writers branding complaints writers branding complaints

New vanity presses seem to set up shop each month and with no bad press associated with their names, theyre able to convince many authors to pay for their services. Newman springs and Dorrance have both accepted my manuscript. I don't know why but I don't like their sales team. Enjoys researching - synthesizing vast amount of information, connecting dots, reaching conclusions & sharing those insights with . Thank you, Does anybody know or has anyone heard of "Author's House" (@Authors_tweets) I got an e-mail from them promising reviews for my book with three various packages from $100, $200 and $400 (30 reviews) to go on goodreads, Amazon and YouTube. From the research I've done, it's one of the many courses started by semi-successful authors who're looking to monetize their knowledge of publishing. Are they reputable companies and is it worth submitting a book proposal to Hay Houses free writers workshop book publishing contract if given the chance? They say they will put my book in a London book fair. I Googled the name but got no red flag reviews. I am already published with a registered copyright. For more details on how to register your copyright, you can check out this comprehensive guide. Wanting to put two currently out of print books out again as ebooks + paperbacks, a colleague recommended BLKDogpublishing which does the whole thing for free and has a respectable-looking list (her fantasy novel is on it.) This is very helpful, though I don't understand all of it. Their publishing 'packages' are not as ridiculously expensive as a lot of hybrid or vanity presses. Reviews have been splendid, sales tepid. 1. This seems like an outright scam. BBB reports on known marketplace practices. I was called today by Amanda Gray of Gold Touch Press. BRANDING SERVICES Branding is both how you present your book to the public and yourself as an author. I'm not a pro when it comes to stuff like this. That is what you need to do with them because they strictly adhere to the contract. We're hearing a lot of 'book fair' offers but if you've been contacted out of the blue, then chances are they're looking to make money off of you. Thanks Reedy for this information. Hi could you let me know about Lighthouse publishing buford usa, I sent my manuscript and i have had nothing but problems. Not sure of it is legit. In general, they break a few of our golden rules: 1) they contacted YOU, which is never a good sign; 2) they have no testimonials from other authors of proof of their track record; 3) their prestigious address in Midtown Manhattan is a virtual office. I won! Are they reputable? They don't call themselves a "publisher", they clearly identify as "assisted self-publishing", or "author services" companies, and they don't try to upsell you a bunch of marketing services afterwards (nor do they take any royalties on the book). Ive been notified by Pubkits.com. When I declined their "partnership" services and contract, I was offered a "half now, half later" payment option, all the while facing a time-crunch decision window in order to make their deadline for my book to appear be in their next magazine issue. To put it in mild terms, I would warn any author to stay away from any Author Solutions operated company. You just saved me from making a horrible decision. Has that been rated? Now Book Avenue Pub has contacted me, seeming very interested in highlighting my book at upcoming international book fairs in order to "guarantee" an acquisition by a major publishing firm. I didn't sign the contract. And if that wasnt enough, he decided to send me an email and call me names. Build a communication bridge between your brand and your customers to achieve a successful outcome. What is the best way to reach and get accepted by a traditional publisher? Writing contests and awards no one has heard of Writing contests are a great way to reach an audience, solidify your writing credentials, and even make a little money in the form of prizes. I was also contacted by the New Reader Magazine & after many emails, they sent me their contract. I just received a call from Go To Publish.com, who, for $2000, want to promote my book by doing all of the online marketing themselves and this includes setting up a website for me. I hope you get your money back and they cease preying on writers who are sincere about bringing the plight of mental illness to readers. Responsible for building, developing and coaching marketing team across India and USA. Check out the section in this post about hybrids for some tips on what to look out for. I was able to find the previous inquiries into this company once you called them to my attention and will find another route. I got a call from Authors Press last night. It's that attitude that we decided to part ways with you. But, one wants $3400 and the other almost $5000, I used x-libris cost me a few thousand and didnt sell much. Good to know. 2. In short, read the fine print. I see Rushmore Press on the "Writers Beware" list -- do you have additional comments about this company? You said that the Author Academy Elite (AAE) is "one of the many courses" available. I'm trying to possibly find a way out without loosing my money. I also plan to pay to advertise this page for as long as it takes to get the word out. However, to suggest that most vanity publishers arent adding value to clients is nonsense. If they want me to send them a case, I will want money up frontso thanks for sharing this. 25% of employees would recommend working at Writer's Relief to a friend and 16% have a positive outlook for the business. Watch out for what they define as production costs as that could eat into your proceeds. I was also contacted by the Dream Books Distribution. 