Back when I first started learning about self-publishing on LinkedIn I heard a few horror stories about Author Solutions [the parent company of self-publishing companies like iUniverse, Xlibris etc] but I did not pay much attention because back then I was still sitting on the fence about whether to become an indie or not. Now I know that I will be an indie and so this article by fellow blogger David Gaughran really made me sit up and take notice.
The article is about Penguin’s recent buyout of Author Solutions and what the implications of this move will be for indie authors. In a nutshell the prognosis is not good and I’m doing my bit to pass the message on to every writer I know.
Please follow the link below to read the article in full as it could save you thousands of dollars and a great deal of frustration.
For those who won’t follow blind links here is the url in full :
http://indiereader.com/2012/07/penguins-new-business-model-exploiting-writers/
If you found this information as shocking as I did please reblog it so that we can reach as many writers as possible.
Thanks,
Meeks
Authors' favourite books
NANO 2012
July 24th, 2012 at 8:36 pm
A timely warning. Another good publisher disappearing in the morass of services offered which are worth little. Shame.
July 25th, 2012 at 12:01 am
The wild wild west of the net is wilder than we think.
July 24th, 2012 at 10:41 pm
I immediately tweeted the link. It’s strange Penguin giving up its good rep to join with an exploitive operation? That’s why the ebook option is more and more popular.
July 24th, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Penguin sets the price for new release ebooks at $20. I think they know a thing or two about exploitation themselves
July 24th, 2012 at 10:49 pm
An eye-opening read. I had heard buzz about this, but hadn’t read through an article on it. Thanks for the link. And thanks for stopping by my blog. I appreciate it.
July 24th, 2012 at 11:50 pm
I’m glad the article was useful. If you can please spread the word. There are far too many snakeoil salesmen/companies around.
July 25th, 2012 at 12:45 am
I would not worry too much about it. Traditionals are worried, and Penguin is trying several solutions to see if it can get a good market share. It won’t work, because most writers these days know the reputation of Author Solutions and won’t touch them with a ten foot pole. Yes, together they will milk some poor authors, but in the end, the venture is doomed to fail.
Sitting in the midst of the publishing world, I see so many bad decisions made, it boggles the mind. So I suggest that you just don’t go with such vultures, go indie, and wait out the storm. It will pass.
July 25th, 2012 at 7:05 am
Are you 100% sure about self-publishing? Your writing and style feels to me like something you wouldn’t have too much trouble commercializing through traditional routes…
July 25th, 2012 at 9:51 am
Ah bless you Pinky! Yes, I’m sure. I write science fiction and the trad publishers are not into sci-fi at the moment. I’m also writing about psychopathic hermaphrodites for whom a mating is a duel ending in what amounts to rape. I can’t see any publisher touching my story with a very long ten foot pole! Besides, the more I learn about trad. vs indie the more angry I get at the exploitation of traditional publishing.
But you’ve made my day so thank you