EbookOMatic

Carlene · Feb 3, 2008

Anyone know anything about this outfit? A friend of mine is all jazzed about submitting her book and thinks she's going to make lots of $$$$.
It sounds like a scam to me. They want $150 to put your manuscript on their web page. For this you get - apparently nothing. You have to edit your own book and design the cover, do your own marketing, of course. They do have a couple of handy editors they are more than willing to recommend. I just can't figure out what the $150 is suppose to be for. I keep telling her that money flows to the writer, but she's so desperate to publish, she's ready to sign up. Any thought? www.ebookomatic.com

Carlene

Stew21 · Feb 3, 2008

Tell your friend that any "publisher" that asks for money from the author is a scam.
Tell her to google Yog's Law. Money flows toward the author.

edgyllama · Feb 3, 2008

A new twist on the old manuscript display site: You have to pay for the privilege.

AbruptlyLavender · Feb 3, 2008

Book-o-matic, as in a mindless book-spitting-out machine? The name alone makes me hesitate. Let's checkout the site...

Okay, the bright red letters and glaring green background sort of made me nervous at first glance. I'm not claiming to be a pro at anything, but this looks WAY fishy. And, of course, there's never any reason for the WRITER to be paying ANYONE.

I know how tempting a get-published-now deal must look to your friend, but really, doing it all the old fashioned way WILL pay off someday. Maybe you should send her this way for some encouragement?

Short version: If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is.

PS: You've got one too many o's in that url. ^_^

Unimportant · Feb 3, 2008

Tell her Lulu is cheaper, and honest about what they do.

veinglory · Feb 3, 2008

I looks sort of like an ebook distributor, but without the customers.

MickRooney · Feb 3, 2008

...but without the customers. Yikes, that's like if I scream in the forest and no one hears me, do I exist!

AbruptlyLavender · Feb 3, 2008

MickRooney said:
...but without the customers. Yikes, that's like if I scream in the forest and no one hears me, do I exist!

Trust me, we hear you loud and clear.

We're screaming with you.

Richard White · Feb 3, 2008

Mick,

Yes you do, you're just $150 dollars poorer.

And still alone

James D. Macdonald · Feb 3, 2008

Oh, dear. The website is in what I call the "I'm a scammer" format. You can tell 'em from across the room.

Over 1000 Authors & 500 Ebooks
Published by EbookoMatic Since 2001!

What, the authors wrote half-a-book each?

Someone who's literate in English should copyedit their site.

Seriously, tell your friend to go over to Lulu.com or cafepress.com. She'll get 100% of what this clown is offering, and it'll be $150 cheaper.

Khazarkhum · Feb 3, 2008

My favorite part:

Click Here Only If You Are Sure
You Will Not Be Purchasing Your Membership Today!

Not only am I sure I won't be purchasing a membership today, I'm so psychic I can confidently say I won't be signing up in the future, either.

In fact, my psychic powers are so amazing I know that Dave, Jim, Victoria and 99.78635 percent of the AW regulars won't, either. Well, except for maybe Sharla & travis. They seem to gravitate towards this sort of publisher.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 4, 2008

I think I like this part from their FAQ the best:

EbookoMatic is very different in that it is a completely automated web-based system requiring very little hands-on support. Members publish, promote, distribute and sell their ebooks with zero man power from our company. Of course, we're always available to help via email or our toll-free number.

So what do you get for your $150?

Seriously.

You can convert your text to a .pdf yourself for free (many wordprocessors have "Save as .pdf" as an option, or there are freeware converters), and you can get a webpage for free, and you put a link to your own free .pdf off your own free page ... for free.

Or you could go with lulu.com, again for free.

So what are these guys offering?

Not even Travis would send these guys $150.

(Re the format of that webpage: I'm certain there's some "Make Millions on the Internet!" package that these guys buy that has the Proven Money Making Website Template that they use. You honestly can spot the scammers from across the room just by looking at their page layout.)

JulieB · Feb 4, 2008

Mmmm! Sure doesn't taste like ebooks! ;-)

Just speaking from the standpoint of a web designer, it's a pretty sloppy site. Everything on the home page works, but when I drilled in I found broken images and outdated copyright notices. Plus, the "Ebook of the Month" is from 2005.

That doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 4, 2008

Another page in the same I'm-a-scammer format (so you can see what I mean):

http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/?hop=vapu001

Like EbookOMatic, this one is "Certified by the Better Internet Bureau" (whoever the hey they are).

[UPDATE]

Okay, I couldn't help myself. I went looking for the "Better Internet Bureau." This is what I found:

For seven years people have been asking the Better Internet Bureau to help them earn money on the Internet. BIB has always said NO! Now, for the first time ever, the Better Internet Bureau will teach 77 people how to earn $200.00 per day, working at home, with their computer.

This opportunity is limited to 77 applicants and they will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. Act now to reserve your priority membership in this exclusive club.

CaoPaux · Jan 2, 2012

Site is gone. Here's founder's main site, just because: http://www.schneiderman.net/index.html

EbookOMatic

Carlene

New kid, be gentle!

Stew21

edgyllama

AbruptlyLavender

Unimportant

doggone

veinglory

volitare nequeo

MickRooney

AbruptlyLavender

Richard White

Stealthy Plot Bunny Peddler

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Khazarkhum

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

JulieB

I grow my own catnip

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

CaoPaux

Mostly Harmless