1. Thanks in advance. To find out more about how Reedsy chooses its professionals, read more about our selection criteria here. Thank you! But sometimes, winning authors will be obliged to pay an editing fee for that privilege which is not great. Having had a quick look at Mascot, they seem like a fairly okay hybrid publisher. If that's the kind of company you're referring to, then I agree with you, but they're not called "vanity publishers". I would use them again. If you just want to put a book out there and don't care much about selling it, or eventually making a living out of writing and if you have a big budget then sure, a vanity publisher can be a good option. Was that deleted? One was Gold Touch press and recently Lettra press. Has anyone published a childrens book with Storybook Genius Publishing? (emphasis mine). If they're soliciting you directly, asking for upfront payments (on top of taking a massive chunk of your royalties), and insisting that you print 100 copies with them then they don't exactly pass the smell test. High-profile authors like Margaret Atwood and Ian McEwan have been targeted, along with Their staff is quite knowledgable, and I do so appreciate the updates. The thing is, book fairs are not for authors. GREAT information. I don't work with anyone who tries to scam me or bash on my publisher in order to get me to work with them. Just got an email from them. (442) 671 4209 | (442) 229 07 26 contacto@smartphonecenter.com.mx. They tend to cater to 'hands-off' self-publishing authors, so you may find that there are more affordable options you can find with a quick Google search (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, Reedsy). The catch here is that the author will be expected to pay for the cost of the physical prize. They do offer a self-publishing track, where they provide all the usual publishing services for a fee instead of buying the book, but they're a legit publisher. If you're going to spend $800 on anything, invest them in a proper marketing course, or on a reputable freelance marketing professional: https://reedsy.com/marketing/book-marketer. We need to watch our step. Needless to say, it's a messy situation, but one writers can learn from, has anyone heard anything about easton-books? Beware, Authors. I have stupidly deposited USD $1600 in one of those self publishing on line courses (I won't name) only to find out it is not what I signed up for. Writers' Branding | Cookstown NJ My book is selfpublished with x-libris but it's not 100% royalty. Thank you. If youre not planning to distribute to brick-and-mortar stores, youll probably be fine without an ISBN. Roles and responsibilities include: 1. Aelurus is my publisher. Dennis W. C. Wong's memoir about his relationship with. Once you've created a brand, be sure to include some action items in your business plan for promoting and strengthening it in your target market. She has passion for excellence.Dreams big. However I am troubled that I have not found any reviews for Brandylane/Belle Isle anywhere! I've been contacted by Pen It! The Apricot Outlook of Katherine Koon Hung Wong. You assured me of a refund . Anyone ever heard of The Mulberry BooksPublishing House? You don't know how much their services actually cost. I just saw a list of scammers and they were on it. My manuscripts are ready for print. My Bird Songs is available on Amazon. Kill ALL pop-ups. Am I being scammed? Classic virtue signaling. You are nothing more than an easy few hundred dollars to them, hence the a formed mentioned lack of communication others have mentioned. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. A friend of mine published his first book on their site. What do you know about 'Books Agency Plus? Horrible. It is available on line at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Walmart - Hard Cover, soft and all digital formats. He couldn't even get through my email to send me the contracts. 2023 Foreword Magazine, Inc.All rights reserved. I want to publish an inspirational/spiritual book. However, with editors and book coaches, whose work is invisible to the reader (if theyve done their job right), you have to do some research before signing a contract with them. Contact Us We love to hear from you. They seek out the mentally ill/unstable on social medias with false promises of helping people get their stories out there and published for the world to see. Business Profile Writers Branding LLC Publishers Book Multi Location Business Find locations Contact Information Pemberton, NJ 08068 Visit Website Email this Business (800) 608-6550 Customer. They even claim that you can start earning up to $60 per hour which sounds very unrealistic. More about it here: https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-self-publish-a-book-on-amazon/, This information really helped me. I have a 2 month old published "young readers" novel. Or is the company more of a vanity press? Do you know anything about Gold Touch Press in NYC? Basic level of copywriting 4. Do not give them any money. What do you know about Pearson Media Group? To make matters worse , I was referred by the Editor in Chief of Prodigy Gold Books as an Evil Witch because I demanded to know what was going on . Both are non-fiction. I received a call today saying that he's a literary agent, and my book was "recommended" to him for review. I just got a solicitation from New Reader Magazine is this a scam company? For one, their website misspells "Hollywood" more than a few times. There is no specific language regarding refunds, but they have sent him a flurry of emails promising to work