February 03, 2010
In This Issue
02/03/2010
POD PRICE COMPARISON
Compare POD Publishers
NOTE: All publishers below currently offer distribution through Ingram (the largest book distributor), as well as inclusion of their titles in the major online (amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, etc.) and physical bookstore systems.
>> BookLocker: $517 (Deduct $200 if submitting your own cover) <<<
No hidden fees or upselling. Books are usually on the market in less than a month. No extra charge for graphics. 35% royalties based on list price for public sales; 15% royalties based on list price on wholesale/bookstore orders. Authors own their production files. Added Bonus: Returning authors are only charged $149 setup fees on their second and subsequent books. Rated "Outstanding" by Mark Levine, attorney and author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing.
>> iUniverse: $599.00 (includes 5 "free" copies) <<
Warning: They own your files after creation and you have to pay $300-$1500 to get them back if you leave their service! They charge extra to include more than 25 photos/graphics. Charges $12 per image if you want more than 2 images on your cover. No expedite service. Turnaround is 3-4 months. NOTE: IUNIVERSE IS NOW OWNED BY AUTHOR SOLUTIONS, A HOLDING COMPANY THAT ALSO OWNS AUTHORHOUSE, XLIBRIS, AND TRAFFORD. (SEE THOSE COMPANIES BELOW.) Rated "Publisher to Avoid" by Mark Levine, attorney and author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing.
>> CreateSpace: $763.00 (Deduct $259 if submitting your own cover) <<
Add $500 to price above if you want more than one color and image featured on your cover. Limit of 10 interior images; charges $15 per image and $25 per chart/table/graph thereafter (cost of first 25 images included above). Does NOT publish hardcover books. IMPORTANT: BookSurge was rolled into CreateSpace in November but they're still using the same employees, equipment, etc. Read more about BookSurge's problems HERE. We recently ordered some BookSurge books and one looked so bad they inserted an apology note inside, saying it was the best they could get from their supplier. They ARE their supplier! Another one arrived with the interior pages appearing upside-down. Some CreateSpace authors have been complaining about their high shipping costs. Rated "Just OK" by Mark Levine, attorney and author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing.
>> Trafford: $1073 <<
IMPORTANT - Price above does **not** include full distribution (Ingram, Amazon, etc.)! Choose the $2297 package if you want that. Expedite service not offered. NOTE: TRAFFORD IS ALSO NOW OWNED BY AUTHOR SOLUTIONS, A HOLDING COMPANY THAT ALSO OWNS XLIBRIS, IUNIVERSE, AND AUTHORHOUSE. (SEE THOSE COMPANIES ABOVE AND BELOW.) Rated "Publisher to Avoid" by Mark Levine, attorney and author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing.
>> Lulu: $1369.00 (Deduct $650 if submitting your own cover) <<
Lulu now charges directly for many services they previously farmed out to other companies. Lulu appears to be having customer service problems and authors are upset about their high shipping costs. Read THIS to learn more. Rated "Pretty Good" by Mark Levine, attorney and author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing.
>> AuthorHouse: $1468 <<
Charges extra for photos/graphics ($10 per image after first 10 - included in cost above). Expedite fee ($500) is for publication in 30 days instead of 6 months (included above). Claims ownership of files you pay them to create...meaning you can't use the edited/formatted files if you want to move your book later. NOTE: AUTHORHOUSE IS OWNED BY AUTHOR SOLUTIONS, A HOLDING COMPANY THAT ALSO OWNS XLIBRIS, IUNIVERSE, AND TRAFFORD. (SEE THOSE COMPANIES ABOVE AND BELOW.) Rated "Publisher to Avoid" by Mark Levine, attorney and author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing.
>> Xlibris: $1922 - (includes 5 "free" copies) <<
Charges expedite fee of $349 (included above) for publication in 2 months instead of 4-6 months. Charges $10 per image (included above); $20 per table. Limit of 1 cover image. NOTE: XLIBRIS IS NOW OWNED BY AUTHOR SOLUTIONS, A HOLDING COMPANY THAT ALSO OWNS AUTHORHOUSE, IUNIVERSE, AND TRAFFORD. (SEE THOSE COMPANIES ABOVE.) Rated "Publisher to Avoid" by Mark Levine, attorney and author of The Fine Print of Self-Publishing.
***Prices based on least expensive package offered by each publisher on similar offers targeting U.S. authors. Fees include setup, original cover design, print proof, ebook creation, up to 25 interior photos/graphics, an ISBN, barcode, a listing on the publisher's website and distribution by Ingram, all within 6 weeks.
NOTE: Many companies offer perks that others don't, some try to upsell authors on extraneous services, and a few even claim ownership of files the author has paid them to create! Study each publisher and contract carefully before making your choice.
Publisher's Desk
Publisher's Desk For February 3rd
OPEN BOOK ALLIANCE FILES OPPOSITION TO GOOGLE BOOKS SETTLEMENT
See: http://www.openbookalliance.org/
THE SPRING 2010 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST
Each contest is limited to 500 entrants so don't delay if you want to participate.
