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AuthorHouse / WordClay / Words of Belief / Author Solutions, Inc.

soloset

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PVish said:
I'll play devil's advocate here: Parents paying to publish their kid's book might be one of the legitimate uses of POD—small niche market, etc. The set-up fees are cheaper than the cost of a Playstation and the experience might last longer. Much cheaper than complete self-publishing, POD gives the kid 15 minutes of fame at the signing, etc.

The girl you know sounds very level-headed. The girl in the article doesn't. She's being set up to think she's already as good as she's ever going to get, and that's pretty much a self-fufilling prophecy.

I don't think I'd ever self-pub a child's work. Fifteen minutes of fame mean nothing if they're not earned, and self-pub isn't earned (you earn the respect by what you do with the work after it's self-pubbed, not by the act of self-pubbing).

Wouldn't it be better to help the child learn to write better, in the long run?
 

Christine N.

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Yes, Haunted Delaware, I've actually heard of that book. But I live in NJ.

You're right - a small niche market is a good use of self-publishing. In fact it's a near perfect solution.


I transcribed my great-grandmother's 1901 diary; included notes about places she mentioned, photos and a family tree. I did it up on Lulu and bought copies for all interested family parties for Christmas.

Would I try and sell it to a publisher? No. Heck, I'm not even putting it out for the public. I didn't buy an ISBN.

But I think lulu is a great place for parent's to have their kids books printed up. I think teachers who have a class writing project could use it to give copies to all their kids.

So on one level I agree - doing something like that is encouraging a kid to keep working. On the other hand... if you give a child the sense that they've "published" a book, they may not progress. Much like the PA mindset we've seen from some, you get the "why do I have to learn" syndrome.

Rejection is a much better teacher, IMO.
 

PVish

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soloset said:
Wouldn't it be better to help the child learn to write better, in the long run?

Yep. And I know several adults who need to learn to write better, too.

Unfortunately, schools in my state—thanks to the Standards of Learning—are teaching kids to write badly. Kids who don't follow the formula for writing essays do poorly in class and on the SOL tests.

When I began my writing-in-residency, many teachers asked for writing help for their students. What they wanted me to do was strip creativity from their students, have them conform to the formula, and have them use lots of adjectives and adverbs for description. (What is an "embedded adjective" any way? Kids are expected to have them in their essays, but none of the teachers I asked could tell me what it is.)

Kids who began their essays with an interesting hook were penalized. Fortunately the creative writing students i worked with knew they had to write badly to do well on the SOLs and could shift gears accordingly. (I love what one girl said: "If you tell everything your essay is about in the first sentence of your introduction, why bother to write the rest of the essay?")

Many elementary teachers in my area (I work with high schoolers) have their students enter the American Literary (or is it Literacy?) Council contest, which means parents are buying over-priced books to see their kids' work in print.

As for using Lulu for class projects, many teachers* (and parents) don't have the skills or the patience to set up a PDF file. Some of the PODs have easy-to-follow directions. Plus the PODs make the work available on Amazon, so grandparents on the other side of the country can buy it if they want.

From Christine:
On the other hand... if you give a child the sense that they've "published" a book, they may not progress. Much like the PA mindset we've seen from some, you get the "why do I have to learn" syndrome.
Some kids—and I'm lucky to work with a bunch of them!—are always looking for ways to improve. Each new project has to be better than the last. Those kids will do fine. It's the kids—and adults—with only one book in them that want to rest on their laurels.

One concern I have with kids publishing books—or even articles—is that they'll later be embarrassed by what they wrote when they were younger.

This year, I've met a few kids who were embarrassed that they'd been taken by the International Library of Poetry. (I was too, I tell them. And then I tell them about my dog who is a semi-finalist and who is working on a book to submit to PA). But a lot of kids already know that there are lots of scams out there. And these kids already know that publishing isn't easy.

*One teacher I worked with sponsored the school paper. Big "holes" mysteriously appeared in all the justified columns of the paper. I was able to explain why—and how to fix them. Seems that this teacher insisted students were to put TWO spaces after every period they way her typing teacher had taught her. Not too bad for class reports with ragged right margins, but hell on justified text.
 
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J.S Greer

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JennaGlatzer said:
J.S, nice job on the letter. I think you hit just the right tone with it. So many local papers print stories like this ("local author gets published!"), and it would be great if people here would help educate the reporters about the differences between vanity publishing and commercial publishing. Could save others from getting their hearts broken when they find out it's not the same at all.

