tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post3479682002259873933..comments2023-09-16T03:22:27.089-05:00Comments on POD Book Reviews & More: Dreams For SaleFloyd M. Orrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07328513361518450633noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post-70745814987843139802012-04-13T16:32:42.801-05:002012-04-13T16:32:42.801-05:00 I think quite a bit less of iU since they sold ou... I think quite a bit less of iU since they sold out to AuthorHouse. Yes, most of the POD companies are much the same. iU is still better than many, but the whole industry is suspect in many obvious ways, such as the fact that none of them care if you sell a single book or not. In today's market of improved POD technology, new competition, and Kindle's ownership of the market, I do not recommend using any company other than CreateSpace. Ninety percent of POD sales are generally through Amazon, so why not deal directly with the only company that has a stake in your success?Floyd M. Orrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07328513361518450633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post-8216179491262523842012-04-13T15:16:15.107-05:002012-04-13T15:16:15.107-05:00So is it just Iuniverse , or all POD's. I stil...So is it just Iuniverse , or all POD's. I still owe on the package I chose from over a year ago. I wanted to change publisher's and go to Westbow Publishing, now I'm wondering what to do with my manuscript...Floyd M. Orrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07328513361518450633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post-11073514441387496912009-04-28T16:44:00.000-05:002009-04-28T16:44:00.000-05:00I can't actually lodge a formal complaint against ...I can't actually lodge a formal complaint against iUniverse. Per the agreement I signed, they delivered on every point. But I would caution anyone who is considering using them to bear this thought in mind: They will produce your book, but nothing else. As the article correctly states, they have no interest in the success of any title they publish. Even if they never sell a single copy of your book, they've already made money on selling you the publishing package. Which is terribly short-sighted in my opinion. If they could demonstrate large sales for worthy books, then that would be a huge sales tool for them. "This iUniverse author sold x number of copies, etc." It might draw a higher caliber of author, and maybe, down the road, lend some credibility to their imprint. Instead, they will publish ANYTHING. If you decided to publish a book that contained nothing but random, incoherent text, the only question you would hear from the sales associate is: Do you have the fee? Check out their online store. Randomly peruse the titles and read a few blurbs. Your mouth will drop open. Even the book covers, which will be the first thing a reader sees, and ideally should be visually intriguing, look like they were sketched with a crayon. Given the lack of effort put into the cover design, you have to suspect the pages inside will reflect the same poor attention to detail. iUniverse needs to set some basic literary guidelines. But they won't. Because that would eliminate 98% of their customer-base.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07185375777470494942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post-35151814255616726332009-04-28T16:39:00.000-05:002009-04-28T16:39:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07185375777470494942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post-54964925946992432672007-09-29T14:41:00.000-05:002007-09-29T14:41:00.000-05:00I would advise giving away your books to whoever w...I would advise giving away your books to whoever will take them. It is far more satisfying than struggling and sweating for every $2.30.lgouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888687867919587842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post-52910533295196904112007-09-25T22:00:00.000-05:002007-09-25T22:00:00.000-05:00My initial glow with iUniverse has faded to a grim...My initial glow with iUniverse has faded to a grim shadow. I've been displeased with the way things have gone since my initial transaction, and see no reason that will improve. And with the recent buyout by AuthorHouse, notorious in the publishing industry, all I can say is I learned my lesson and will revert to traditional publishing from here on out and cannot and will not recommend iUniverse again.<BR/><BR/>Amy: I've received more rejections than I can count. The simple fact is you're competing in a huge pond of fish for a single bite and the odds are stacked against you. You can either keep plugging away, working at getting better, or not as the case may be.<BR/><BR/>IanIanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14497045412007902460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post-88532810447334115162007-09-25T17:55:00.000-05:002007-09-25T17:55:00.000-05:00That's an interesting comment, Amy. I guess I find...That's an interesting comment, Amy. I guess I find it difficult to have learned what I have about the marketing of POD books without developing a very deep cynicism.Floyd M. Orrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07328513361518450633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31024695.post-82711966744932946422007-09-25T17:47:00.000-05:002007-09-25T17:47:00.000-05:00I would agree--iUniverse is selling dreams. Howev...I would agree--iUniverse is selling dreams. However, having gotten that rejection letter on several occasions, I'm thinking that selling a dream is marginally less skeezy than crushing one for fun.Amy Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04885706951931450373noreply@blogger.com