1st Place: $300
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $200
Entry fee is $5. You can see the complete list of 85 prizes and sign up here:
http://www.writersweekly.com/misc/contest.php
WANT TO SELL YOUR WRITING-RELATED E-BOOK ON WRITERSWEEKLY?
If you've written a writing-related book and own your electronic rights, contact angela - at - writersweekly.com. WritersWeekly.com and BookLocker.com do NOT charge setup fees to list ebooks, and don't take any rights. And, you can cancel at anytime.
WRITERSWEEKLY'S CURRENT BEST SELLERS!
FREE EXCERPTS OF ALL BOOKS available at the links below.
WRITERSWEEKLY.COM'S CURRENT BEST SELLERS
1. 24-HOUR SHORT STORY CONTEST ENTRY FEE - $5
Entry fee and contest guidelines ebook.
2. NEW PATH TO RICHES
Make a second income by writing your own money-making websites.
3. QUERY LETTERS THAT WORKED!
Angela Hoy shares real query letters from a variety of writers that landed these contracts: Woman's Day - $2,800; Redbook - $3,500; Ladies Home Journal - $3,000; DiscoveryHealth.com - $2,000; Lifetime Magazine - $3,000; Life Extension Magazine - $6,480; Natural Remedies - $11,300; and many more!
4. BOOK PROPOSALS THAT WORKED!
Want to read real book proposals that landed these contracts? Simon and Schuster - $100,000; Berkeley Books - $25,000; Osborne-McGraw-Hill - $19,500; Random House $15,000; and many more!
5. WRITING FAST: How to Write Anything with Lightning Speed
A systematic approach to writing that generates better quality quickly.
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WANT TO SELL YOUR E-BOOK ON WRITERSWEEKLY.COM?
NO SETUP FEES to list ebooks. We takes NO rights from authors and you can cancel at anytime. Booklocker.com's writing-related print and ebooks are automatically listed on WritersWeekly. See: http://publishing.booklocker.com/submit.php
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BOOKLOCKER.COM BEST SELLERS!
1. CANCER-FREE -- Your Guide to Gentle, Non-toxic Healing
Healing cancer requires knowledge of alternative treatments. Here it is.
2. THE ASCENSION PRIMER
An ascension book describing the process and how we are affected.
3. 201+ STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFULLY TRANSFORMING TODAY'S SCHOOLS: A Resource Guide for Educational Leaders, School Administrators, Teachers, Parents, and Students
Strategies for making schools great in the 21st Century
4. REMEMBERING YOUR SOUL PURPOSE
An ascension book/workbook for excavating your soul's unique contribution.
5. A BOWL OF CHERRIES
A Memoir of a child of the mid 20th Century
6. THE WORLD'S CHEAPEST DESTINATIONS - Third Edition
21 Countries Where Your Money is Worth a Fortune
7. STEPPING INTO THE NEW REALITY
Survive the fall and move into your Heaven with ease.
8. THE ASCENSION COMPANION
A card deck within a book with messages about ascension.
9. NEW PATH TO RICHES
Make a second income by writing your own money-making websites.
10. THE ASCENSION COMPANION
A card deck within a book with messages about ascension.
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WANT TO SELL YOUR E-BOOK ON BOOKLOCKER.COM?
Booklocker.com charges NO SETUP FEES to list ebooks, takes NO rights from authors and you can cancel at anytime. Royalties are 70% for ebooks priced $8.95 or higher and 50% for ebooks priced under $8.95. See: http://publishing.booklocker.com/submit.php - ALSO OFFERING HIGH-QUALITY PRINT PUBLISHING. Setup fees are only $149 through December 31st. Attorney Mark Levine, author of The Fine Print, rates Booklocker.com as "Outstanding." He says, "As close to perfection as you're going to
find in the world of ebook and POD publishing."
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DO YOU PAY WRITERS?
Email your ad to us and we'll run it at no charge. Send it to: angela - at - writersweekly.com
ARE YOU MISSING THE PARTY?
The Freelance Writing Forum is very active and we'd love to have you join us!
http://www.writersweekly.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=15
WRITER'S GUIDELINES DATABASE
http://forums.writersweekly.com/viewforum.php?f=12
MAKE A SOLDIER SMILE!!
Read their wants and needs at this great website:
http://www.anysoldier.com/
News From the Home Office
DAYS 5-7: Snow, Snow and MORE SNOW! ARRRGHH!!!!
We were supposed to head back to DC on Friday but it turned bitterly cold and our nephew woke up with a very runny nose. I decided to spend the day getting caught up on work while Richard drove our tow vehicle to the gas station for a fill-up. While there, he noticed that a problem we'd had repaired right before we left had not really been repaired.
The Latest From AngelaHoy.com
Traditional Publishers Finally Standing Up to Amazon
This may be old news to you now but, just in case you missed it, Amazon had a showdown with Macmillan (one of the "Big 6" traditional publishers) over the weekend...and Macmillan appears to have won. Other large publishers are expected to follow suit.
Basically, Macmillan wants the right to set their own retail prices for ebooks, and to set their own sales terms to bookstores. In my opinion, this is how it should be. The publisher should be able to dictate the terms of sales of their books to bookstores. Bookstores, of course, can negotiate their own purchase terms with a publisher but no bookstore should be able to dictate how, or at what price, a publisher sells their books elsewhere.