Thanks for the compliment.

I just checked my Gmail after reading this thread again, and found this:

Hello,
I’d like to use your letter Re: Jaclyn Gallucci’s Light Years, in our letters to the editor page, will you kindly grant permission and your hometown.
As a side note my editor passes along his regrets and says
“Good point, it was a bad omission on our part.”

Please be aware the letter may be cut for spacing needs.

Thanks,

April Jimenez
Long Island Press
575 Underhill Blvd. Suite 210
Syosset, NY 11791
516-284-3310
516-284-3311 - fax
The award-winning Long Island Press has a print readership of 450,000 and a web readership of more than 2 million. It is distributed throughout Long Island and New York City.

Wow, was I suprised at that. Looks like we have earned a small victory on the POD front.

Does this mean im published?!? :hooray:
 

Christine N.

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Well, I can agree with the difficulty in setting up a .pdf file. I think it took me all day to make mine work, because I didn't know how to set up my computer to take the 6x9 page size when converting. I did finally find the answer on the Lulu forums.

The lulu site also has a converter. It's a matter of uploading the file. I didn't use the lulu one because I was using an unsupported font. Now that I've done it once, I can certainly do it over and over quite easily.

It's not impossible to learn, and cheaper :)

I also agree that there are kids that know the score; however having a book published by a vanity house I still don't think is the best teacher. And I agree that they may be embarrassed. :)
 

LitFa

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Wow, was I suprised at that. Looks like we have earned a small victory on the POD front.

Does this mean im published?!? :hooray:

Good job!
 

James D. Macdonald

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For the umteenth time:

Self-publishing works best for:

1) Specialized non-fiction
2) Niche fiction
3) Poetry

In almost every case you get better sales, retain more control, and get more respect by going with true self-publishing rather than going with a vanity or an authormill.
 

J.S Greer

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A little update...

Im suprised that they published my letter after all. Im not suprised at the editors response, but at least he allowed a non-flattering view to be published.

The complete text of Greer's letter and the Editor's response is as follows:

TO SELF-PUBLISH OR PERISH?

Dear Editor:

It is a wonderful thing to see a young person of only 13 years tackle the ominous task of writing a novel. That in and of itself is an accomplishment worthy of note, and as that was the point of the article ["Teen Author is Light Years Ahead," Nov. 30], then I say "Good for her." Unfortunately, you didn't mention that AuthorHouse is a self-publishing company. First and foremost is the fact that anyone who reads the article, especially younger writers who aspire to publish a novel of their own, will be misled. AuthorHouse will print work by anyone who will pay their printing fees, which range from $600 to $1000 initially. It is in business to take the author's money while providing little or no editing, no advertisement or marketing, and few or no sales, other than to the author's family and friends. Most bookstores won't carry self-published books because of the non-return policy and poor discounts offered, not to mention the industry-wide stigma attached to self-published work, which is observed by bookstores as a whole. It is poor reporting to not include these items. While the piece was a nice story about a little girl achieving her dreams, it is in no way a barometer of expectation that anyone else aspiring to publish a novel can expect.

JS Greer, Clinton Township, Mich.

Editor's note: AuthorHouse does print author's works for a fee. But editing, marketing, and other services--including distribution through major online outlets-- are available, and the fact that numerous self-published works have become best sellers has softened the old stigma.

Apparently a member here at AW got a hold of that and posted/commented on it via their live journal. AW members are everywhere!

Here's the link:
http://writerross.livejournal.com/109558.html
 

jamiehall

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J.S Greer said:
Apparently a member here at AW got a hold of that and posted/commented on it via their live journal. AW members are everywhere!

Here's the link:
http://writerross.livejournal.com/109558.html

One of the most important tidbits is lower down in the article. I quote:

"The piece de resistance of the above publication information: You would not be surprised to learn this Editor-in-Chief-- Robbie Wolliver-- self-published both books referenced above with that wuvable wascal of print-on-demand fame, iUNIVERSE.

Ah-hah. The plot thickens."
 

J.S Greer

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jamiehall said:
One of the most important tidbits is lower down in the article. I quote:

"The piece de resistance of the above publication information: You would not be surprised to learn this Editor-in-Chief-- Robbie Wolliver-- self-published both books referenced above with that wuvable wascal of print-on-demand fame, iUNIVERSE.

