As an author, I've experimented with self publishing. Prior to getting an agent (when I was unpublished in anything- including even magazines) a few mentioned to me that getting articles in print (magazines, newspapers, websites) and self publishing a book would be a good way to kickstart my career- as it shows experience and adds detailed information on my 'popularity' to my resume. Taking them up on my offer I set out to put my words in print and eventually self publish a novel. Needless to say I never completed a self-published novel. Granted, there are many fantastic companies out there- but I chose the worst one. First word on google: Authorhouse. I wish I would have done my homework. Although they are teamed up with Penguin and have an established name in the world of book creating, they have many MANY complaints with the BBB (US, UK, and Canada) regarding their customer service. I ultimately lost $2,000 to their company after purchasing a package and canceling it. By the end of my process they had destroyed my book (my final copy had an array of spelling errors and the cover was done sloppily)- and so I cancelled the contract. They never refunded a dime and the investigation is still pending. But I'm happy things didn't work out. The more research I have done I have found that their royalty rates are around 5%- some of the lowest in the nation. And many people have sold books and out of mere contract stipulations- never recieved any royalties at all. They have magnificant lawyers and truly have a knack for ripping people off. Needless to say I took my losses and stood happily that I had my own copyrights- and didn't issue my words to them permanently. Has anyone else dealt with self-publishing. What are your reviews on your publisher? Do you have any suggestions for the best and worst self publishers? My tips: Always look into royalty rates ahead of time. Search the BBB. Ask questions and look at customer service/ return policies.
Any company that offers "packages" for self-publishers should be viewed with great suspicion - and a 10-foot pole. They will typically do nothing that the self-publishing author cannot do for themselves, and will charge you an arm and a leg to do it. Most are nothing more than the old "vanity presses" revamped to take advantage of the new world of self-publishing. (Note - this is a separate issue from hiring a freelance editor or cover artist, or companies that simply provide the 'mechanics' to publish, such as Createspace.)
http://pred-ed.com/ One of the sites that I've seen talked about on here pretty often is 'Preditors and Editors'. It's been very helpful for poking around. I haven't tried publishing anything yet but I've learned from reading posts like yours to do my homework. Thanks for sharing.
Please do not rate specific self-publishing services.providers in this thread. See the site rules regarding advertising and endorsements.
Sorry, I didn't realize this would qualify as an endorsement. Would you like me to delete the thread? I didn't mean to break the rules.
ALWAYS check p&e ratings for any agent/publisher/workshop/etc. you are thinking of using, first! then google for feedback [not on the agent's/etc.'s own website] for each one, before going over their website with a fine-toothed comb... read guidelines carefully... same for sample contracts if provided... if not, you can email and ask to see one... there's no good excuse for being taken... anyone with smarts enough to write something they think is worth publishing should be smart enough to 'vet' anyone they may want to do business with...
