The newspaper I work for ran a glowing article about Publish America...

Gillhoughly · Apr 30, 2008

Right, I just printed my two-page letter to the editor and put the stamp on the envelope. It goes out tomorrow.

Argh, a 1-minute search on PA would have told that kid she was in the shite by going with them.

thecraftteens · Apr 30, 2008

SouthernWriter1978 said:
I found Atlanta Nights for free online, I can't remember where but someone had PDF copies available on their site and you can download it.

SouthernWriter, I believe it is here:

http://www.critters.org/sting/

"My dear, frankly you will give a d*mn!"

^Classic!

choppersmom · Apr 30, 2008

I sent an email, and I just might send a real letter too.

Here's what I sent:

To Whom It May Concern:

I'm writing to express my consternation at an article recently published in your paper regarding a student's decision to "publish" a novel with a company called PublishAmerica,

After reading your article, I have to wonder if anyone there took the time to research PublishAmerica in particular, and publishing in general. You stated that other publishers wanted the author to pay them to get her book published. That's not how real publishing works. Real publishers pay writers for the right to sell their books. Writers only pay to have their books printed from print-on-demand (POD) or vanity presses. That's not real publishing.

PublishAmerica has long been known to be a scam in the writing world. Many writers have been suckered by them, and the fortunate ones have escaped with their rights intact. Many are not fortunate or wise enough to sever their ties with PA. They are not a "traditional" publisher, as they enjoy styling themselves, but a vanity press that relies on sales to the author - not the readers, and not booksellers - to make money. They do not screen the manuscripts they accept. they do not edit manuscripts, and in many cases, they have inserted errors into authors' works. They do not market the books they print, that is all up to the authors. All of these are things that real publishers do, because that's how real publishing works. PA is not a real publisher, and I'm outraged that your article makes them appear to be one. They are also notorious in the business for not filling orders, and for neglecting to pay royalties on any sales that are made. Why would you advocate a company that is so clearly a scam? As I suggested, I don't believe anyone on your staff bothered to research this outfit before you printed the story extolling their virtues. I would suggest that perhaps a research/fact-checking department might be an invaluable addition to your publication's operations. I've lost a great deal of respect for your paper based on this situation. I hope you will consider printing a retraction, or at least a clarification of the matter, in your next issue.

Thanks for your time.

Trish
New York

Gillhoughly · May 1, 2008

Good letter, choppersmom, but I would recommend easing off on the angle that they are promoting PA. I didn't see that in the article so much as their focus being on the writer they were profiling. The only thing I see the paper guilty of is insufficient reseach.

In my mail I said almost the same things you did and put in link addies to support my statements against PA.

THEN I put in that it would make a better story if their paper warned young writers about the predators of publishing and let them know how real publishing works.

I left out all hint that they were promoting PA, just saying that "that poor young writer" did not do enough research and was yet another PA victim.

People just respond better to a crit when there's no blame implied.

choppersmom · May 1, 2008

Gillhoughly said:
Good letter, choppersmom, but I would recommend easing off on the angle that they are promoting PA. I didn't see that in the article so much as their focus being on the writer they were profiling. The only thing I see the paper guilty of is insufficient reseach.

In my mail I said almost the same things you did and put in link addies to support my statements against PA.

THEN I put in that it would make a better story if their paper warned young writers about the predators of publishing and let them know how real publishing works.

I left out all hint that they were promoting PA, just saying that "that poor young writer" did not do enough research and was yet another PA victim.

People just respond better to a crit when there's no blame implied.

I thought of this too, but decided to leave it in - I wanted them to believe people thought they WERE promoting PA, so they'd have the opportunity to do the legwork they should have done in the first place, in order to defend or retract their words. But you're right, and I do agree about crits. The links you included should help them to get the story straight, at least in a perfect world they would!

Gillhoughly · May 1, 2008

D'OH!

I never thought of that.

stormie · May 1, 2008

My email was very short. I hope they didn't just press delete.

choppersmom · May 1, 2008

Gillhoughly said:
D'OH!

I never thought of that.

Don't worry, I almost didn't either!

But that's where they get the saying, two heads are better than one, or in this case, goodness only knows how many heads!

escritora · May 1, 2008

Email sent

mirrorkisses · May 8, 2008

GAHH after reading that article I can see the naiveté of this poor girl.
Now, I understand she's young, so she probably doesn't know a lot about the publishing world (although I knew at 18 that I needed to get an agent, but I digress), but she doesn't want to take writing classes? Writing classes are like the ONLY place people are willing to read your work and give real feedback. I mean COME ON here. I loved taking writing classes when I was in high school because it meant I got to do what I loved for an hour inside school. Feedback is really hard to come by, as you all know.

