WordWright.biz, Inc. / WordWright Books / Abilene Book Award

[Bill Barnes]

Anybody know anything about Wordwright.biz?

 

[zizban]

A google search turns up nothing so i went to their website. They seem to be a general editing/publishing service, ghostwriting, editing and POD. Their One Night Books things LOOKS traditional in its nature and they claim their POD books are returnable. I'd like to see proof.

 

[BlueTexas]

A woman from this company spoke at a rinky-dink event where I am, and my dad is now convinced he wants them to publish his fiction novel. The woman says she self-pubbed her first three, and then went with a trad. publisher and still recco's self-pubbing, and Dad -duh- doesn't see this as bad.

I think this is a rotten idea. The site sends up all kinds of red flags... fiction authors must have a marketing plan, use MS Word's passive voice checker (!!!), "all monies flow from us to you"--no further explaination.

Has anyone dealt with them? Anyone see any more red flags? I've never published a novel, just non-fic, but this sounds like a scam.

 

[brinkett]

Some small presses now ask for a marketing plan when you submit, so that isn't a red flag. Authors are expected to play some role in marketing their novel these days.

 

[Jaws]

Some small presses now ask for a marketing plan when you submit, so that isn't a red flag. Authors are expected to play some role in marketing their novel these days.

I disagree here. Perhaps a small press might want to see a marketing plan for a work of nonfiction, but a competent small press won't want a marketing plan at submission time for a work of fiction. After acceptance, sure; maybe, in exceptional cases, when the editor is taking something to an acquisitions committee, the editor will request a marketing plan; but not at submission time. And that's the way it should be: Fiction has a completely different sales model from nonfiction, and anybody competent who is acquiring fiction understands that. There might be a couple of exceptions out there, but I'm not aware of any who would be appropriate places to submit fiction manuscripts.

At least until now, this is a subtle warning sign of problems ahead. Much of the time, it's of scammers; sometimes it's just inexperienced/inept small presses, or perhaps just ambiguous guidelines.

 

[James D. Macdonald]

Has anyone dealt with them? Anyone see any more red flags? I've never published a novel, just non-fic, but this sounds like a scam.

Has anyone seen one of their books in a bookstore?

 

[brinkett]

I disagree here. Perhaps a small press might want to see a marketing plan for a work of nonfiction, but a competent small press won't want a marketing plan at submission time for a work of fiction. After acceptance, sure;

Mundania Press (recommended at P&E) states on their web site that one of the things they look for when evaluating a submission is that the author has a marketing plan. Medallion Press asks for a personal marketing strategy with submissions. Dragon Moon Press wants marketing ideas with each submission. These are just a few I've come across, and I've only just started looking at publishers. I don't think asking for a marketing plan is an automatic red flag these days. I asked Victoria this question a while back and the response was that it's not unusual with smaller presses, and my surfing around the net has confirmed that.

As usual, everyone should thoroughly investigate a small press before submitting to it.

 

[PVish]

I think this is a rotten idea. The site sends up all kinds of red flags... fiction authors must have a marketing plan, use MS Word's passive voice checker (!!!), "all monies flow from us to you"--no further explaination.

Has anyone dealt with them? Anyone see any more red flags? I've never published a novel, just non-fic, but this sounds like a scam.

Never dealt with them and wouldn't want to after looking at their site, but red flags are indeed flapping all over that website:

1. The homepage and the “About Us” page are the same. (Shouldn’t an editor have caught that?)
2. “WordWright.biz is a U.S. publishing corporation based in the mountains of West Texas.” (Yeah, those Texas mountains are a hotbed of publishing activity.)
3. “. . . approached the business in a much different manner than traditional publishing houses.” (An editor should know it’s “different from.” And there’s that tip-off word, “traditional.”)
4. “We focus on the author not the genre of the book” but “We do not publish children’s books or cook books.”
5. The "bookcation" idea: “Come to the Big Bend of Texas and work on that book in a wonderland of desert mountain beauty that has something to offer everyone.” And “. . . we can help you with editing, proofreading, brainstorming book ideas, or marketing plans, or with whatever you need” and “You’ll stay in a modern 27- foot travel trailer equipped with AC, refrigerator, stove, microwave, bathroom with shower, and sleep in a queen sized bed. You’ll have the peace and solitude you need to concentrate.” (How many other editor/publishers have their authors live in essentially a tin can in the desert or mountains/whatever?)
6. “Coaching: We provide coaching, consulting and editing to help aspiring authors get published. Our other services include editing, proofreading, cover design, book design, ghostwriting, manuscript evaluation, creating query letters and book proposals, agent research, and more.” (In other words, we want money from you newbies who don’t know how publishing works.)
7. From their maunscript requirements: “A complete manuscript of between 20,000 and 25,000 words” (This is a short story!)
8. “Title page should include title, author’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address, word count and social security number.” (Social security number for just a submission?)

There are more red flags. These are just the highlights.

 

[Popeyesays]

Alpine, Texas is a beautiful spot-up in the mountains, well treed and green. I went to a tennis tournament there when I was 13. Please note I turn 59 this year so we're talking about forty-six years ago.

It's the Davis Mountains, as I recall, down in the Big Bend Area not far from lots of recreation and amazing country-side.