on the manuscript or to pay him back in installments. - they offer an advance, Does anyone have any experience with Entrada Publishing. Some publishers require authors to buy bulk quantities of their own books. Though self-publishing, by definition, means that youre doing it yourself, there are companies out there who can give you a hand. They have approached me about marketing my book but I am feeling uneasy. Law firm MinterEllison pulls branding from Writers' Week over anti-Jewish authors Top national law firm MinterEllison has removed the firm's branding from the Adelaide Festival Writers' Week despite being a major sponsor. We've heard a lot of very bad things about Capstone Media Services. The book came out great but it was made only in paperback and I couldn't set my own price and I don't have 100% royalty. For your information , I have never seen the partially completed book or received a refund . Anyone have insight or experience? Corporate Trainer. They are offering a spot on Publisher's weekly. Or are they a scam? How was this possible? I haven't found them on one of the links you provided, but will keep digging for more info. I too have been solicited from Dreambooks Distributing. thanks, Hi. Do you pay a little more sometimes for the convenience of your file preparation being consolidated to one place? Her five published novels, Spin, Arranged, Forgotten, Hidden, and Smoke are all international bestsellers and have been translated into numerous languages. Hi there, I submitted my novel to Breaking Rules Publishers, based in Florida. Curious to hear any feedback- thanks much. Has anyone heard of SOOP? Is this a safe choice to invest my first book in? Hay House seems to offer some writers resources, but they include some online courses that are seriously overpriced. Be very careful with them. If it's another one that I haven't been able to find with a quick Google search, then you should be vary wary. Have you heard anything about Dream Books Distribution. Cons Rude staff Makes promsies to customers writers can't keep. I would like to know as well. I suspect you'll find that a lot of them have few-to-no reviews. What kind of small press is legit at this point? Thanks! If it hadn't been for the semi-literate 'editor', I'd have gone ahead. Becoming a published author is a dream shared by almost every writer. I know someone who just recently had a book published in with them. Based on my experience, the money, if any, is in the screen play. There is no guarantee that you will qualify for the high-paying, $100 articles, and you can't predict the availability of articles when you sign up (more about this later). That said, I'd be grateful if you could forward that email to us: service[at]reedsy[dot]com so we can take a look. Mr Rudolph has a Filipino accent and it seems his number is a cell phone number. I'm trying to do my due diligence on publishing companies but I'm having a hard time deciphering between a traditional publisher and vanity press. They cold-called me numerous times about marketing my book SAVING ME, and want $2500 up front. Previous clients include big-name digital brands like Culture Trip, FluentU, and Hotels.com, to name a few. There is an "authorhouse" which is totally dif. And then outreached by writers republic shortly after. They took all of my profit from my book and I made next to nothing while they walked away with the lion's share. I know these people working for Folio Avenue. Think, folks. They do do good job for their authors, and if you know nothing about book marketing they could be the right option for you. From what I gather, Book Baby is pretty good. In 90% of the cases, when you receive an unsolicited email or phone call, it's not going to be from a reputable publishing company. Who knows about URLINK? What should I do? Of course! Over 3,000 vetted editors, designers, and marketers are available for hire. Loves operating within dynamic environment. We are a full-service self-publishing company that provides aspiring authors exclusive access to publicity and a pool of book evaluators and. Now, there are "assisted self-publishing companies" out there very different from vanity publishers who're great: they do take care of everything, but they let *you* self-publish the book. Supposedly they already have large publishing firms very interested in my book. I think this is VERY bad to pay an employer then ask their salary back. Because of this, we have decided to launch a full program with OverDrive and other library eBook platforms to sell all of the current SELF-e Select collections and other curated titles under our Indie Author Project (IAP) brand. it usually is." I almost signed a contract with one of your WATCHDOG publishers. 2023, International Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., separately incorporated Better Business Bureau organizations in the US, Canada and Mexico and BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Inc. All rights reserved. I have bought a self publishing package with Balboa press. I am glad I found this website. My radar was on high alert. my work at anytime and that I barely have a say so with the book cover I do not like it. Their pitch of "we can get you on the NY Times top 100 bestseller list" sounds a bit too good to be true. A Writer's Badass Guide to Branding, Blogging and Social Media is packed full of practical material for novice bloggers from developing your brand and logo down to the minutia of establishing the site, promoting your content and growing your readership. Minnie Elkins. They met every clause in my contract & I am satisfied with their work. Thank you for sharing your experience about Author House, though, it