I received the following email last week:
Hey Angela,
I’ve been in talks with (a Christian publisher) regarding publishing a compilation of my blog posts as a devotional. This was my original vision when I started blogging back in 2011
However, they have informed me that a 365-page book (a year of devotionals) is unfeasible, and will be way too expensive. They would have me do a 100-day book instead.
Their package is also quite pricey for someone of my means at present. I have everything in my head as to how I want it to look; title, cover, everything. And when I see novels of upwards of 400 pages, I think: How come my book can’t be that big?
My response:
That so-called “Christian” publisher is pretty well-known. After reading so many horror stories, we can pretty much predict what they’re trying to do with your book.
Once they’re certain they have an author in their clutches, they will do whatever they can to increase the amount of $$$ they can suck out of that author.
Their cheapest publishing package is more than $1,000. If they can convince an author to split one book into three, that author will then pay $3,000 instead of $1,000! Of course, that salesperson will triple their commission as well.
In my opinion, that’s a dirty trick. Remember, just because a company uses the word “Christian” in their marketing materials doesn’t mean they’re ethical. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I’m pretty sure God doesn’t want companies using his name in their advertising.
RELATED:
POD SECRETS REVEALED – How Many Book Sales Needed to Recoup Your Investment?
POD SECRETS REVEALED Series
https://writersweekly.com/pod-secrets-revealed-series
22 Signs That So-Called “Publisher” is an AUTHOR MILL!
There Are Really Only 2 Ways To Accurately Estimate Your Book Sales
What to Do When Your Book Event Organizer FAILS TO ORDER YOUR BOOKS!
Got questions about Print On Demand and Self-publishing? Ask Angela Hoy.
About The Author
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/in/angelahoy/
Angela is the creator of the Original 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
https://24hourshortstorycontest.com/
Read More Of Angela's Articles HERE
90+ DAYS OF PROMOTING YOUR BOOK ONLINE: Your Book's Daily Marketing Plan by Angela Hoy and Richard Hoy
Promoting your book online should be considered at least a part-time job. Highly successful authors spend more time promoting a book than they do writing it - a lot more.
We know what you're thinking. You're an author, not a marketer. Not to worry! We have more than a decade of successful online book selling experience under our belts and we're going to teach you how to promote your book effectively online...and almost all of our techniques are FREE!
Online book promotion is not only simple but, if you have a step-by-step, day-to-day marketing plan (this book!), it can also be a very artistic endeavor, which makes it fun for creative folks like you!
Yes, online book promoting can be EASY and FUN! Let us show you how, from Day 1 through Day 90...and beyond!
Pingback: Letters And Comments For 06/18/2016 – Michiko Katsu
Pingback: Letters And Comments For 06/18/2016 | WritersWeekly.com
I would like to further Perry’s comment —
It is a fact of life that printing costs are ridiculously high. The problem that we (Royal Knight Inc.) have run into is that you simply can not shorten some books if you want to tell a complete story — and 10 point font is as low as you can go for comfortable print reading. Angela (or her team) has suggested other, larger book sizes, which makes sense (to a point) — but there is also a customer’s perception of ‘correct book size’ Vs the subject. So, some subjects are caught between a-rock-and-a-hard-spot, to use a colloquialism. In this case, E-books would win out for cost reduction — but they are not loved and not practical (for most people and subjects).
I understand that the publisher being spoken of above was likely a slimy crook and this was the only motivation for the split, but the reality is — print cost money.
There is no perfect solution.
– Wendy Jones, author
Highlander Imagine: Beyond Infinity
Coming June, 2016 from Abuzz Press! (http://www.AbuzzPress.com)
“Duncan MacLeod becomes embroiled in an adventure, which takes him to the Temple of the Feathered Serpent in Teotihuacán. Having purchased a rare set of ancient South American llama statues, Duncan is unaware of their ritual significance to an immortal Olmec, named Kawill, who intends to repeat a dark ritual, written on a codex in the Olmec language, and stop time, as the Aztecs understood it. Can Duncan stop this Immortal before time is up?”
Your suspicions are justified. For some types of books, splitting them into three volumes make sense. I recently worked with one of over 400 pages that would have been better split into several, each on one topic. But for a devotional, that makes no sense. It should cover the entire year or not at all. Doing only four months per volume makes about as much sense as a four-month calendar.
I’d suggest exploring other options, including looking for ways to lower that page-count to keep the price down. A 7.5 x 9.25 size is wide enough that you might be able to do two days on each page, getting the page count under 200 pages and the price down to about $15. A wide format has another advantage. It lies open better.
Keep looking and find someone who’ll put your interests and those of your readers above their commissions.
This company needs to be called out publicly for practicing such unethical conduct. I certainly hope the author heeds your good advice. How lucky we authors are to have you in our corner!
– Pamela Allegretto
Bridge of Sighs and Dreams
http://booklocker.com/books/8228.html
Two women clash in World War 2 Nazi-occupied Rome.