica - Book Doctor?

RoccoMom

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Got this email yesterday:

Dear author:

If you are like most authors, and would write your book today, you'd make many changes. You would not need a total overhaul but you would definitely revise dialogue, storyline build-up, even grammar. It would easily add up to hundreds and hundreds of changes, some small, some serious. It's called: re-writing.


The thing is: you feel you can't really do it yourself. It's like giving birth to the same child twice, too hard.

To better serve your needs, we have recently re-assigned a veteran group of book editors who have over the years been improving many thousands of books. They are expert re-writers.


Use PublishAmerica's new re-write service.
If you sign up today, the job could be completed before the Christmas sales season starts!


They may re-work a plot or tighten a storyline, strengthen dialogue, change the language, and give the book a facelift. They will work with you, ask for your input, ask for your approval. No change will be implemented unless you sign off on it. Plus you will receive complementary copies of the new version of your book!

Go to http://www.publishamerica.net/product119979.html and instruct us to assign a re-writer to your book. In the Ordering Instructions box, write the title of your book. You will be contacted within 48 business hours. Benefit from our low introductory price of $399 before it increases to $599. You must choose a shipping option to activate the service.


Thank you,
--PublishAmerica Author Support Team.



Yeah, I plan on rewriting it. Myself. As soon as my contract expires, and taking the new version far, far away from PA.​


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CACTUSWENDY

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I wonder how many people they will sucker in on this one? .................
 

DaveKuzminski

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When PA claims it will be ready for the Christmas selling season, they don't point out that you will receive their Christmas offer on 24 December.

So, what's next? Will PA offer a publicist contract so they can publicize your own book to you?
 

AC Crispin

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If PA wants to prove how good their "re-writers" are, I suggest they purchase a copy of Atlanta Nights and "re-write" that memorable novel so it's consistent, flows well, has compelling, believable characters, and a gripping plot that builds as the chapters progress, until a reader will find it "unputdownable."

What about it, Miranda, Larry? Are you or your "re-writers" up for the challenge? After all, you wanted to give Atlanta Nights "the chance it deserves" to be "available in bookstores from sea to shining sea," etc., etc., yadda yadda yadda, insert boilerplate PA come-on bullshit here.

(wink)

-Ann C. Crispin
Chair, Writer Beware
www.writerbeware.com
 
Last edited:

stormie

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Yeah, but Christmas of what year?
I was thinking the same thing.

And I guess their "re-writers" didn't proof that email. "Complementary" copies?!

And how many--two? The author also has to choose a shipping option to activate the service.

I was pubbed by a very small publisher and they gave me 25 complimentary copies as well as books that were returnable by the bookstores.
 

James D. Macdonald

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If PA wants to prove how good their "re-writers" are, I suggest they purchase a copy of Atlanta Nights and "re-write" that memorable novel so it's consistent, flows well, has compelling, believable characters, and a gripping plot that builds as the chapters progress, until a reader will find it "unputdownable."

What about it, Miranda, Larry? Are you or your "re-writers" up for the challenge? After all, you wanted to give Atlanta Nights "the chance it deserves" to be "available in bookstores from sea to shining sea," etc., etc., yadda yadda yadda, insert boilerplate PA come-on bullshit here.

(wink)

-Ann C. Crispin
Chair, Writer Beware
www.writerbeware.com


Heck, I'll let 'em do it for free!

Hear that, Larry? This is your chance to prove how good your guys are, and it won't cost you a cent!
 

Stacia Kane

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The thing is: you feel you can't really do it yourself. It's like giving birth to the same child twice, too hard.


Yeah, it's too hard to make your book as good as it can be. Far better to just toss off a draft and send it out without worrying about quality.

Sheesh. Can they make it more obvious that they know absolutely nothing about writing and/or publishing?



To better serve your needs, we have recently re-assigned a veteran group of book editors who have over the years been improving many thousands of books. They are expert re-writers.


Use PublishAmerica's new re-write service.
If you sign up today, the job could be completed before the Christmas sales season starts!



How have they been "improving many thousands of books" over the years? PA doesn't "change or alter" the books in any way, right? Isn't that what they tell everyone? That their perfect words don't need editing, or at most just need spell-check?

So where have these editors come from? Certainly not from real publishing.



Go to http://www.publishamerica.net/product119979.html and instruct us to assign a re-writer to your book. In the Ordering Instructions box, write the title of your book. You will be contacted within 48 business hours. Benefit from our low introductory price of $399 before it increases to $599. You must choose a shipping option to activate the service.



But they're not a vanity press.




I hope no one goes for it...
 

Terie

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To better serve your needs, we have recently re-assigned a veteran group of book editors who have over the years been improving many thousands of books. They are expert re-writers.

Wow. PA used to add errors to its customers' books for free. Now they're charging money to do it.

They used to charge $50-$100 or so to remove the errors they added; I wonder how much they'll charge now to remove them.
 

Shrouded

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Go to http://www.publishamerica.net/product119979.html and instruct us to assign a re-writer to your book. In the Ordering Instructions box, write the title of your book. You will be contacted within 48 business hours. Benefit from our low introductory price of $399 before it increases to $599. You must choose a shipping option to activate the service


So the price increases right after you choose the shipping option?
 

MumblingSage

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The thing is: you feel you can't really do it yourself. It's like giving birth to the same child twice, too hard.
My mom gave birth to twins and seemed to manage fine. If you love your child (or your book--and some of us, rather unprofessionally, can't seem to tell the difference) I imagine you'll be willing to suffer a little to make it the best it can be.

Who was it who said "all writing is re-writing"?
 

PVish

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Regarding the "re-writing":
If you sign up today, the job could be completed before the Christmas sales season starts!

Perhaps the job could be completed, but odds are good that the books wouldn't be shipped in time. Or maybe the old version would be sent because there'd be problems with the press recognizing the new version, or something equally ridiculous. Oh—and I'll bet authors will have to buy x number of the old softcovers to activate the "Re-writes."

I wonder if PA will put a higher price on the "Re-writes," because, after all, they'll be new and improved.
 

Cyia

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I'm sitting here trying to imagine how an author with Random House or Scholastic would respond to getting an "offer" like this from their publisher... oh wait... they get their changes done BEFORE the book goes to print, and it doesn't cost them money... never mind...