corroborates the experience of many other writers we've heard of. Just a few days ago I got a phone call from their marketing advisor who offered me to pay $5000(!) Why? I was also co reacted by EC Publishing, LLC I. . Has anyone heard of Renley Rudolf? New Reader is a scam. Sent in my children's book, WOW--TO A CHILD CHRIST RETURNED--for review. How that remains possible is astounding and frustrating to me! We offer suggestions and resources for taking legal action, along with a variety of options for filing complaints. Sincerely, We made every attempt to make it accessible to over ****** online book retailers worldwide. Earlier today I approached Ugly Duckling Presse about publishing my father's bilingual poetry book. They became very dodgy and manipulative inferring I was ignorant about how independent presses work. Do you have any updated information about TBN and their Trilogy publishing arm? Can you tell me anything about Adelaide Books? I have received an "invitation" from EC Publishing to represent the book at the Frankfort Book Fair in Oct. They said they pay her to place the books plus she gets part of the royalties. What is your opinion of Atlantic Publishing? My advice is to steer clear.". It's much more reasonably priced and I can personally vouch for Mark I believe that with a bit of research and motivation, you could learn everything he's teaching on your own. The website is here: Can you recommend Mulberry Books Publishing House? Many scammers impersonate reputable literary agents, film producers, and traditional publishers with fake publishing or movie rights offers requiring author "investments" of thousands of dollars. You have to sign a contract with them and you will have to pay whatever the contract ask for if you sign. I personally tend to think that they can be a really good option for authors and the digital marketing they do on behalf of their authors is pretty on point. They want me to pay them--need some information ASAP. Shady publishing companies that offer to sell you ISBNs above the market price (and other types of publishing scammers). is Austin Macauley Publishers a good publishing company ? Every year, the publishing world flock to a handful of book fairs where the rights to publish new titles are snapped up. Need to file a complaint? This was unnecessary. Thanks for any helpful feedback. Put in the time and run a bunch of their books through Amazon. Additionally, they bloat the cost of your book and make it so expensive that it can't possibly align with industry standards. [ Ultra-Strong Adhesive ] Peel-and-stick extra-large labels with strong self-adhesive backing. Storyline is good..but it's just hard to read and follow. and this is just not true. Have you heard anything about Authors4Authors Publishing? The review, entirely favourable, was complete in 3 weeks. After listening to him and telling him numerous times I was not interested in putting money into my book, I told him I was not interested, do not contact me, and to place me on the do not call list. Thank you in advance for your response. to get featured in New York Times. BBB is here to help. If you want to do further research, look up the books listed on their website and see where they rank in their Amazon categories I suspect most of them will not even be in the top 5,000 in their specific niches. By the looks of it, they are a classic vanity press This doesn't sound like a legitimate operation to me. I have seen 3 complaints, but don't know if that is enough to be concerned about. On the second call I tried asking how they got my number and they avoided answering that questioon. It seems like it would cost me the same or more to do it all individually!- thanks much. I finally settled on Writers Clique. The website looks clear and legit, but I wondered if anyone here has had any experience with them or knowledge about them? I don't plan to click on the link because I never do that if I'm not certain of where it will take me. They had told me that ALL publishing houses require authors to purchase copies of their own books. Sorry to hear that, Leanne :( In cases like this, the best way forward is to issue a rights reversion letter: https://www.authorsalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/20160920-Interactive-RR-Letter-Guide.pdf Not really looking to 'sell' books, they just want to see their story and family history in print, good quality, of course. He pushed me for one hour to make a huge deposit payment at the same day. This course will provide a comprehensive overview of the Chat GPT tool and its various applications, including chatbots, conversational agents, and language translation. Is this legit or a scam? I have not signed with them yet because I found some clauses with their contract which require changes. Any guidance you can offer would be so very helpful! Avoid companies that offer grand (yet vague) promises of instant stardom. By. I published my book with Author House. I am sceptical because I've received so many of these calls. What is your opinion of Book Baby's services? Authors own the copyright to their works before and after they publish them. And, in a couple of incidences I told the company I will not be harassed or intimidated to publish when I felt the manuscript was not completed to my liking, Thanks for such invaluable information. Not only do I not appreciate his attitude or his blatant disrespect for anyones time, but I will be certain to report this to the better business bureau and the national do not call list with the government. I am an experienced author with another good publishing company but they are not interested in this genre. Then they ask the receiver to click on a link