PA is a viable solution for me

Editor's note: Sorry for the spoiler up-front, but I don't want anyone to be misled here-- Maestro was joking about this topic. I'm leaving it only because there's some solid advice here. -JG

(Original joke removed by author)

Good Luck

At least you're going in with no illusions (or fewer). Best of luck to you.

Re: Good Luck

Good luck. But I think there are better companies providing this service, like Booklocker.

I'm very sorry to hear that, Maestro.

If you're certain that this book at this time has to be published in its current form, have you considered self-publication instead?

I...I... can't respond to this news. Not yet. May--maybe later.

Will you try this?

Maestro, if you are willing, try this when you contact PA. Tell them that you will not provide a list of friends and relatives for them. If they insist that they must have a list and are unwilling to sign you without one, that should tell you something about your book's real chances of selling after it's published.

At any rate, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. After all, I'm guessing that you want your book to get out there where it can make sales. You don't want only your family to see it unless it's a family history that the family wants printed for itself alone.

Re: Will you try this?

Maestro - James just did an excellent mathematical breakdown in the PA thread about what you can expect to spend for your book.

Now, math doesn't lie, last time I checked. Take a look at those figures and see if you can self-pub cheaper locally or via another source - take those numbers and make them work for you before you sign up with PA and end up paying what seems to be an exorbitant amount for your own book.

I should probably take the high road like Liam but...

Ray, have you approached Behler or some of the other small presses? (Warning: another baseball analogy looms.)

If you've been swinging for the fences and have two strikes on you, now is not the time to lay down a bunt. Chances are (with PA) it'll be a foul tip and you're outta there. There are a lot of small, independent, legit pubs who can actually get the book into bookstores.

If you feel you have exhausted all of those possibilities too and self-pubbing isn't viable, what about lulu? From what (admittedly little) I've read it seems to offer a decent product at no, or very little cost. PA's baggage is accumulating alarmingly and I'd sure hate to see it attach itself to you.

All that being said, if you decide to stick with this decision I'll wish you the very best and hope you become PA's first breakout author.

Re: Will you try this?

Trying to lay all biases aside...I too would recommend self-pub with one of the POD-based companies like Infinity over PublishAmerica, for four reasons--better contract (1-year non-exclusive as opposed to 7-year exclusive), better royalties (around 20% of net as opposed to 8% of net), and lower average cover price. Even if you choose to buy your own book for resale, it works out cheaper because you're not starting from such a high sales point. I'd think that over a period of about a year, what you'd lose on PA's back-end costs would work out about even withever money you had to lay out upfront.

- Victoria

Re: Will you try this?

The thing about self pub (non POD/Vanity) -- what do you do with distribution? Typesetting, printing, storage, etc. are no big deal.. even selling it on my own. But getting the books in the bookstores seems so foreign to me -- like how do you even do that?

Re: Will you try this?

well, I can tell you ONE thing - getting published by PublishAmerica won't do it.

PublishAmerica has a no-return policy that means the majority of bookstores won't be able to return their books for credit - so they won't even order them for you.

you may be able to find local stores willing to stock on consignment, but at a price - usually a percentage of your list price or some such calculation.

either way, PublishAmerica won't get your book listed anywhere but the online sites, which is NOT where people buy books. They may buy a book they saw in a store or one they've been referred to, but book sales online are not going to make you rich.

Question

Maestrowork, I have something to ask out of curiosity. How long have you been trying to get published (submitting to editors and agents)?

Is this a joke?

I have to wonder if you are joking??:smack

Then a whole lot of questions come up, Dave's question on how long.

Is this your first novel?

Have you considered that the reason others have turned you down is that the novel is maybe just not ready?

And why PA--there are other POD companies that offer e-book and POD. They do quite well, better than PA. Pay better, better contract an so on--

I am shocked.:wha :huh

Shawn

Other questions

I must admit, I also would like to know which agents and publishers you tried.

Re: Other questions

I have a confession to make... as I see that this thread has turned really serious...

I must apologize in advance that this has been a joke, part of a dare last night. I didn't mean it to go this far, but am delighted, actually, to see that you guys do care.

No, I have not and WILL never consider PA. If worse comes to worst, I will consider self pub. Currently, I have not even gone through half the agents on my list yet, not to mention any publishers. Two agents are still reading the ms... (keeping my fingers crossed). I may go ahead and send my ms to another agent this week, though.

Thank you for your concerns. It's really great to know that I'm among friends here. Again, I must sincerely apologize for any heart burn I've given you with this cruel joke.

(Shame on you, the-one-who-shall-remain-nameless who made me do this! But I guess I am to blame to be so convincing...)

Re: Other questions

ah!

fifty lashes with a wet noodle!

*crack*

Re: Other questions

Yes, maestro, we do care. :hug

But not so much because we don't want to see you get burned and have the "PA cloud" looming over your career. But because we hate to see PA lure another one in.

I'm glad this all turned out to be a joke.

There are indeed other better options out there.

As for self-publishing: You would be responsible for EVERYTHING: Editing, typesetting, production, distribution, promotion, etc. I self-publish my poetry books but because my "system" is out of whack, I don't have a success story to share. Yet. I am still learning.

If you are interested in self publishing, there is a group on Yahoo! I belong to called Self Publishing. It is legit and I can send you the link, if you'd like.

I wish you the best with your book and hope you find much success in your writing career.

--Dawn

Re: Other questions

Bad maestro! No biscuit!

Re: Other questions

Dawn, link appreciated.

I can do everything -- I have run business and have been in the consulting business for a while. I can edit and produce. I can design my own book cover, and typeset the book. Almost everything I've read about self publishing I can do. But like I said, the only thing I really know nothing about is distribution -- if I self pub, I'd like to be able to get the books into brick and mortar stores.

I'm not down that path yet. I still have a whole lot of agents/small publishers to try. But I am kind of getting a little impatient and wonder if it's better to DIY.

Re: Other questions

Maestro: I will EZ-mail you the link.

Re: Other questions

:ack