Bad Bad Book Country?
Well, well, well. After telling writers that self-publishing was the quickest way to hell, major publishers are jumping on the band wagon and many of my colleagues self-publish their books even though they scorned those of us who, years earlier, elected to do it. Funny how things can change in a short time. What hasn't changed is the need to look at the self-pub options in the same, cautious manner one uses for all business dealings.
My purpose today is to point out that Book Country (the self-pub arm of Penguin) may not be as evil as some would have you believe. Or it may be just as bad as JA Konrath and others have stated. (JA Konrath blog) There is more to this than just money and I caution all writers to approach their publishing options with extreme caution.
For starters - read that contract. Every single stinking word of it. Watch out for more than the dollars. Be very careful about who will own your work. Is there an escape clause? Can you leave this publisher and go with someone else? How will your work be distributed and in what platforms? (Use the contract review checklist in Dollars and Sense for Writers to assist you.)
Look at the publisher's business ethics. Is this a company you want to work with or does it do things that trouble you? There are some very large companies that spend an awful lot of time in court. Do you want to be one of those filing suit? Do you care?
Finally, consider what works best for you. If you work full time and have little computer savvy, you may feel that paying someone to format your manuscript for e-publishing makes sense. If that is your decision, be sure to compare vendors. Select someone who charges a reasonable rate and has a proven track record. There are plenty of independent contractors who do this work and they charge a lot less than a self-publisher will.
Writing is a business. Remember to treat it like one. Make all your decisions after investigating your options and considering all the facts. Book Country, and others like it, may be a bad deal. Or not. Only you can determine that based on what works for you and your situation.
My purpose today is to point out that Book Country (the self-pub arm of Penguin) may not be as evil as some would have you believe. Or it may be just as bad as JA Konrath and others have stated. (JA Konrath blog) There is more to this than just money and I caution all writers to approach their publishing options with extreme caution.
For starters - read that contract. Every single stinking word of it. Watch out for more than the dollars. Be very careful about who will own your work. Is there an escape clause? Can you leave this publisher and go with someone else? How will your work be distributed and in what platforms? (Use the contract review checklist in Dollars and Sense for Writers to assist you.)
Look at the publisher's business ethics. Is this a company you want to work with or does it do things that trouble you? There are some very large companies that spend an awful lot of time in court. Do you want to be one of those filing suit? Do you care?
Finally, consider what works best for you. If you work full time and have little computer savvy, you may feel that paying someone to format your manuscript for e-publishing makes sense. If that is your decision, be sure to compare vendors. Select someone who charges a reasonable rate and has a proven track record. There are plenty of independent contractors who do this work and they charge a lot less than a self-publisher will.
Writing is a business. Remember to treat it like one. Make all your decisions after investigating your options and considering all the facts. Book Country, and others like it, may be a bad deal. Or not. Only you can determine that based on what works for you and your situation.
Posted by Linda Mickey at 11/22/2011 8:37 AM 
Categories: Book Retailing, Publishing Issues
Tags: Book Country JA Konrath format for e-publishing Dollars and Sense for Writers Publisher contracts e-publishing e-publishing platforms writing business questionable business ethics
Categories: Book Retailing, Publishing Issues
Tags: Book Country JA Konrath format for e-publishing Dollars and Sense for Writers Publisher contracts e-publishing e-publishing platforms writing business questionable business ethics
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