that supposedly will "provide us PayPal information to receive royalty payments." They do editing, print formatting, cover design, and eBook conversion but you can also provide your own finished files, and their technicians will check the files over for any technical issues before printing, converting or distributing. I am definitely thinking the same. The books they profile on their site actually have Amazon reviews, which is better than what most vanity/hybrid presses have. In our opinion, Vanity Publishers are a bad choice in 99% of the cases *if you want your book to sell*. info@writersbranding.com Give us a free call +1 (877) 608-6550 2022 PACIFIC BOOK REVIEW AWARDEES Three of our outstanding Writers' Branding authors get a resounding recognition in the recently concluded Pacific Book Awards 2022. She played a convincing part in pretending to manage marketing for my book with ALA and ACLR events in 2019. I DID go with Balboa and it was a horrific mistake. - they don't solicit you in the first place what is your view about "Author's Ink" . I just received a solicit from them. Unfortunately, there are plenty of unreliable companies out there looking to make a quick buck by exploiting those dreams. We know Inkitt pretty well. Theres never been any evidence of successful pitches, but these services will surely cost you a pretty penny. She promised to keep me apprised of the markeing status and provide proof of my book listing in these events, but then she never followed up. And they don't need money from me to do that. All of us have to keep our eyes wide open. Is Go To Publish.com reputable? How to Create a Brand Branding is a large topic. Yesterday I got a call from FolioAvenue, a small company offering a literary agent who will work to have my book accepted by a larger more influential publisher than my current Balboa. Does anyone here know if Okada Books is a scam. For $125, any author can buy an ISBN through Bowker in the USA or Nielsen in the UK: agencies that issue ISBNs and cannot profit from their sale. Id be grateful for a comment. Selling a book is something that most authors struggle with. Is Writers Republic reputable/legitimate? I am not enough published with them. We were never given an advance and were told it may take 2 or 3 years to get a return on our money. Youre not a well-known author, that kind of attitude? There is Self Publishing companies that are Author Funded and then there is "vanity presses" those two things are entirely different. I'm entertaining the idea of having my work published through Plowshares Media which operates out of La Jolla, CA., and am interested in any information you might have on their credibility. This may be the main reason vanity pressr publishers thrive. But that would be a big mistake. Author House is a renowned scam, yes, but Johnny above was referencing a different company, Author's House, which both chose its name pretty poorly and also seems like another scam (focused on reviews). As recounted in "Hemingway and the Mechanism of Fame," edited by Matthew J. Bruccoli and Judith S. Baughman, he proudly appeared in ads for Pan Am and Parker pens, selling his name with the abandon. After the book was published they kept calling me to spend more money on advertising at book fairs which I know is a total scam. Do you have information on Greenleaf? beautyrest heated blanket replacement cord; university of rochester job placement; what did gee your hair smells terrific smell like; spangdahlem air base closing Do you know if this is a reputable company? can be in the millions of dollars, enhancing the value of the tradpub company by that much. Does anyone know anything about Capstone Media Services? Try again or cancel this request. Upfront things when smooth but after publishing just fizzled out with little or no contact or royalties so now I am more careful about signing on with another company. Price at time of publish: $65 for vegan leather. By nature, he is a very social individual and likes talking with people, making him capable of communicating his ideas and thoughts whether spoken, written or visual. I was called by July Summers at Author's Press who want to market my self published book & send me to 2 book fairs where my book will be displayed , & I will have author interviews etc. I do have a very real 65,000 word manuscript that I thought TBN was good to publish, but I do not have $5,000. One last thing: when a company like that says they'll do your marketing, it tends to mean very little. If they claim to be publishers, they may be benefitting from having a similar name to Pearson, which is a major publishing group. June 29, 2022; docker swarm load balancing; nigel bruce cause of death Without a doubt, do your research and avoid rip off vanity houses. A quick look at their website should've sent up some red flags: their homepage image is a picture of Neil Gaiman at a book signing. As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. If you want to work with reliable publishers, browse our catalog of independent presses, all of which have been thoroughly vetted. Here are four tips on branding for nonfiction writers and authors. Article topics may include prebuilt PC reviews, informational guides related to building computers, or PC brand reviews, among other related topics. I'm a triple-accredited freelance content marketing writer from London, UK with two main niches: scuba diving travel and fragrance/perfume.<br><br>From luxury hotel reviews to budget hostel round-ups, sponsored city guides to continent-wide, SEO-driven editorials, branding for surf resorts or social media for super-yacht brands, I like to think I'm a travel writer who can cover a lot of .