However, it is not-to my knowledge-a publishing Mecca of any sort. I would approach with caution and ready to run at the first flick of the deer's tail.

Regards,
Scott

 

[victoriastrauss]

I asked Victoria this question a while back and the response was that it's not unusual with smaller presses, and my surfing around the net has confirmed that.

It's true that it's not unusual, but it's not a recommendation for the press. As Jaws says, competent commercial publishers, small and large, are unlikely to demand a marketing plan with a novel. I won't say "never," because you really can't say never in this business. But in my opinion, asking for a marketing plan with a fiction submission is a warning sign--if not of a questionable publisher, then of one that may not be capable of doing its own marketing/distributing. If my response to you didn't make that clear, I was remiss, and I apologize.

- Victoria

 

[victoriastrauss]

A woman from this company spoke at a rinky-dink event where I am, and my dad is now convinced he wants them to publish his fiction novel. The woman says she self-pubbed her first three, and then went with a trad. publisher and still recco's self-pubbing, and Dad -duh- doesn't see this as bad.

I looked her up on Amazon (Joan R. Neubauer), and the only thing among her several publications that might possibly qualify as "traditional" is a book on journaling for the Complete Idiots line (a solid credit, but, as Jaws will explain, not one that really fits the commercial publishing model).

There are so many red flags in just the text on the index page of the website alone! This looks to me like yet another amateur publisher established by a writer of dubious credentials who wants to provide a "fix" for an imaginary version of the commercial publishing industry.

- Victoria

 

[Lydia Manx]

I just had this horrid visual of a hot bed of white slavery in Texas mountains. Your ID being sold while you were tucked away in the plus 27 foot tin can during a lightning storm. Of course the theme music to "Walker: Texas Ranger" was thumping in the background.


Maybe it's just me.

 

[PVish]

http://www.wordwright.biz/html/abilene_book_award.html

Now they're offering a publishing contract as a prize!

WordWright.biz and The West Texas Book & Music Festival proudly announce the Abilene Book Award. It costs nothing to enter and you win a publishing contract with WordWright.biz that costs the winning author nothing. In fact, the winning author will receive a $250 advance!

However, only Texas residents may enter. I wonder if the winner has to pay rent to stay in the 27-foot travel trailer or if that's part of the prize.

"All entries will be judged solely by WordWright.biz." That's two people, right? And all submissions must be according to their guidelines, so I assume that means a marketing plan. . . .

 

[soloset]

The very first line of their submissions page turns me off completely.

Congratulations! You’ve just discovered how to secure that long sought after royalty contract.

Authors of One Night Books will possess three very important characteristics: a marketable, polished manuscript; excellent, energetic public speaking skills; and superior sales skills.

If I liked using my superior sales skills, I wouldn't have quit my last job.

 

[PVish]

Authors of One Night Books will possess three very important characteristics: a marketable, polished manuscript; excellent, energetic public speaking skills; and superior sales skills.

Am I the only one who envisions the winner being hauled from town to town in a 27-foot travel trailer full of books and being forced to sell those books door-to-door? ("Hi, I hope I'm not disturbing you, but I've got this great polished manuscript that's hot off the press, and I know you'll want to buy several copies for yourself and all your friends. . . .")

 

[PVish]

It was only a matter of time before WordWright went into the vanity publishing business. A new link on their website ("WordWright Heritage Books") coughed up this: http://specialdeliverybooks.com/html/services.html

We provide a full menu of services for authors to get their book into bookstores, and that includes everything from ghostwriting and editing, cover design, proofreading, registrations, to distribution and promotion. Some authors require more guidance than others, and we happily provide it.

While the author pays for our services for the subsidy imprints, we do pay royalties on sales via bookstores, the Internet, and other outlets. You, as the author, retain all rights to subsidy imprint books and can market it to a larger publishing house. Our royalties typically range from $4 to $5 per book. For direct sales, you may make as much as $10 per book because you can buy your book for about 66% off the retail price. Your initial order will contain 100 books but after that you can order any quantity, even just one!

After telling how their books are "available" in 25,000 stores, etc., they add this:

We also market your book to audio book companies and we’re proud to say that some of our authors’ books appear in some of the finest truck stops across America!

Truck stops! Even PA can't boast of that!

Their promotions page is good for laughs, but put down your coffee before you read the submissions page:

When an author decides to work with us, we request that they e-mail us a brief synopsis of the book (no more than two pages) and a few pages of the text. The synopsis should describe the entire book. We’ll review the synopsis and if it looks like something we’d like to publish, we’ll request the complete manuscript, edit a few sample pages and return them to you for no fee. Editing is a crucial part of the process and it's important that you see the type of edits we think your manuscript might need.

Along with the edits, we’ll provide a contract/estimate. Our contracts provide a payment schedule, usually three or four payments, but sometimes more, that lets you pay as the work progresses. We’ve found that many authors prefer the convenience and control this approach provides. We accept cash, checks, and all major credit cards.

I'm guessing that anything they get will "look like something" they want to publish, and it will require extensive/expensive editing.

Just when you think you've seen it all. . . .

 

[CaoPaux]

Welp, unless I'm missing an imprint, activity ceased in '13. Anyone have recent contact?

 

[triceretops]

Welp, unless I'm missing an imprint, activity ceased in '13. Anyone have recent contact?

Nothing going on as far as I can see.