Complaints about Balboa Press
From accusations of (alleged) unpaid royalties to anger about unanswered correspondence, there's no shortage of complaints post online about Balboa Press.…
Angela’s Desk
BOOK MARKETING ESERIAL PART 3 – Days 1 – 11: Unique Website Content + Why an Ezine is a MUST for Repeat Traffic and More Book Sales
Having unique and frequently updated content on your website will help keep readers coming back! And, they'll buy your books!…
How BookLocker Has Remained Profitable for 18 Years…when so many others have failed by Angela Hoy, WritersWeekly.com, BookLocker.com, Abuzz Press and PubPreppers.com
BookLocker.com has been in the business for 17 years, and has published more than 7,000 titles in that time. We've seen many competitors rise and fall but we're still going strong. We are a lean organization. We keep our costs down while only working with a limited number of authors each year. This enables me (one of the two owners) to work with every single author one-on-one. We break even on setup fees, and earn our profits on book sales so we and each author have a vested interest in the success of their book.…
MORE Author Complaints About BookBaby
Read comments that BookBaby authors have sent directly to us!…
Employees (Allegedly) Reveal Behind-the-Scenes Info. about CreateSpace, Xlibris, Author Solutions, Infinity Publishing, Lulu, and Outskirts Press
Want to get the inside scoop on a publishing company? Look no further than their employees! (And, beware of false "positive" reviews posted online!)…
I’m Soooo Behind! Hurricane Irma Recovery
Trying to get caught up after evacuating, and then coming back to our floating home!…
Topic, Common Themes, and Winners of the WritersWeekly.com Summer, 2017 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
See the topic, and read the winning stories right here!…
Angela’s Desk
From the publisher's desk!…
Is Author Solutions Having Problems? – Pay Cuts, “Stagnant” Leads, and More…
"The base pay went from $15.41/hour to $11.41 per hour. (Commission-based) reps are estimating a $30,000 loss in pay annually. New leads have been stagnant for months..."…
A New Scam Targeting Authors – “Will you swap ebooks with me?”
An author found her book listed for free on a foreign website. How did it get there?…
BOOK MARKETING ESERIAL PART 2 – Before Day 1: You MUST Have a Website that YOU Control
In Part 2, Angela reveals why it's important to have your OWN author website that no one can shut down or take away from you!…
World’s Worst Query Letters and Book Proposals For August, 2017!
Oh, yes! We know you’re excited!! Today, we’re going to share another installment of this popular column!…
BOOK MARKETING AND PR FIRMS – WORTH THE HIGH COST?? Probably Not! Here’s why…
I heard from yet another author today who was woefully disappointed in the money he recently wasted hiring a book marketing/PR firm. Guess how many copies were sold...…
BOOK MARKETING E-SERIAL PART 1 – Your Book Is Ready to Sell…But DON’T Make This Common Mistake! by Angela Hoy
Book Marketing Step 1: Learn what NOT to do before you start promoting your book!…
THIS SATURDAY!! – Sit in the Cool Air Conditioning and Join Us for The Summer, 2017 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
THIS SATURDAY is the Summer, 2017 24 Hour Short Story Contest!!!…
BOOKBABY COMPLAINTS
Thinking of using BookBaby to publish your next book? You probably want to read these stinging complaints from their authors first...…
Wanna Get Paying Work? An Editor’s Open Letter to New Writers Who Don’t Yet Know What the (Bleep) They’re Doing
Simple guidelines that will help you find writing success...if you will only READ them!…
Can’t Get Your Book Files from Your Defunct Publisher? Here’s what you can do…
Even if you cannot retrieve your production files, there are still steps you can take to get your book back on the market NOW!…
Why Hasn’t Anybody Filed a Class-action Lawsuit Against Tate Publishing? Here’s the Likely Answer…
On the 'Ex-Tate Publishing Authors and Artists' private Facebook group, many have asked if there's a pending class-action lawsuit against the disgraced and defunct publisher. One author said she contacted several law firms and...…
Topic, Common Themes, and Winners of the WritersWeekly.com Spring, 2017 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
Read the top three winning stories, and sign up for the Summer Contest!…
ATTN: PROLIFIC AUTHORS! Which Publisher Gives the BEST DEAL to Authors of Two or More Titles?
