This article may be reprinted/republished in its entirety.

Abuzz Press is the new co-op publishing division of BookLocker.com, Inc., which has published more than 6,000 print and electronic titles since 1998.

NOTE: Abuzz Press only accepts a small percentage of manuscripts for publication. They currently work with U.S. Citizens only. Other authors should contact their publishing services division, BookLocker.com, at: https://publishing.booklocker.com

From the Abuzz Press website:

How does it work?

We take the initial financial risk and you agree to take the reins on book promotion.

In other words, Abuzz Press pays the design and publication fees, which include: interior formatting assistance, professional cover design (no boring templates), ISBN and barcode, printer setup, and print proof (the first printed/bound copy of your book, which will ship directly to you for approval via UPS Next Day Air). Also includes ebook formatting/conversion. (See distribution/sales information below.) Once the book is on the market, we will provide you with our free marketing guide and then you start promoting the book. Since Abuzz Press is taking the financial risk, you agree to give Abuzz exclusive publishing rights for a period of three (3) years.

If you prefer to pay the fees up front, and not assign exclusive rights, please contact our publishing services division, BookLocker.com.

Abuzz Press agrees to:

• Assist with professional formatting and conversion of your manuscript for print and ebook publication.
• Offer original cover design. You will work directly with our designer to ensure your cover is what you want. (Yes, you can forgo our designer and submit your own cover if you want provided it’s professional, and meets our specs.)
• Assign an ISBN and obtain a barcode.
• Publish the print edition in paperback.
• Format, convert and publish the ebook edition. Abuzz Press formats and converts all ebooks by hand. We don’t use cheap conversion programs because they always produce errors.
• Distribute your book

Print Edition – We will list your book with Ingram, the world’s largest book distributor. Our print books are listed on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, BooksAMillion.com, Chapters.ca and many other online bookstores, both domestic and foreign. Any bookstore with an Ingram account can pick up Ingram’s feed so you’ll find your book listed in stores you’ve never heard of. Most bookstores use Ingram’s database to find and order books so readers can ask their neighborhood bookstore to order your book as well.

Ebook Edition – Our ebooks are listed on Amazon.com (for the Kindle), BarnesandNoble.com (for the Nook), Apple (for iPads, iPods and iPhones), and Kobo (Canada’s popular ebook retailer).

• Provide fulfillment – We will perform customer service, offer technical support, process credit card and mail orders, manage sales taxes, etc. You can buy copies of your own print book at a discount to sell but we don’t require authors do so.
• List your print and ebook editions for sale on our online bookstore, located at BookLocker.com.
• Provide a password protected online author account where you can check your sales, and communicate with the company’s owners directly.
• Mail monthly royalty checks once your unpaid royalties reach $40 or more.

In exchange, you agree to:

• Submit a quality manuscript. (Abuzz Press does not provide in-house editing services but we can refer you to professional editors we know if you need one.)
• Provide a manuscript that does not violate any United States laws. You are legally and financially responsible for the content of your book.
• Give Abuzz Press exclusive publishing rights for three (3) years. If you want to continue on with us at that point, with no interruption in service, listings and printing, you will be converted to a BookLocker.com contract, which pays higher royalties. BookLocker.com contracts are non-exclusive, and can be terminated by you at any time. However, the name Abuzz Press will still be listed in/on your book, as well as on your book’s online bookstore listings.
• Actively promote your book – We’ll give you a free copy of 90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book’s Daily Marketing Plan.
• Accept royalties of 40% of what we are paid for print book sales (our net profit) and 30% of what we are paid for ebook sales.
• Not publish a competing book elsewhere during the term of your Abuzz Press contract (give us right of first refusal). Non-competing books are fine.
• Understand that you will have a chance to make any corrections or changes for free before any files are finalized or converted. However, you will be charged if you want to make additional alterations after you send your initial corrected file back to us because that will require us to go backwards in the process. This is a flat fee of $98 if the files haven’t been uploaded to the printer yet and $199 if they have. Ebook changes vary based on the complexity of the formatting but, in most cases, they are a flat fee of $99 to process a new file.

COMPARE

How does Abuzz Press differ from traditional publishing?

• We usually get a print book to market in less than month. Traditional publishers can take a year or more.
• Abuzz Press’ royalties are higher than traditional publishers.
• Abuzz Press does not pay advances (most traditionally published authors don’t earn advances, either).
• Abuzz Press pays royalties monthly (for authors whose unpaid royalties are $40 or more) while traditional publishers usually pay quarterly or annually.
• Abuzz Press offers authors deeper discounts on copies they are purchasing themselves, and allows authors to resell those copies.
• Abuzz Press is not currently offering color-interior nor hardcover publishing. Please inquire at our BookLocker.com division for those services.
• Traditional publishers make most authors do promotion (and pay for it) anyway. They just don’t tell you that up front.
• Traditional publishers can take all rights until they determine the book is out of print, which can take years, or even decades. The Abuzz Press contract is for a period of three years, and can be transferred to BookLocker (which pays higher royalties) at that time with no interruption in service, availability, or printing.

How does Abuzz Press differ from self-publishing?

• We usually get a book to market in less than a month. Many self-publishing firms take four to six months, or even longer.
• Self publishing requires the author to pay all up-front fees, which can cost thousands to tens of thousands (depending on how good the POD publisher’s sales people are at upselling authors on worthless services).
• Abuzz Press pays all initial up-front fees in exchange for exclusive publishing rights for three (3) years. See information about fees for changes to finalized files above.
• Some self publishing firms, like BookLocker.com, pay higher royalties…but not all.

Abuzz Press is seeking author who are serious about promoting themselves, and selling books.

Click HERE to submit your manuscript for consideration.

Click HERE to read more about Abuzz Press and its owners.

Click HERE if you’d like to ask us a question.

Click HERE for the Abuzz Press homepage.

Angela Hoy is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, and co-owner of the POD publisher BookLocker.com and the publishing co-op, Abuzz Press. WritersWeekly.com is the free marketing ezine for writers, which features new paying markets and freelance job listings every Wednesday. According to attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print, BookLocker is: “As close to perfection as you’re going to find in the world of ebook and POD publishing. The ebook royalties are the highest I’ve ever seen, and the print royalties are better than average. BookLocker understands what new authors experience, and have put together a package that is the best in the business. You can’t go wrong here. Plus, they’re selective and won’t publish any manuscript just because it’s accompanied by a check. Also, the web site is well trafficked. If you can find a POD or epublisher with as much integrity and dedication to selling authors’ books, but with lower POD publishing fees, please let me know.” Abuzz Press offers FAST and FREE book publication, but only accepts a small percentage of submissions, and only works with U.S. authors.

Angela’s POD Secrets Revealed Series can be found HERE.

Got questions about Print On Demand and Self-publishing? Ask Angela.

Have a POD Book with another publisher? See if BookLocker can give you a better deal. (BookLocker offers “disgruntled author discounts” to those who want to move from other POD services.)

See BookLocker’s publishing packages HERE.