What's the Difference with Publish America, Tate, and Dorrance

[silent]

Hello! I'm new to the site and need some info. Why should I publish my book with Dorrance (they have offered to publish) for $6,000-$10,000? Tate Publishing still has my Manuscript and will let me know shortly yes or no and require $4,000. Publish America will publish for $0. I like everyone else of course believe in my work and don't want its chances ruined from the start by being impatient. I am going to invest to get it professionally edited for style, content, etc. Need some good feed back!

[Gravity]

Why not go the commercial route, and have them pay YOU?

[silent]

Well that is exactly what I plan to do. Do you have any info on how I can get my first time project read?

[Tamera]

I would send it to a reputable literary agent. If the agent represents you, he or she will find you a publisher.

[ProfessorAlan]

Conferences are a good place to make contacts.

[love2write]

Publish America is considered a scam operation. Just google their name and you'll find a lot of information. Preditors & Editors has a page devoted to PA. They've been in court, sued by writers.

[cpickett]

If you'd like information on traditional publishers, I'd recommend either http://www.fundsforwriters.com or http://www.absolutewrite.com

They both have helpful, free newsletters and have been around for several years.

[tlm]

Publish America will publish for $0. I like everyone else of course believe in my work and don't want its chances ruined from the start by being impatient.

They (Publish America) will add errors to your manuscript and then make you feel like the mistakes were your fault from the start. I'm not talking about 1 or 2 mistakes either. It will be stuff like having your name misspelled and changing all the plurals to possessives--and possessives to plurals. Those are errors done when running a spell check.

[Gravity]

And because PA will take literally anything that comes to their inbox before the daily cutoff, their editors (usually college kids) find themselves buried in work. They get about five minutes to run a manscript through a spell-check before it's out of their hands and another one arrives.

[Elysia]

Wow. I had no idea PA was a scam. My dad published a book with them last year, although I'm not sure if he saw any mistakes in them. I think he ended up with more copies than he could use, though.

[silent]

How is his book doing? What are the sales results thus far?

[Elysia]

i don't know...he's estranged.

[silent]

Well thats too bad!! I'm sure he loves you very much. Don't ever blame him for what went wrong between him and your mother!!

[ForeverJoy]

I'm new to this publishing stuff to...so are tate and dorrance okay? and what exactly is the "commercial route?"

[lynnmosher]

There are many posts and threads on the site. Many lately in discussion. Do a little searching and you'll find them. If I notice where they are, I'll let you know. I'm sure others will come along behind me and let you know also.

[Merry]

Hey, definitely read the 'Writer Beware' thread. It has a link that will help answer a lot of your questions about POD companies.

'Commercial route' just refers to traditional publishers...the guys who pay you for printing your book and not the other way around.

[Gravity]

I'm new to this publishing stuff to...so are tate and dorrance okay? and what exactly is the "commercial route?"

"Okay" is a relative term, Joy. It all depends on what you're looking for, going in. If you have a niche nonfiction work, with a solid speaking platform, Tate or Dorrance might fit the bill. But be aware, that "bill" is going to be costly; in Tate's case, nearly four grand. Dorrance I understand is even higher.

As was stated upstream, "commericial" publishing simply means a house is willing to front their own money; i.e., they pay you. Sometimes that means an advance (frequently several thousand dollars), and always royalties. Since it's "their" money footing the project, not yours, the house has a much higher vested interest in seeing your work succeed.

Which is better? That depends. Most people choose the commercial way to go, reasoning "a worker is worthy of their hire". This is the way I personally feel; call me a capitalist, but I like getting paid for my efforts. Just be aware this option can take longer ... sometimes a lot longer.

Other writers, whether for time contraints, health reasons, family issues, or whatever, will choose to circumvent the process and pay for it themselves ... sometimes to their satisfaction, frequently to their chagrin.

Whichever way is chosen, Joy, remember, knowledge is power. Choose wisely, Grasshopper. :cool:

[ForeverJoy]

thank you, Merry, and i'll read 'writers beware'.

Gravity, where do you find decent publishers for the "commercial route"? Don't they all kinda seem the same? how do you know the good from the bad? ( i apologize if this is off topic from the thread)

[Gravity]

Joy, if you're looking for CBA (Christian) publishers, a great place to start is Christian Writers Market Guide, edited by Sally Stuart. Any of the larger bookstores should carry a copy or two. A new edition comes out every January, so you might want to wait until then to buy it. Granted, it ain't cheap (around thirty bucks or so), but it's exhaustive, listing Christian book publishers, magazines, editor contacts, pay rates, literary agencies, writing groups, etc. As Sally herself would tell you, though, if you find a house in her book that seems to fit, check them out thoroughly. Writer Beware is good, as is Preditors and Editors.

If you're looking for ABA houses (secular), Writers Market Guide (no "Christian" in the title) is where you want to search. With the same caveats, of course. Hope that helps.

[ForeverJoy]

Thanks Gravity! you are a wonderful help! I'll definitely check out Christian Writers Market Guide. That sounds very promising...