You can read my comments on this situation in detail under Morris Rosenthal's article HERE.
PublishersWeekly.com is posting frequent updates to this situation.
And, finally, don't miss this article in Fast Company:
Amazon Revealed: It Hates You, and It Hates Publishers
UPDATE: Harper Collins is also now demanding better terms from Amazon. Click HERE to read comments by News Corp Chief Rupert Murdoch.
Letters To The Editor
Writer Does the Right Thing; Stops Work on Unpaid Project
Angela,
I'd like to thank you for being a good person and reasonable businesswoman. Even when I don't have time to read your newsletter, just seeing it in my mailbox makes me feel better by reminding me that there are nice people in the world.
I'm writing the content of a website for a guy who has told me twice now that the check is in the mail. Can you believe he was surprised when I told him I was suspending work on his project until I received my check? In what Universe would a writer continue to send him material?
Thank you for letting me share.
M.
This Week's Article
Paying Mental Disability / Health Markets By Laura Yeager
I don't imagine I would have ever thought to write for the disability/mental health market if I had not become mentally disabled myself.
Ask The Expert
Should I Pay to Have My Books Displayed at a Book Fair?
I received a marketing email from (my POD publisher) offering to put my books on display at a book fair for several hundred dollars. Do you think it'll be worth it?
Success Stories
What Publishers Want By Ronica Stromberg
As a beginning writer, I wondered, "What do publishers want?" I lacked funds to attend conferences to ask editors in person, but I found answers in the publishers' books.
Whispers And Warnings
Whispers And Warnings For February 3rd
Whispers and Warnings will return next week.
Markets And Jobs
Paying Markets And Jobs For February 3rd
These are NOT recycled guidelines. WritersWeekly.com only features original market listings, received from and approved by the editors at each publication.
The Hollins Critic
CURRENT NEEDS: "Poetry ONLY." Pays $25.00 per poem.
IMAGE
CURRENT NEEDS: Prose and poetry. Pays $10/page for prose; $2/line poetry.
Meriwether Publishing Ltd.
CURRENT NEEDS: "Books on theatrical arts subjects." Pays 10% royalties.
Military History
CURRENT NEEDS: Queries. Pays $300-$2,000, depending on article/experience.
New England Review
CURRENT NEEDS: See guidelines. Pays $10/page in NER.
DO YOU PAY WRITERS?
Email your ad to us and we'll run it at no charge. Send it to:
angela - at - writersweekly.com
Freelance Senior Technical Writer/Editor
Stellar Science
Freelance Communication Coordinator/Graphic Designer
A Reform Jewish congregation located in the North Shore (Chicago area)
Freelance Senior Healthcare Reporter/Researcher - Pays $40/hour
OTR Global LLC
Freelance Expert Resume Writers
ResuMAYDAY
Freelance News writers - Spanish/French/Norwegian/Danish/Swedish/Dutch. Pays $12/hour. (Office-based positions pay $27K-$30K)
Brafton
Freelance Korean-to-English Translator
Financial research firm
Freelance IT SME/ Tech Proposal Writer - Pays $4K flat fee
blind ad
Freelance Japanese Translators
ProEdit Japan
Freelancer - Pays $15-$20/hour
palmflex.com
Freelance Web Content Writer - Pays $20-$25/hour
blind ad
Freelance Contract Technical Writer
blind ad
Freelance Math Writer/Editor - near Boulder, CO. Pays $15-$20/hour.
blind ad
Freelance PowerPoint Designer
Fantastic Sams Salons Corporation
Freelance Editor - Pays $37K-$45K plus benefits, vacation, etc.
Web-based IT publication / taborcommunications.com
Freelance Website Editor
A new Pet E-zine
Freelance Editor / Researcher - Pays $20/hour
author
Freelance Grant Writer - childhood obesity issues
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Freelance Translator Spanish-English-Spanish - Pays $15/hour.
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Freelance Book Doctor
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Freelance Automotive Bloggers - Pays $0.25/word.
izmocars.com
Freelance Audio and Video Transcripters
blind ad
Freelance English to Castilian (European) Spanish Translator
Ziosoft / ziosoftinc.com
Freelance Indian Researcher, Translator - Pays $15/hour
blind ad
Freelance RFP Proposal Writer
healthcare software development firm
Freelance Legal Reporter - near New Orleans
The Record, Inc.
Freelancers
The Maritime Group
FreeBookExcerpts.com
FreeBookExcerpts.com For February 3rd
FreeBookExcerpts.com: where authors post excerpts and readers post comments.
Here's a peek at what was added this week!
IF I GAVE YOU GOD'S PHONE NUMBER...: Searching for Spirituality in America by Mare Cromwell
A spiritual memoir, framed by 21 interviews with people from all walks of life. The book combines the oral tradition of Studs Terkel with the soulful searchings of Neale Donald Welsh.
POST YOUR OWN BOOK EXCERPT, AT: http://www.FreeBookExcerpts.com
Interview Requests
Interview Requests For February 3rd
This week:
