Writerbear said:
I have had several offers from publishers and agents that I turned down because I did my homework and found the publisher or agent to be a complete scam.
It'd save you time and postage if you did your homework before you submit/query.
And they are not strictly POD in the sense that some people think of POD as a swear word. I checked their distribution network before signing and spoke to local bookstore owners. They distribute through Ingrams in the US and have a return policy so that all the major chain bookstores can carry their books.
POD is POD is POD. Your books will not be in stores unless you put them there.
I paid the $5 US fee for a quicker read because, frankly, it put me in their contest and the cost of printing off my manuscript and mailing it would have been sufficiently more to send it anywhere else (though I did have others looking at it).
I hope none of the other places had a "no simultaneous submissions" policy.
I won Best Fiction and my prize is in the mail.
What did you win? According to their website, the only monetary prize is for "Best in Show", which I presume to be the "Best Overall Title" listed on their winners page.
They've signed two of my books for publication. I have editing notes on both of them.
Happen to know anyone who's been rejected? Please don't let them talk you into any of their editing packages.
They're already working on interviews for publicity purposes and have discussed book launches locally and doing book signings.
Who will be supplying the books for these events?
And I'm not a hack writer with no credits to my name or brain in my head. I have three pieces of work, including a short story, coming out in the May/June and July/August issues of Crimespree Magazine, amongst my other credits.
Well, a 4theluv fanzine is generally not considered a publishing credit. Do you have any experience being paid for your work?
Originally Posted by CaoPaux
Oh, Ghod. "Untitled fiction novel" is bad enough, but for Tico to display submissions is unprofessional. They may intend well, but they're clueless.
And while it may be odd to do this, and some may not like it, I always appreciated knowing the status of my submission.
It's not odd, it's unprofessional. It's a breach of your privacy, could ruin your chance to submit that particular manuscript to another publisher, and could get you into trouble with the publishers you've admitted you've simsubbed to.
I was never kept in the dark, and further to that people have a choice before submitting - they know how Tico works.
Not all light is healthy. Also, people may learn how TICO works, but do they know it’s not how commercial publishing works?
Unlike other places that never respond to you or read your work - I got my editorial feedback BEFORE the publishing contract offers - 3 weeks in fact.
What kind of feedback? Actual plot/theme/character development, or simply grammar corrections?
The editorial feedback was first review, then it went to second review and then I was offered a contract. So I got a lot of helpful advice from them before they even knew I would sign a contract.
Ever take a psychology course? That is, how much of what they said was what you wanted to hear?
Frankly, getting anyone to publish previously unpublished authors, and to actually read their submissions, is damn impressive.
Untrue. Scores of new authors are pubbed every year (read Publishers’ Weekly). Also, thousands get read every day to be -- surprise! -- judged still unpublishable.
What do we see on forums like this? People shoot off with their opinions and hide behind a mask of anonymity so they don't have to own what they say.
On the contrary; this forum requires any statement, anonymous or otherwise, to be supported by verifiable evidence. Otherwise, it will be vivisected eight ways from Sunday by authors, editors, publishers, and agents, most of whom do indeed post under their real name.
Of course anyone as transparent at Tico would seem odd.
…to anyone with access to Google.
And further to all of that, I also had the contract assessed by a friend of mine that used to work at Mondo publishing and now works at Rosen. As my friend, she only cared I got a fair deal and came out certain in the end that this was a good, legitimate option.
This Mondo?
http://www.mondopub.com/ And this Rosen?
http://www.rosenpublishing.com/ With all due respect to your friend, offering advice on TICO from a background of YA educational non-fiction is like a figure skater advising on a hockey team. Yes, there’s ice and speed involved, but there the similarities end.
We wish you the best with your book, and hope you get everything you expect from TICO.