Ah-hah. The plot thickens. "

It always does. :tongue
 

pink lily

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Carrier opines on Authorhouse and Prometheus

Since this post is a commentary on two publishers, I wasn't sure if I should add it to an existing thread. Mods, merge if I made a mistake.

On another message board, I found a recent post by Richard Carrier, author of Sense and Goodness without God: A Defense of Metaphysical Naturalism.

To read the entire post, click: On the Publication of Sense and Goodness. It was posted on January 16, 2007, so his opinions of self-publishing through Authorhouse and Prometheus Books are current.

In summary, Prometheus sat on his manuscript for 2 years. Two weeks after he signed a contract with Authorhouse, Prometheus made an offer. His dealings with them were not satisfactory.

Regarding the quality of Authorhouse, he said:
As to AuthorHouse's marketing materials, those are extremely limited and all author-generated. Hence they only correct typos when the author is conscientious enough to tell them to. I am not completely happy with AuthorHouse, but as a businessman, I must admit they are economically unbeatable, and more professional in the way they have treated me than Prometheus. But since AuthorHouse requires the author to shoulder all the burden of editing and proofing, the text quality is limited to the author's own diligence and ability.

Does anyone else have an opinion on Authorhouse or Prometheus? I guess I should keep shopping around, eh? ;)
 

victoriastrauss

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I'm moving this post to the AuthorHouse thread.

Mr. Carrier says that Prometheus came through with an offer after he'd signed with AuthorHouse, and thus he turned them down. What a shame--Prometheus's interest suggests that his book was commercially viable.

His impression of Prometheus's "unprofessionalism" seems to be based on the fact that they held his ms. for two years--not unusual when an unagented author submits direct to a trade publisher--and also, I would guess, on ignorance of the realities of publishing. AuthorHouse can be a reasonable choice if you have a niche project and can reach your audience directly, but for most books a publisher like Prometheus--which would have offered an advance, real editing and design, sales support, and national distribution--is the way to go, if possible.

- Victoria
 

pink lily

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victoriastrauss said:
I'm moving this post to the AuthorHouse thread.

Mr. Carrier says that Prometheus came through with an offer after he'd signed with AuthorHouse, and thus he turned them down. What a shame--Prometheus's interest suggests that his book was commercially viable.

His impression of Prometheus's "unprofessionalism" seems to be based on the fact that they held his ms. for two years--not unusual when an unagented author submits direct to a trade publisher--and also, I would guess, on ignorance of the realities of publishing. AuthorHouse can be a reasonable choice if you have a niche project and can reach your audience directly, but for most books a publisher like Prometheus--which would have offered an advance, real editing and design, sales support, and national distribution--is the way to go, if possible.

- Victoria
Thank you for both the move/merge and the excellent advice! :)
 

citymouse

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That is sad. Did Prometheus know that the book was out with AH? If so and they still made the offer Mr. C could have canceled with AH.
C


victoriastrauss said:
I'm moving this post to the AuthorHouse thread.

Mr. Carrier says that Prometheus came through with an offer after he'd signed with AuthorHouse, and thus he turned them down. What a shame--Prometheus's interest suggests that his book was commercially viable.

His impression of Prometheus's "unprofessionalism" seems to be based on the fact that they held his ms. for two years--not unusual when an unagented author submits direct to a trade publisher--and also, I would guess, on ignorance of the realities of publishing. AuthorHouse can be a reasonable choice if you have a niche project and can reach your audience directly, but for most books a publisher like Prometheus--which would have offered an advance, real editing and design, sales support, and national distribution--is the way to go, if possible.

- Victoria
 

pink lily

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citymouse said:
That is sad. Did Prometheus know that the book was out with AH? If so and they still made the offer Mr. C could have canceled with AH.
I think he didn't hear from Prometheus until 2 weeks after he signed with Authorhouse.
 

timwahl

Authorhouse keeps coming up. Are they crooked? I've been thinking of iUniverse or Xlibrus as a POD for my book. Authorhouse, too, but I don't know their reputation. At least the otehr two are subsidiaries of reputable firms (Barnes & Noble and Random House)
 

Anne Lyle

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Authorhouse is another vanity press. AFAIK they are not crooks, but no legit agent would submit a manuscript to them. Why? Because legit agents get their money by charging a percentage of the author's advance and vanity presses don't pay advances - so why would the agent bother with them, unless it was the only way to get you a publishing contract and dupe you into handing over cash?

