LIES, GUILT, AND COERCION – Dirty Tricks One Publisher Tried When This Author GOT SMART!

LIES, GUILT, AND COERCION – Dirty Tricks One Publisher Tried When This Author GOT SMART!

An author contacted me, wanting us to publish her book because another well-known print on demand publisher was using guilt, coercion, and lies in an attempt to empty her wallet.

I have shortened some of the emails below but you’ll get the general idea. I’ll call the author Maureen and the publisher Slick. The emails were exchanged after the author told the publisher there would be a delay in her signing up.

SLICK PLAYS THE GUILT CARD, AND GIVES A DEADLINE (KNOWING FULL WELL THEY’LL WORK WITH THE AUTHOR WHENEVER SHE’S READY ANYWAY): 

Hi Maureen,

I can work things out with my manager to delay the submission so I can wait for your book. However, if you can’t do it still I will be held liable. I am willing to risk the liabilities because I believe in (your book).

The most that we can wait is Friday February 1st. Is that going to work for you?

Sincerely,

Slick


MAUREEN RESPONDS:

Slick,

I was disappointed to find (your company) in the alert list of self publishing scams. I don’t doubt that your intentions are good but I have been advised to stay clear of this company as the list of complaints are seemingly endless. I’m afraid I will not be taking you up on your offer.

Regards,

Maureen


SLICK SPEWS FALSE PRAISE AND LIES IN AN ATTEMPT TO SALVAGE THE SALE:

Hi Maureen,

It looks like you’ve decided not to take this offier (sic), which I totally understand. But, I am hoping the universe will change your mind.

I love (your book) and I trust it’s (sic) potential. Look at our website and you’ll see our packages cost up to $8000. Have you asked yourself why I only recommended the $1400 package? Clearly beause (sic) we are not after your money. As your consultant I am urging you not because of money but because of your book. We released your book information to competitive marketplace prior to my recommendation of re-publishing. 300 media outlets are still waiting for your decision hoping this book will be distributed them.

By the end of the day, it is the choice you make that will determine (your book’s) destiny.

I want to reiterate that it is the choices we make, and not the chances we take that determines our Destiny.

Sincerely,

Slick


I can assure you that 300 “media outlets” were NOT sitting by their computers waiting to order Maureen’s book. This was total B.S. Her quotes about “the universe” and “destiny” are just bizarre. For a publishing company representative, Slick’s writing skills are very poor.

This is just one example of the hard core sales tactics being done by many of the large print on demand publishers. As the market becomes more saturated with service providers, and as authors are posting more and more complaints about these large publishers online, their salespeople are becoming desperate.

Remember, when you are talking to a SALESPERSON, they will literally do or say anything to get you to sign on so they can get their commission. They don’t give a rat’s bleep about your book. They just want your money. Thank goodness Maureen saw through the coercive, dishonest sales pitch, and ran fast the other way.

If you want to work with an excellent publisher that doesn’t employ these insulting tactics, CLICK HERE.

AUTHORS: HAVE YOU BEEN THE VICTIM OF EXTREME SALES TACTICS FROM A PUBLISHER? PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE IN THE COMMENTS BOX BELOW. 

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

About The Author

AngelaPortrait72dpismall_400x400

Angela Hoy is the publisher of WritersWeekly.com, the author of 19 books, and the co-owner of BookLocker.com (one of the original POD publishers that still gets books to market in less than a month), PubPreppers.com (print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish), and Abuzz Press (the publishing co-op that charges no setup fees).

Angela has lived and traveled across the U.S. with her kids in an RV, settled in a river-side home in Bradenton, FL, and lived on a 52 ft Irwin sailboat. Angela now resides on a mountaintop in Northwest Georgia, where she plans to spend the rest of her days bird watching, gardening, hiking, and taking in all of the amazing sunrises.

WritersWeekly.com - the free marketing ezine for writers, which features new paying markets and freelance job listings every Wednesday.

BookLocker.com - 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.

PubPreppers.com - "We Prep, You Publish!" Print and ebook design for authors who truly want to self-publish. Offers formatting and design services only, and then provides simple instructions for authors on where to sign up to have the print and ebook editions printed/listed/sold. Cut out the middle man. Keep 100% of what bookstores pay for your book!

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

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.


ANGELA ON TWITTER https://twitter.com/AngelaHoy


BOOKLOCKER ON FACEBOOK - Provides links to free excerpts!
https://www.facebook.com/booklockerbooks


ANGELA ON FACEBOOK
https://www.facebook.com/angela.hoy.750


ANGELA ON LINKEDIN
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/angela-hoy/78/719/390


Angela is the creator of the Original 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
https://24hourshortstorycontest.com/



Read More Of Angela's Articles HERE



7.625 STRATEGIES IN EVERY BEST-SELLER - Revised and Expanded Edition


At this moment, thousands of would-be authors are slaving away on their keyboards, dreaming of literary success. But their efforts won’t count for much. Of all those manuscripts, trade book editors will sign up only a slim fraction.

And of those titles--ones that that editors paid thousands of dollars to contract, print and publicize--an unhealthy percentage never sell enough copies to earn back their advances. Two years later, most will be out of print!

Acquisition Editor Tam Mossman shares seven essentials every book needs to stay in print, and sell!



Read more here:


https://writersweekly.com/books/5635.html









QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED! Real Queries That Landed $2K+ Writing Assignments



Peek over the shoulders of highly successful freelance writers to see how they earn thousands per article! The query letter is the key!
In these pages, you'll find real query letters that landed real assignments for national magazines, websites, and corporations.

Also includes:

  • Abbi Perrets' form letter that brings in $30,000-$45,000 annually
  • Sample phone query from Christine Greeley
  • The Six Golden Rules of Queries and Submissions...and How I Broke Them! by Bob Freiday
  • Your Rights As a "Freelancer"
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3 Responses to "LIES, GUILT, AND COERCION – Dirty Tricks One Publisher Tried When This Author GOT SMART!"

  1. Pamela Allegretto  March 14, 2019 at 12:43 pm

    Just when you think you’ve heard/read it all… Amazing!

  2. Wendy Jones  March 14, 2019 at 12:10 am

    What the *bleep & bleep*!?
    My mouth dropped open when I read that sickening drivel by Mr. Slick.
    And $8000 – for what? Does this outrageous publishing price include a cruise around the Bahamas or a world-wide book-signing tour for this fortunate and blessed author?
    No (real) professional would stupe to such nonsense.

    This the 21st century, how stupid do some ‘publishers’ believe the average person is?

    • By Angela Hoy - Publisher of WritersWeekly.com  March 14, 2019 at 10:33 am

      Sadly, since these clowns are still in business, there are plenty of gullible people out there buying into the false praise and lies. 🙁

      Angela