Monday, August 18, 2008

PublishAmerica

Well, after many months of research and writing, Marian Perera has finished her her article on PublishAmerica. Instead of hitting you with the usual numbers and statistics, she tells the story of "Bob", a fictional author who learns the rotten truth about PA the way most PA authors learn - the hard way.

I've done quite a few posts on PublishAmerica, so it's no secret how I feel about them. And in this article, Ms Perera highlights all the reasons why PublishAmerica is to be avoided at all costs if you are seriously pursuing a writing career. You'll meet Bob, and follow him on his journey from starry-eyed acceptance to horrified realization as he learns what sort of "publisher" PA really is.

It's a journey that those of us who peruse the PAMB now and again have seen too often. A newbie bursts onto the scene, full of hope and excitement at being offered a contract on a manuscript that s/he has polished and perfected (sometimes for years). Maybe this manuscript has received nothing but rejections, perhaps the author has done no more research into publishers than doing a quick Google search and submitted to the first publisher that popped up.

Either way, the story is painfully familiar. Joy. Elation. Amazement. The ability to finally call oneself a "Published Author" (and yes, many do capitalize it - I don't know why).

But then, questions start to niggle at the Published Author. Why is my book priced so high? Why won't major chain bookstores stock my book? Why are my emails to PA Author Support going ignored? Why are they demanding an apology from me?

Yep - those are only a few of the niggles. You'll see what happens to Bob when he begins to wonder if all is as it should be. It's actually pretty heartbreaking to see what happens to Bob - especially when you realize that, while he is fictitious, there are real people out there going through the same thing because of Publish America.

So go check it out.

3 comments:

Marian Perera said...

Thanks for the link, Kim. :) Yes, why is "Published Author" capitalized? I'm sure none of the PA authors say that they are Graphic Designers or Retired Patent Lawyers. Besides, once the book is out, they're not so much Authors as they are Advertisers and Salespeople, unfortunately.

What made me sad was one of the replies to my article, where an ex-PA author said he had the same kind of box as Bob did - a box of unsold books and trodden-on dreams. And yet he's one of the lucky ones, since he knows the truth. How many authors out there blame themselves for their inability to break even, to keep promotion and sales up, to have a second book accepted by PA?

Here's to getting the word out!

Kim said...

Every little bit helps, far as I'm concerned!

Alberta Sequeira said...

I too was taken by PA for thousands of dollars. They only want the author's money to buy their books.
I got out of their contract 3 years earlier. It cost me $100 and was worth every penny.
I took my book and it's ready to be republished by an Riverhaven Books under another title and book cover. I want no connection to PA.
They refused over three locations wanting to distribute my book.
BEWARE! It may be "FREE" to go with them but it will cost you an arm and leg once you sign.