Want to do a side-by-side comparison of self publishing companies?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stacy Eaton on August 21, 2011 at 4:01pm

I use Outskirts Press, Inc.  I used them to self publish my first book and there was no doubt about me going back for my second one.  They were excellent to work with.  With my first book, they were great walking me through all the steps explaining everything as we went.  Now that my second book is currenlty in Phase 2 of production, I have found it much easier to understand the whole process.

 

While this was an expensive option, I got exactly what I wanted and I own my rights totally.  I also choose my price and alot of other options. I learned from book 1 what was worth spending the money on, and what wasn't.

Permalink Reply by Humberto Sachs on August 23, 2011 at 9:06pm

Yes, it is about time.  We should collect experiences. And we have a new concept at TXgroup.  We want to create an Open Technology publishing that will be like a joint venture.  The author invest on the initial costs, collaborate with the publisher on the marketing and other public relations activities. The publisher ONLY makes money when the book sells. The authors will be no more victimized by unethical publishers. What you think?

 

Permalink Reply by Mary Snyder on October 12, 2011 at 3:57am

Kay...Thanks for the info on Off The Book Shelf. I have looked at quite a few publishing companies and all of them seem to be quite expensive with all the "must haves" in order to get books published. I'll definitely make a note to check out the site!

Permalink Reply by Stanley S. Thornton on November 6, 2011 at 2:47am

I went with AuthorHouse with my first book.  The cost of the printing package was $2000.  It included both Hardcover and Paperback copies, plus e-book form.  They wanted me to pay for my book to be editted, but I played poor man, and they gave me that as part of the package.  It is "print on demand", but also included a booksellers buyback program, which let's retailers carry your book, knowing if they don't sell, the publisher will buy unsold copies back.  I did fall for two sales tricks...press release and a book review.  Together they cost me $800...the press release got me one interview on an internet radio station, and the book review, I later found out I could have purchased directly for like $35.  The limit to thier promotion of my book is their website store, and they have a catalog that goes out to wholesalers/retailers, so atleast I'm on most every online bookstore in the world, since it costs them nothing to carry it online.  The drawback to any online store, it's just one book on some virtual shelf, in their virtual store, so while I have made a few sales, it's like finding a needle in a haystack, not knowing you're even looking for the needle.  Some stores do claim to have from 20-100 copies "in stock", so I don't know if they are actually carrying it.  I have one store that I know is carrying my book physically.  A local store I have a consignment with...I'm also doing a booksigning with them next month.

 

The bad part, I get regular "deals", where I can pay them more money for other services, that I assume will do about as well as the press release and the book review did for sales, which means nothing.  For instance, one offer was to pay them like $1400 to have my book displayed in their 10' x 10' booth at some trade show.  So i would get a 6x9 space in their booth for that $1400...but I did some research, and found out I could buy a whole 10' x 10' booth myself, for like $1495.  These offers usually average between $1000 and $2000 each.  And I get a couple e-mails a month with offers.  If they really thought my book was going to sell copies because of these offers, wouldnt they just sell my book themselves?

 

My next book is going to be a children's book, so I'll probably shop around to find me a better deal....

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page