I'm really curious to see how this turns out. So I hope Bart will let us know.

Gillhoughly · May 9, 2008

A writing class is like having chicken soup when you get a cold. It may not cure the cold, but you'll be better off for it.

Her attitude toward not taking classes is too common. It can stem from being afraid to find out what people REALLY think about one's writing to "my writing comes come ME, no one can teach me this stuff!"

But a class can teach you how to construct a basic sentence, point newbies toward Elements of Style, and perhaps warn the impatient away from vanity houses.

Even Mozart had to take piano lessons from his dad.

AC Crispin · May 9, 2008

I wrote, too...

Here's the email I sent to the three addresses posted. Not sure I'll have time to get a snail mail out.

>>>

To Whom It May Concern:

You have done a great disservice to writers, especially young writers, with the article you ran about Abigail Linhardt, making it seem as though a real, commercial publisher acquired her novel, when this is not the case.

Here's an article the Washington Post ran about this "publisher." Perhaps it will help to enlighten you.

Making Books (washingtonpost

As the Chair of Writer Beware, the professional Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America's scam "watchdog" committee, I must protest this article. If you have any hopes of journalistic integrity at some point, you will research the situation, and write a followup to your misleading, and quite possibly harmful article.

Writer Beware would be happy to assist you with the FACTS.

Best,

-Ann C. Crispin (A.C. Crispin)
www.accrispin.com
Chair, Writer Beware
www.writerbeware.com
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
www.sfwa.org

mirrorkisses · May 9, 2008

Ah! I just read the washington post article. I feel really bad for people who don't realize that when you publish a novel, the publisher does all the promotion, not you. You don't go into a bookstore to schedule a signing, your publisher sends out press releases and such. I would never attempt to get published if I thought I had to pay for all the promotion.

Gillhoughly · May 9, 2008

You don't go into a bookstore to schedule a signing, your publisher sends out press releases and such. I would never attempt to get published if I thought I had to pay for all the promotion.

Actually, quite a lot of writers DO have to be their own press agents.

Sure, my publisher will put out a press release, but it can get lost in the crowd or may only appear in a trade magazine, not one's home town paper.

Not every writer gets sent on a book tour. I asked about this with my first novel. To my editor's credit she did not laugh out loud.

When you're new or a hard slugging mid-lister you have to toot your own horn.

I've phoned local cable shows to get a guest spot, called newspapers, called writing groups to speak. The local chain bookstores and indies in my area know me. I shake hands and thank the people who stop to chat at signings I've arranged. I've traveled to countless out-of-town conventions on my own nickel and just today got in a shiny new batch of bookmarks to give out at future events.

I maintain a website and a blog to promote the books. The costs of all come out of my pocket and are deducted from my Schedule C form as "advertising."

The difference is, when I say the book I'm promoting is published with (fill in with the name of any of five established print publishers) I get attention and respect.

You say you're with PA and the ones in the know can't wait to get rid of you.
.

mirrorkisses · May 10, 2008

But all of the promotion? No. . . I understand putting effort into putting your name out there, but publishers are also trying to sell the book.

Gillhoughly · May 10, 2008

Indeed they are. Unlike PA, mine DO send out review copies, and they have the "Look Inside" feature up on Amazon. (G'ness knows, most PA books don't dare do that or they wouldn't get any sales at all!)

It was a huge thrill to see those first reviews in Locus, Mid-West Book Review, and Publisher's Weekly. I didn't send them copies! (Didn't know enough to do so. Apparently neither does PA.)

I dang-near freaked when I saw a half-page ad on my first book in a magazine.

PA would never, ever do THAT!

No, they come up with daft schemes like getting their ~~victims~~ writers to pay for NYT ad space. I'm sure eager NYT readers scanned the fine print to pick out the names of those PA ~~victims~~ writers, then, consumed with curiosity, promptly logged on to buy their books! :snort: (Yo--writers--have you gotten your money back from the investment?)

They can say "I'm a published writer" all they like, but it cuts no ice with the big kids. PA made sure of that.

I sure wish 60 minutes or Oprah or SOMEONE with influence would do a number on PA. Dr. Phil had a chance, but didn't take it.

Dr. Phil: "Do y’all think that this book is going to make a lot of money? Is that what this is about?”

“Well, she told me that it was projected, the first check in September was projected to be $3,000,000,” Sarah says.

“No, what I told her was, according to my contract, a million books sold was a $3,000,000 check,” Carrie explains.

Dr. Phil turns to Carrie’s would-be publisher, Batya, from PublishAmerica. He asks her, “How many $3,000,000 checks has PublishAmerica ever written to a new author two months after the book came out?”

“I think I can safely say none,” she says.

