1. Francis de Aguilar

    Francis de Aguilar Contributor Contributor

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    Austin Macauley. Experience

    Discussion in 'Publisher Discussion' started by Francis de Aguilar, Dec 3, 2018.

    Has anyone had any dealings with Austin Macauley Publishers?
    I have had a favourable response and wondered if they are worth considering.

    Hmm, a quick search reveals much. Looks like they are Vanity publishers, and just want to take money from me.

    Still, be good to hear other points of view.
     
    Last edited: Dec 3, 2018
  2. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    they're a vanity publisher don't touch them with a shitty stick ... everyone gets a favourable response...because their business is to charge authors (generally about 3 grand) to publish
     
  3. Francis de Aguilar

    Francis de Aguilar Contributor Contributor

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    Yeah, gotcha.
    For a minute there...
     
  4. Philliggi

    Philliggi Member

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    I've submitted my story to these, before I saw this thread, and like you, got a favourable response.
    Reading between the lines though it's very generic and could be written about any book.

    Its especially strange as I don't actually consider the book finished. The story is, but it's far from polished, not spell checked and I know at least 1, possibly 2 areas still need work.

    I only submitted to see how the process works.

    Is there anyone you would recommend me trying to publish with, as a first time author?
     
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  5. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    if you want to trad publish go with a recognised house - either big 5 or at least a known name... you probably need to try to get an agent first- but sort out the areas that need work and the polishing before you do anything else.

    Or you could self publish

    but don't for the love of god go with a vanity
     
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  6. Partridge

    Partridge Senior Member

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    People behind these vanity firms deserve to be slapped in the face with a cactus.
    As somebody who has been involved with the publishing industry in the past, I can say that no reputable publisher will ask you to pay them for your work.

    You will have to cough up some money to self publish (as I will be doing soon for my first novel) but nothing anywhere near 3k. My budget isn't even over £1000 and that includes and editor and custom cover.
     
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  7. Sarah Lees

    Sarah Lees New Member

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    My partner has sent his first book to a few different publishers and lots of agents, Austin macauley is the only offer he has had of publishing. He had planned to self publish but he has said it will cost him £1200 to publish without printing any books at all, is this expensive for self publishing and should he be doing it a different way?
    He would have to pay £6 per book he got printed and would sell them for £16.
    I'm unsure why a one off cost of £3300 is so bad given how much printing and advertising costs?
     
  8. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Austin Mcauley are a notorious vanity publisher - I'd say don't touch them with a bargepole

    The reason the £3300 is bad is because they won't do anything much to sell the books or produce a truly marketable product - you'll wind up giving up most of your royalty for nothing.

    If you self publish your likely costs are editing (in the region of £500-900 for an 80k novel depending on the level needed) and a decent cover Circa £100 to £400 depending on who you use.

    With print sales through amazon (or ingram spark for extended distro) you won't pay anything until a book is ordered ... then its paid for out of the payment the customer makes before you get your share

    But the vast majority of self published income is from ebooks where you'll get circa 70% of the royalty (or a KENP payment if you're in KU).

    You'll also have to pay for advertising (but you'll have to advertise whatever route you go, including if you want to sell anything that AM publish)

    a) you can either give AM (or Nova or various others) £3300 and most of your royalties (and your copyright) ,
    b) or you can self publish and spend in the region of £1200 (or less) and keep most of your royalties ,
    c) or you can trad publish (if you can get a deal) spend nothing up front but get about 10% of print and 25% of e royalties (and may be an advance depending on the publisher)

    B&C are both valid routes with pros and cons (don't self publish if you aren't prepared to invest time in running an author business its not set and forget -its also not likely to be one book)

    A is in my opinion the worst of all worlds

    ETA: Also if he is set on going ahead with this your husband should check that he gets to keep the £10 difference between his £6 print cost and his £16 sale price (There are stories on google about them taking a large chunk of royalties as well as the print cost).

    He should also check the ebook royalty split (they will put it on amazon - amazon take 30%, but how will AM split the remaining 70% with him ?.) Point of note is that 70% royalty on amazon is only between 2.99 and 9.99 - outside those parameters its 35%
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2020
  9. Richach

    Richach Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2022

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    I would not pay a publisher to get published. I have paid an editor though and she has helped me turn my rather emaciated duckling into one that I am very proud of. I do realise that neither I nor she will never be able to turn my duck into a swan. That might only happen with experience.
     
  10. Orang-U-Can

    Orang-U-Can Banned

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    To publish a book with Austin Mc you will need in the region of:
    57,529.36 ILS
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 24, 2020
  11. Aceldama

    Aceldama free servant Contributor

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    https://www.austinmacauley.com/us/

    These guys offer traditional publishing contracts and "partnership" contracts where the author pays some. Open submissions from anyone. I'm guessing the standouts get traditional deals and the ones they don't wanna risk too much for but think will sell some get the latter.

    These guys legit?
     
  12. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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  13. Aceldama

    Aceldama free servant Contributor

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  14. Cephus

    Cephus Contributor Contributor

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    Anyone who EVER asks you for a red cent is a scam. Ever. Money only flows to the author, never, ever, ever away.
     
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  15. Aceldama

    Aceldama free servant Contributor

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    Just kind of caught me off guard that they supppsedly do traditional contracts as well.
     
  16. Naomasa298

    Naomasa298 HP: 10/190 Status: Confused Contributor

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    I wonder how many of those they've actually ever offered.
     
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  17. Cephus

    Cephus Contributor Contributor

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    Sure they do. Without going to look it up, I'd be curious to see how many legitimate books they actually produce and sell in a given year. I bet it's somewhere around zero.
     
  18. AASmith

    AASmith Senior Member

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    They might but like you said, they aren't willing to put in the risk of taking you on. Its like if you want to be an actor and an agency makes you pay for representation. They might get you so extra work and auditions where or these but they aren't going to work hard for you bc they already have your money. If they really value you, they wont ask you to pay bc they know they will get their money back in the long run.
     
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