BookLocker is the only POD publisher on this list to offer a "returning author special." And, they charge less to publish two books than most of the "other guys" charge to publish just one! …
The Most Common Question I Hear: “I want to write and publish a book. Where do I start?” – by Angela Hoy
Authors: What's the secret to starting AND finishing a book? …
DON’T DO IT! The Risks of Publishing a Children’s Book That Contains… by Angela Hoy
If a children's book contains this one troubling problem, it is COMPLETELY unacceptable, and should be pulled from the market!…
Tate Publishing Execs Arrested (Finally!) for Embezzlement, Extortion & Racketeering. See Other Lawsuits Filed Against These Jerks! HINT: One was for (alleged) property destruction!
The publishing industry was rocked (and many authors were ELATED!) last when warrants were issued by Oklahoma Judge Jack McCurdy for the arrests of Richard and Ryan Tate. They've both been charged with nine felony counts of embezzlement, extortion and racketeering each, as well as misdemeanor charges. Who else has sued Tate in the past? HINT! One was for (alleged) property destruction!…
How to Go Broke AFTER You Publish Your Book! (Hint: Buy your publisher’s worthless marketing products and services…)
At BookLocker.com, we don't, nor will we ever, upsell authors on incredibly expensive, GARBAGE services, which, in our opinion, is what these types of things are. …
World’s Worst Query Letters and Book Proposals For April, 2017!
Oh, yes! We know you’re excited!! Today, we’re going to share another installment of our popular column, World’s Worst Book Proposals and Query Letters. Try not to bust out laughing!…
THIS SATURDAY!! – Eat Leftover Easter Chocolate While Joining Us for The Spring, 2017 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
The Spring, 2017 Short Story Contest will start at 12:00 p.m. (noon) central time THIS SATURDAY, April 22, 2017. Come play with us!…
UH OH – PART II! What are Employees of CreateSpace and Lulu Saying About Those Companies?
"Someone told me to not take the job during the interview process. One of them tried to talk me out of working there — boy were they right. Upper management is quitting on bad terms and people are getting fired without any notice..."…
Uh Oh! What are the Employees of Author Solutions Saying Since the Firm was Sold?! (a.k.a. AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris, Trafford, etc.)
After finding atrocious reviews about Tate Publishing on that site, which gave clear indications from even over a year ago that the company was in trouble, we decided to check out some other publishing service companies, like Author Solutions, which owns AuthorHouse, Xlibris, iUniverse, Trafford, WordClay, Balboa Press, and Palibrio. Their imprints also include Archway Publishing, LifeRich Publishing, WestBow Press, Patridge, Booktango. Turns out authors aren't the only ones complaining about Author Solutions.…
25 Sure-fire Signs Your Publisher May Be Going Out of Business (and what you can do NOW to save your book!)
Unfortunately, when a publisher goes out of business, many authors look back, and realize the writing had been on the wall for months, if not years...…
We’re Launching WritersWeekly’s “Find the Typo” Contest on Facebook! Win a Free Print Book!
I've gotten excited (probably a bit TOO excited) when I find published errors. If it's a website of a national news organization, I get positively giddy! My heart races, my fingers tingle... …
Do NOT Bequeath Your Book’s Copyright to a Third Party Without Obtaining Permission First! by Angela Hoy
Unfortunately, many people and organizations have zero interest in acquiring the rights to an author's book after they pass. What can you do to keep your book alive after you're gone?…
Topic, Common Themes, and Winners of the WritersWeekly.com Winter, 2017 24-Hour Short Story Contest!
For the past six weeks, we’ve spent every spare moment judging the hundreds of entries submitted…
Do You Think Your Publisher is Ripping You Off? I Might Be Able to Help! by Angela Hoy
I've been publishing books for 18 years and I'd like to believe that I've seen it all. But, sure enough, every once in awhile, I see a new zinger. And, when I do, we're very happy to investigate...…
Author! Thou Shalt NOT Be A Martyr!!! (Or, When Authors Let Martyrdom Kill Their Entire Book Project)
Okay, I admit it. This is a weird topic to write about. And, if it had only happened to one or two authors I've known over the years, I wouldn't be sharing it. But, it's happened to a couple dozen writers I've known. And, it's a very sad scenario. We writers are a funny bunch. Raise your hand if you're more emotional than other folks...…
Abuzz Press – This Hybrid Publisher Charges No Setup Fees!
Abuzz Press is a hybrid publisher - a combination of traditional publishing (authors are not charged any up-front fees, and they earn royalties on each sale) and self-publishing (authors are responsible for their own promotion, which now applies to most traditionally published authors as well). …
