Publish America Book Publishers rip-off! Frederick Maryland

As a Publish America Author, I take exception to your rounded perception that we as authors (albeit 20,000 in number at this point in time), cannot construct sentences; please do not tar us all with the same brush! Some of us were tutored in Grammar and English Literature.

I have previously talked to staff at Publish America; I have read the Washington Post article; I have read all of the comments posted on this site about Publish America; and I have discussed the topic of self-publishing with other professional editors and writers.

I make no further comments about Publish America. However, nearly everyone who has posted on this site, whether an author for or against publishing with Publish America or for or against self-publishing, has errors in his or her postings on this site.

Self-publishing companies vary in their services, quality, procedures, contracts, and distribution, if that is included in the contract. It is important to make comparisons of what self-publishing companies offer before signing their contracts, which you should also read carefully before you sign them.

Nevertheless, as many writing centers and instructors always recommend and as a professional writer and editor I will recommend that you seek and pay a professional editor to edit your work before you ever submit it to a publisher for consideration. This way, you are assured of having 1) a second set of eyes to be sure your work is a good copy without typographical, spelling, or grammatical errors; 2) a professional read-through to give you feedback on your plot, characters, or layout, etc.; 3) perhaps assistance with styles and graphics layout; 4) possibly a recommendation or comparison of what various self-publishing houses can offer an author so he or she can make an informed decision before signing a contract; and 5) for first-time authors with less experience, honest, constructive, and supportive feedback without put-down that might enable you to interest a publishing house willing to pay your for your book. You would have to go out and buy Writer's Market and do the footwork!

Now, I am not an agent for any publisher; however, I am a professional writer and editor who can help you do exactly what I have suggested. Moreover, there are hundreds of editors across the country who are ready and waiting to help you make your book a success.

I strongly suggest that you go to your local bookstore and purchase the first ever National Directory of Editors and Writers, collected by Elizabeth Lyon and published by M. Evans of New York in March 2005. Ms. Lyon has listed over 600 editors in all parts of the U.S. I'm sure you will find one near to you or you can work with him or her remotely from another part of the country.

I too am in the directory and would be pleased to assist authors in editing their creative works. You may contact me at poeteire@yahoo.com to discuss your particulars and so that I can give you my rates, procedures, expertise, and limitations.

Success to all authors!

You talk and talk about Publish America, but what about those snub nose agents who don't even answer you back unless your a famous person?

Since 2001, I have tried to get my manuscript publish, but since I'm a nobody, it's ignored.
The publishers are the same, they forget that famous writers were also nobody's. You see you never know when a nobody might have such a great story to tell, yet your ignorance makes the dicisions for you, so don't knock a company when your agents and publishers ignore the little guy. At least this company hears you out.

Pardon me, ladies, but it's more "inconsiderate and borish" when writers of these books continue to insist that their friends and family members purchase them.

If it weren't for the millions of "soft-spots" like me, these writers wouldn't stand a chance of selling one single book. This is how Publish America survives.

The authors know it too, but won't admit it. They'll turn the tables on their friends who, after forking over money for the first book, are constantly hassled until they buy the author's second and third "novel". They accuse us of being "inconsiderate and borish", just like you two.

You can't deny my facts because you know them to be true, so you attack me instead.

Florence, I feel saddened that somebody could have been cruel enough to write that nasty comment. It's a bit like kicking somebody when they're down. Shame on you Joe!

I too am an "unhappy" PA author. I could point out that there has not always been so much information on the Internet about PA, and that not everybody is in the habit of using Google for searches. But I've discovered that it's not worth arguing with people who are naturally inconsiderate...

How kind and truly helpful of Joe to establish himself as a superior person/writer. Florence, if you've gotten anything from that borish response, I hope it was that Joe is a lonely bitter man whose only kudos in life comes from himself. I thank you for the information on PublishAmerica, as I'm sure others will find it useful also.

...policy which...

...Noble.com which...

...ocntract... (Which I assume should read, contract.)

... do do...

PublishAmerica caters to people who care little about what they write people who believe it's someone else's job to reread, edit, rewrite and correct spelling errors. Any writer who values his work would never type paragraphs like the ones you posted.

Didn't you research PA before doing business with them? The Internet is full of information about this POD agency, and none of it is good.

If you want to become a respectable published author, develop some writing skills. Take some college courses and attend writing groups. Sweat over the details.

Based on what you've written you have a long way to go before a legitimate publishing house will even bother reading your material. I'm sure you already know that.

I find it laughable that PublishAmerica sucks in people who can't even construct a proper sentence.

Frankly, my dear, the deception rests on you, not them. They've done you a favor by turning you into a "published author".