What you WON'T get from PublishAmerica.

tlblack · Dec 9, 2007

I thought this could be where we could list out the things that PA doesn't give you as a writer or printed author. I'm sure I will not get everything listed so feel free to chime in with your own.

As a PA printed author you won't get:

Respect as a writer.

Renowned fame.

A book you can be proud you wrote.

Bookstore placement. (unless you can talk the manager into consigning a few.)

You won't have book sales above what your friends and family buy, or the occasional one you sell when someone just happened to find your book on Amazon or other online bookstore.

You won't have any money left in your bank account because you will have spent it all on promoting and marketing, and buying copies of your own book.

You won't get a big royalty check. You'll be lucky to get one at all.

You won't get to improve on your writing because you'll be too busy trying to sell your book on street corners, restaurants, making up new fliers and bookmarks, printing out business cards to leave at every place you visit or shop. You won't have time to write another, new and more interesting book.

You won't get to brag about how many people stop you on the street corners to ask "Didn't you write so and so book?", because nobody will know you except your friends and family.

You won't be able to sell your book at retail price because the price is too high.

These are just what I thought of off the top of my head in the few minutes it took me to type it up. I'm sure there are more I didn't think to add.

Mel · Dec 9, 2007

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree with at least these below.

Respect as a writer.

We do respect the writers over there. Granted, PA certainly doesn't, but we do.

Renowned fame.

If you look at all the published authors out there, how many do have "renowned fame?"

A book you can be proud you wrote.

When someone sits down and writes a book, beginning, middle and end, then why shouldn't they be proud of it? Finishing a novel is something to be proud of.

You won't get to improve on your writing

Many PA authors have moved on, we know this for a fact, and they work hard at improving their writing. Even if they stay at PA and publish more with them, how can we say they don't improve with each book?

We don't put the writers down, only PA itself.

tlblack · Dec 9, 2007

I wasn't referring to what any other person or group would or does think about any PA author. I have high respect for anyone who can accomplish writing a book and even getting it published. I was only referring to what PA won't give their authors if and/or when they publish with PA.

Since I went through the PA nightmare and know exactly how PA makes you think one thing when there isn't a rats butt chance in Hades of actually getting there, and how they treat you once you start asking questions then my thoughts on it are how I see it. If I'm wrong I'm wrong, (wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last) but having been there, done that, that is how I see it. Personally I wasn't proud of my book after it was printed (before yes) because of the amount of added errors, the lack of editing and the poor condition of the books with the blurry covers and pages falling out of them. As for renowned fame, I wasn't looking to gain that, but many are and should know that they won't get it from PA. Many won't even try to improve their writing and will submit subsequent works to PA because of how easy it is to get published, and because they will believe everything PA or some on the PAMB say as the way it is.

Perhaps I'm too close to it to call it anything other than what it is... A scam. No sorry's necessary. We are all entitled to our opinions. I wasn't and am not putting down any writer. All I was trying to do is point out what a writer won't get from PA. Please don't read more into it than that.

emsuniverse · Dec 9, 2007

I think I understand what TL meant here...

You won't get respect as a writer outside the group of other PA authors. If you walk into a chain bookstore and say "Hi! I wrote XXX and it's published by PublishAmerica!" you aren't going to get respect, usually. You'll just get the runaround or being told that your publisher sucks.

A book you'd be proud you wrote is something you won't get if you go with PA because the materials the books are printed on are cheap, the covers are stock photos, the binding is awful, it's insanely overpriced and there are usually tons of typos introduced in it courtesy of PA. You won't be proud of the actual book itself, but you could still be proud of the story, of what you wrote, and what you accomplished by writing it.

I hope I explained that well enough... That's how I took it, anyway.

Susan Gable · Dec 10, 2007

You won't get proper editing.

Susan G.

allenparker · Dec 10, 2007

from my experience

You won't get industry important reviews. As such, your work won't be noted by the stocking public (libraries, bookstores, etc.).

You won't get a chance at awards necessary for peer recognition UNLESS you submit them yourself.

That said, I personally got several review copies sent out from PA, but this was AFTER publication and too late for reviews from places like LJ, PW, and etc.

just a thought...

twnkltoz · Dec 10, 2007

Another way of explaining the respect issue: if you get a book published through a traditional publisher, agents and publishers are more likely to look at you than if you use PA. A PA book is going to do nothing for your resume, and in fact, might even do some harm.

AC Crispin · Dec 10, 2007

I've had 22 books published. Seven made the NY Times bestseller list. I have yet to have anyone stop me on a street corner to ask me if I wrote (title). I'm sure some people would recognize Stephen King on sight (mostly because he always does a bit part in one of the movies made from his books), but how many of us would recognize a favorite writer who isn't part of our field?

I wouldn't recognize Anne Tyler, for example, though I've read almost all her books.

I've had people recognize my NAME when I was introduced at a public meeting, etc., and come up to me afterwards to ask me if I'm the author of that name.

But as for recognizing me on the street, nope. I suspect it's the same for most writers we haven't met personally.

-Ann C. Crispin

Jersey Chick · Dec 10, 2007

Don't forget, most agents and publishers wont' consider a PA book as a publishing credential. And it can possibly hurt you in the future.

Joanna_S · Dec 10, 2007

AC Crispin said:
I've had 22 books published. Seven made the NY Times bestseller list. I have yet to have anyone stop me on a street corner to ask me if I wrote (title). I'm sure some people would recognize Stephen King on sight (mostly because he always does a bit part in one of the movies made from his books), but how many of us would recognize a favorite writer who isn't part of our field?

And yet how many times have we read on the PAMB some PA author claiming truckloads of people recognized them on the street, oohed and ahhed over their "published author" status, and demanded oodles of autographs? I've read this over and over again (with perhaps the most striking example being the man who claimed a large group of diners were sitting next to his table, all had copies of his book with them, and crowded around raving about his book and begging autographs). This is a part of Author the RPG that only exists in fantasy. I suppose those naive of the reality of publishing might think this sort of thing happens to "famous authors" (i.e. anyone who has ever had a book printed) but it has nothing to do with reality.

So, yes, fame is not a byproduct of getting a PA book published. It's not a byproduct for most people for getting published. However, name recognition is a different story. That can happen to legitimately published authors but won't for PA writers.

-- Joanna

Jersey Chick · Dec 10, 2007

I think I'd drop dead of shock if anyone came up to me (anyone who wasn't already related to me, anyway). And then I'd think of Kathy Bates in Misery and run screaming for the hills.

However, in my imagination.... now there's another story entirely...

Gratian Gasparri · Dec 11, 2007

While you will spend a lot of time marketing your own books with PA, they won't hire you a publicist who books you solid for a week of radio, television and print interviews.

Joanna_S · Dec 11, 2007

You won't get any lucrative foreign rights sales.

Saundra Julian · Dec 12, 2007

You'll have "given away" your first rights to that book and have a very hard time getting a PA book reprinted by anyone, even a small press.

IceCreamEmpress · Dec 12, 2007

You won't get a decent-quality printed book for your friends or family, even (at least, according to the posts on the PA message board complaining about curling covers, bleeding ink, etc.)

What you WON'T get from PublishAmerica.

tlblack

nothing simple here

Mel

Never be completely back to normal.

tlblack

nothing simple here

emsuniverse

Back to freelancing again...

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

allenparker

Naked Futon Guy

twnkltoz

AC Crispin

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Joanna_S

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Gratian Gasparri

Grand Inquisitor

Joanna_S

Saundra Julian

A work in progress

IceCreamEmpress

Hapless Virago