Writing a book is hard. Publishing and promotion can be difficult as well. Most authors are professionals but some still fall for the outrageous marketing verbiage dished out by some of the Print on Demand (P.O.D.) publishers. A lot of this garbage is downright insulting. Do authors really fall for this stuff? Unfortunately, some do!

Today, I’ll share some of the ridiculous verbiage being used to snag gullible authors, along with some statements that are just downright insulting.

AUTHORHOUSE SAYS:

“Your ideas deserve to be immortalized, and you can only do that if you publish a book.”

“AuthorHouse has set the stadium for your rousing victory.”
(Enormous groan!!!)

“Don’t leave your publishing plans in your bucket list.”

LULU SAYS:

“Fame and Fortune”

“Win money and gain recognition”

“produce the book of your dreams”

“puts you in the driver’s seat of your next award-winning title”

XLIBRIS SAYS:

“The Olympics is to sports, as the act of publishing is to writing.”
(via Facebook)

“Step Up Your Game”

IUNIVERSE SAYS:

“live your publishing freedom”

“offer you can’t refuse”

TRAFFORD SAYS:

“Celebrate your publishing freedom” (next to a photo of champagne)

“Trafford defied popular belief”
(Oh Puh-lease!!!)

“We all want and need validation.”

CREATESPACE SAYS:

“available to millions of potential readers”
(Any book for sale online is “available to millions of potential readers!”)

“more in your pocket”

“Just think, manufacturing and shipping is taken care of.”
(We don’t know of any POD publisher that DOESN’T offer manufacturing and direct shipping!)

NOW, WAIT A MINUTE! YOU CAN’T **ALL** BE THE “LEADER!”

The first three companies listed below are owned by Author Solutions. They operate as separate companies yet they all claim to be the leader. Really?!?!

XLIBRIS:
“the leading publishing services provider for authors”

AUTHORHOUSE:
“the leading provider of self publishing and book marketing services”

IUNIVERSE:
“the leading book marketing, editorial services, and supported self-publishing company”

Anybody else making the “leader” claim? Yep!!!

LULU (not owned by Author Solutions):
“the leader in self-publishing”

Don’t let your vanity or lack of publishing experience drain your pocketbook! Save hundreds to thousands of dollars by choosing a POD publisher that doesn’t try to snare you (and your wallet) with insulting, vanity-inflating verbiage. Remember, just because they published a statement doesn’t mean it’s true and many POD publishers will say or write just about anything to get your money.

Angela Hoy is the Publisher of WritersWeekly.com and co-owner of the POD firm BookLocker.com. 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.”

Angela’s P.O.D. 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.


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