(What this transcript leaves out is the deer-in-the-headlights look on the face of the PA rep, Batya.)

So WHO at PA told this would-be millionare she would get a sweet three mil in the first two months?

Shall we start a pool?

Was it . . .

Miranda at her desk with a cell phone?

Wilhelm by his Hellocopter with a joystick?

Larry in his office with a pen?

JulieB · May 10, 2008

I think one point G. is trying to make is that all the promotion in the world will do you little or no good if your book has no distribution or if the publisher doesn't offer a standard discount. Sure, there are a few exceptions, but this holds true for most of us.

One thing G. didn't mention is that publishers often buy ads in convention program books and/or send promotional items in support of their authors that are at the event. And if you're with a publisher that has good distribution and offers a decent discount, then you shouldn't have to do a thing to get your books on sale in the dealer's room.

The amount of promotion you do is a personal preference. I know there are people on this board who don't do a lot of promotion.

I attend a fair number of conventions, and if someone wants to comp my admission and/or put me on panels, I won't complain.

Thump · May 10, 2008

Email sent

Gosh, I'm taking a stand! Go me!

mirrorkisses · May 10, 2008

JulieB said:
I think one point G. is trying to make is that all the promotion in the world will do you little or no good if your book has no distribution or if the publisher doesn't offer a standard discount. Sure, there are a few exceptions, but this holds true for most of us.

One thing G. didn't mention is that publishers often buy ads in convention program books and/or send promotional items in support of their authors that are at the event. And if you're with a publisher that has good distribution and offers a decent discount, then you shouldn't have to do a thing to get your books on sale in the dealer's room.

The amount of promotion you do is a personal preference. I know there are people on this board who don't do a lot of promotion.

I attend a fair number of conventions, and if someone wants to comp my admission and/or put me on panels, I won't complain.

I'm aware of that. I was saying that a real publisher does do the promotion and distribution. PA does not, and that should clue people in.

Stacia Kane · May 10, 2008

mirrorkisses said:
I'm aware of that. I was saying that a real publisher does do the promotion and distribution. PA does not, and that should clue people in.

Even my very small press publisher, Juno/Wildside, took out full-page ads in Romantic Times magazine, sent copies to PW well in advance, has sent promo items to bookstores and met with the buyers for those stores, does conventions, etc. etc. etc. I didn't have to beg bookstore managers to stock my book; it's there anyway. I didn't have to use my grocery money to buy ads; the ads are there anyway.

I do a lot of promo for myself, yes; I do contests and reader chats, I belong to a couple of multi-author promo groups, I have a website and blog, etc. etc. But I do it to get my name out there so people remember it when they go to the bookstore and see my book on the shelf, not in hopes of selling a copy out of the trunk of my car.

TsukiRyoko · May 10, 2008

Emailed my two cents just a moment ago. Effing PublishAmerica- they're a monster that preys on the inexperienced. They're just like telemarketing, using wordplay, false advertisement, and euphemisms to promote their poison. I sent the newspaper a pretty decent sized letter

Pookee · May 10, 2008

Here's an article in the Frederick News Post about another PA victim. Poor man. I wish more people would write letters to the editor at FNP, especially since it is PA's hometown newspaper. I'm seeing more and more locals get sucked in. Frederick News Post should do an article on the scam PA is, but I think they are concerned about a lawsuit. Who knows?

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/art_life/display_horizon.htm?StoryID=74500

Marie Pacha · May 10, 2008

Paperback, 331 pages, $24.95

$19.95 through the PA bookstore

Shipping charges through PA SHOULD be (according to their website.) http://www.publishamerica.com/orderinginfo.htm

"Please be advised, 5% sales tax will be added to orders shipped in MD, and those customers wishing their orders to be shipped internationally should change the "Shipping Method" pull-down menu accordingly.

ALL payments are in US Dollars.

Our books ship United States Postal Service Media Mail. For details, see the USPS website.

Our books are non-returnable.

All sales are final.

Please allow 2 to 6 weeks from ordering to delivery on all orders placed without rush specifications.

Domestic Shipping Charges are as follows:

$3.50, plus $.50 for each additional copy."

How'd they charge their authors $2.00 shipping and handling per book in that recent "sale"?

James D. Macdonald · May 10, 2008

How's Warren's book doing?

Ingram:

On hand: 0
On order: 0
On backorder: 0

This week: 0
Last week: 18

This year: 6
Last year: 0

Bartholomew · May 10, 2008

The last issue of the paper for the semester is out and they didn't run a retraction. I think the editor's knowledge that I was involved in the email campaign may have tainted the effort.

The newspaper I work for ran a glowing article about Publish America...

Grumpy writer and editor

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