Published on May 25, 2011
self-publishing
POD Publishers that use Ingram’s printing division to print their books incur a $12 annual fee for each title/ISBN. They call this their “Catalog Fee.” Ingram’s catalog fee provides: “Access to our worldwide distribution channels (the largest portfolio of wholesalers, distributors and booksellers worldwide).” Basically, this means they send out an automated feed to bookstores that includes all the available titles and it costs $12 per year to keep a book in their feed.
Most POD publishers pass this fee onto their authors but under a variety of names. While it’s common to mark up a fee a small bit for a variety of reasons (administrative costs, their own file hosting expenses, etc.), some POD publishers take “marking up” to a whole new level.
Published on May 18, 2011
self-publishing
As I wrote last week, “Some companies will say or write just about anything to get your business…”
Published on May 11, 2011
self-publishing
At BookLocker, we are frequently contacted by authors who say they are surprised by our candor. We never tell authors their book might become a best seller…because it probably won’t (most traditionally published books never become best sellers, either). We don’t twist our words around to make it appear an author’s book will be stocked by “25,000” bookstores. It won’t. And we don’t publish verbiage that makes an author think we do something we don’t. We just don’t do business that way.
Authors appreciate our honestly because they have read so much confusing blurbage on other POD publishers’ websites.
Here are a few examples of what we believe is “hot air” on some POD publishers’ websites. Of course, this is our opinion. You can form your own…
Published on May 4, 2011
self-publishing
It’s disgusting but it’s true. Some POD publishers will do anything to make it financially and logistically impossible for you to switch to another POD publisher if you are unhappy with their services in the future. We call this a “forced marriage.” One way they might do this is to include verbiage, buried in the middle of their contract (or multiple contracts as some POD publishers offer different contracts for each service), that states they own all rights to the materials you have paid them to create…
Published on April 13, 2011
self-publishing
Last week, we discussed how most POD publishers’ websites not only do almost nothing to promote their authors’ books, but also tell everyone their authors paid to have their books published. This week, we’ll look at those ridiculous “free book!” offers.
Published on April 6, 2011
self-publishing
Your book is finally on the market. You print business cards, update your website, and send out press releases. You know you’ll get higher royalties when someone buys your book from your publisher’s website, so you send people there. But, wait! What does your publisher’s homepage tell your readers about your book?
Published on March 30, 2011
amazon, createspace complaints, pod complaints, Print on demand, self-publishing
Tempted to sign up with one of those POD publishers that are claiming to be FREE? Think again! If you’re a graphic designer and you can layout your book on your own, and if you can create a professional and original book cover on your own, too, and if you want to severely limit your book’s availability (and salability), that’s one thing. But, if you want to get your book published for “free”, in some cases you can forget about having an ISBN (which online and brick and mortar bookstores and libraries require), forget about being distributed by Ingram, the largest book distributor, and forget about a lot of other things as well…
Published on March 23, 2011
self-publishing
Wow! That nice POD publishing house representative wants to hear “more about your book!” Is it finished yet? Did you have it edited? Are you going to included pictures? What’s your target market?
Published on March 2, 2011
self-publishing
This week, we’re going to look at how some POD publishers upsell authors on products and services that should already be included in their outrageous setup fees…
Published on February 9, 2011
self-publishing
When authors are researching POD publishers, they often just look at the setup fees, glance at the royalties (not knowing what they’re a percentage of), and go from there. Unfortunately, they don’t always think about asking what the list price of their book will be, don’t understand how the royalty structure works or when royalties will be paid, and don’t always ask how much they’ll have to pay for copies they purchase themselves after the book is ready to sell…
