OMG... I figured out how we can do this. OUT-PA PA!

dclary · Aug 21, 2007

Why the hell hasn't anyone thought of this before?

Ok, here's the ~~scam~~, er, plan.

Ok, we have to find two people who have their books ready to publish. Then each person creates a publishing imprint ("Joe's Publishing" and "Nancy Jones Press" etc). Then, each person queries the other, who then accepts for publication each other's work.

Now, person A agrees to pay an advance of EXACTLY how much it would cost person B to self-publish person A's book. At the same time, person B agrees to pay an advance of exactly how much it would cost person A to self-publish person Bs book!

NOW... Both sides publish each other's book, and you BOTH can look people in the eye and say truthfully "I did not vanity press this book. It was bought by a publisher, and I was paid a fair sum for it!"

SpookyWriter · Aug 21, 2007

Try it out and report back later with your success.

zahra · Aug 21, 2007

Why, that's so crazy - it might just work!

Esopha · Aug 21, 2007

Dclary is an evil genius.

dclary · Aug 21, 2007

No, here's where the evil genius plan comes in.

I set up a publising company. Absolute Press Extraordinaire (Simone, Heliotrope, Icarus, Tactarus) or some such.

I then recruit both *investors* and *authors.*

The thing is.. each author is an investor in another person's book.

So in essence, I create a middle-man venture to help drive the scam, and add legitimacy, since there will be multiple books published in this way.

And again, everyone who gets published this way can say with 100% honesty that they were not vanity pressed, or self-published. They submitted a work to a publishing company. That company bought and published the book, and the author was paid for it, and will continue to get royalties on sales.

THAT'S evil genius.

Soccer Mom · Aug 21, 2007

Genius! I'm in. I suggest calling it Tantalus.

After the character in Greek mythology. He was punished by the gods by having his desires remain just out of reach at all times, yet very, very close.

dclary · Aug 21, 2007

Ooh, that's who I meant for the T in the publisher's name anyway. Nice!

KTC · Aug 21, 2007

This is reminding me way too much of the Chocolate and Peanut Butter fiasco. Though, in truth...how much of a fiasco was it? Really? Sure, some high falooting accident caused the calamity of the one person getting chocolate in the other person's peanut butter. But I do believe it's been love ever since? I could be wrong. Am I imagining things? Is the above scenario anything like the chocolate in the peanut butter fiasco?

On another note: Who put the lime in the coconut?

Soccer Mom · Aug 21, 2007

and drank it all up.

This scheme is just crazy enough to make us all rich.

Muaahahahaha!

KTC · Aug 21, 2007

Shut up, Soccer Mom, and send me your book already!

Soccer Mom · Aug 21, 2007

Only if you're ready to "invest"

Dear super new publisher,

I've written a magnificent work of staggering heartbreak. It's a real coming- of -age saga, but with a literary twist. The characters are all mute and there is no dialogue. It's all real internal angsty stuff. For your reading pleasure, I submit my 733,000 word manifesto: MY MOTHER WAS RIGHT ABOUT YOU.

Okay, send me your opus and my contract.

Danger Jane · Aug 21, 2007

Dear awesome publisher,

great american novel encolsoed

kthxbai4urtime,

genius

dclary · Aug 21, 2007

Dear potential investor/author.

We may be some dumb... but we ain't plumb dumb. Here's a link to our sister venture. Perhaps they can find a place for your epic.

Christine N. · Aug 21, 2007

Just call it Tartarus instead.

Because it would be just.like.hell.

Danger Jane · Aug 21, 2007

that's where tantalus went, though!!

Christine N. · Aug 21, 2007

Damn, I had a wiki article linked to that. Where'd it go!

astonwest · Aug 21, 2007

Except you'd really need to have about 100 people total (10 different publishing companies which would publish 10 authors each) so that it wouldn't be immediately obvious to the casual observer that they'd been involved in what amounts to a co-op publishing venture.

At that point, you may just as well self-publish yourself, because the logistics would be a nightmare.

dclary said:
Why the hell hasn't anyone thought of this before?

Ok, here's the ~~scam~~, er, plan.

Ok, we have to find two people who have their books ready to publish. Then each person creates a publishing imprint ("Joe's Publishing" and "Nancy Jones Press" etc). Then, each person queries the other, who then accepts for publication each other's work.

Now, person A agrees to pay an advance of EXACTLY how much it would cost person B to self-publish person A's book. At the same time, person B agrees to pay an advance of exactly how much it would cost person A to self-publish person Bs book!

NOW... Both sides publish each other's book, and you BOTH can look people in the eye and say truthfully "I did not vanity press this book. It was bought by a publisher, and I was paid a fair sum for it!"

mscelina · Aug 21, 2007

I'd agree to do it, but you guys would just send me a form rejection with my name misspelled.

Williebee · Aug 21, 2007

OK, sounds like a great plan. And I'll be happy to sign on to handle marketing/advertising the booklist... for a small by not insignificant fee.

(Hey look! I can write really large numbers in a reaally small font)

Soccer Mom · Aug 21, 2007

mscelina said:
I'd agree to do it, but you guys would just send me a form rejection with my name misspelled.

No I wouldn't, Selena. Honest! I'm much more caerfull than that.

ALLWritety · Aug 21, 2007

Way cool this is awesome. It is so crazy that it really might work. Do we AW discounts?

Kevvers

BenPanced · Aug 22, 2007

BWAH! "Discounts", he sez...

Jaycinth · Aug 22, 2007

astonwest said:
Except you'd really need to have about 100 people total (10 different publishing companies which would publish 10 authors each) so that it wouldn't be immediately obvious to the casual observer that they'd been involved in what amounts to a co-op publishing venture.

At that point, you may just as well self-publish yourself, because the logistics would be a nightmare.

Not at all. You just hire a good manager. Someone who can deal with finances and tax laws.

I'll forward my resume.

MidnightMuse · Aug 22, 2007

What about our return policy? Can we send them back to each other if they don't sell?

BenPanced · Aug 22, 2007

Discounts? Returns?! :roll:

You guys are KILLIN' ME over here! :ROFL:

OMG... I figured out how we can do this. OUT-PA PA!

Unabashed Mercenary

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bam pow zap.

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haz a shiny new book cover

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