There's nothing wrong with going to a vanity press yourself to get a few copies of a memoir or other book of limited appeal - it's just got nothing to do with the normal author->agent->editor process of mainstream publishing.
 

James D. Macdonald

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Authorhouse, iUniverse, Xlibris: all pay-to-play vanities.

No one needs an agent to get vanity published. If an agent sends you to a vanity it's prima facie evidence that the agent is a crook or incompetent or both.

Barnes & Noble has been selling off its share in iUniverse for years; they no longer mention iU on their filings with the SEC. Xlibris and Random House are both owned by the same multi-national corporation, but that's as far as the relationship goes.

Avoid any and all of them -- none of them will get you readers.
 

ntn

AuthorHouse's customer service

hello from a long time lurker on the bewares and background forum. Hope this post comes out OK...:)

A friend of mine recently exhibited what I read as enthusiasm for Authorhouse. I browsed their site to find info, and ended up browsing through their selection of children's books for something to read. It annoyed me that AH lumped YA books in with children's picture books, as most were the former and I had to trawl through about 30 pbs to get a look at one YA book, so I dug out AH's 'customer suggestions for site improvement' form, and suggested they split YA books and younger children's books into separate sections, to make browsing their hundreds of titles easier for prospective readers like myself. I gave them my email, as I was interested to see their reaction to what I feel is not an unreasonable suggestion.

This is what I received as a reply within a day:

Hello-

We would be more than happy to add your book to a young adult/teen
genre, but unfortunately we do not offer one. Genres are based on the
number of books we have published to accommodate that particular genre.
For instance, we have published numerous fiction books and memoirs, but
we have not published many teen/young adult books. As soon as there is
a large volume of teen/young adult books we will offer that genre.

So, I apologize for not being able to accommodate your wants and I hope
this explanation suffices.

If you have any questions feel free to contact me and I will be happy to
help. Thanks and have a wonderful day.

Kevin Finley
Author Assistant Team
AuthorHouse
1663 Liberty Drive Suite 200
Bloomington, IN 47403
Toll Free 1-888-728-8467
Fax: 1-812-339-6554
Book Orders: 1-888-280-7715


Now, this is open to interpretation. Have fun!

For those who care, here's my interpretations:

1.AuthorHouse are focussed on selling books to their own authors. Their idea of a 'customer' is one of their authors. The idea of a customer who is not one of their authors is so foreign to them that they do not check their identity form to see what box the author ticked (ie 'AH author' or 'customer.'


2. AuthorHouse has a bad relationship with some of its authors. They assume a customer complaint coming from someone who describes him/herself as a reader/browser must be one of their authors in disguise, complaining about the fate of his or her own book. They will happily address someone they believe to be their author with 'Hello-'.

3. This was a genuine mistake by the dude in the customer services department, and doesn't mean anything sinister at all. He was having an off day. Happens to us all...

Disclaimer -- I am not published. I am certainly not one of AH's authors. I genuinely was looking for YA books to read and review.

I haven't written them a reply yet -- 'No I'm not one of your authors in disguise' is just too weird to type in the box so far. LOL anyone have any ideas?

My opinion of these guys, fwiw, remains to go with Lulu instead or hire your own printer etc.
 

monigarr

the book title is.......

Build your own army of WebBots by Monica Lamb

It is still selling in the bookstores, and I never really promoted it. It was one of my past experiments where I chose to jump in and learn by doing.

I have to say that it's been an excellant painless learning experience too. I wrote the book in 2000, I pitched it to publishers with no bites. So, I saved my money up and paid a POD to publish it for me (1stBooks).

FYI: Yes, I am Warriorbadge.
 
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amystone

I'm a bit worried as I was thinking of printing with Authorhouse in the UK but from what I've read the feedback doesn't sound too good. I wonder if anyone knows if the UK one is better as sometimes it can depend on the staff? One branch of a company might be bad and another might have a great team?

Amy
 

Popeyesays

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I'm a bit worried as I was thinking of printing with Authorhouse in the UK but from what I've read the feedback doesn't sound too good. I wonder if anyone knows if the UK one is better as sometimes it can depend on the staff? One branch of a company might be bad and another might have a great team?

Amy


How good can it be when it's pay for play?

Examine every commercial alternative before you consider vanity/self-pubbing a book.

Regards,
Scott
 

amystone

Thanks Scott

I need to look around a bit and read up some more methinks!

Amy