Simon & Schuster Joins Forces With Author Solutions To Rip Off Writers
3November 29, 2012 by James Calbraith
Simon & Schuster has launched a self-publishing operation, Archway Publishing, contracting one of the most disreputable players in the business to run the show: Author Solutions.
We'll get to that distasteful link-up in a second, but first let's have a look at what Simon & Schuster are offering prospective customers (i.e. writers).
Fiction packages start at $1,999 and go up to $14,999.
Writers - you don't need to do any of that. You can prepare a good book for the fraction of the price, and keep all the profits to yourself!
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There’s a writer I follow on WordPress who got a copy-edit for about $2,000 from Author Solutions (iUniverse to be specific, I think). That’s just the flipping copy edit! She paid money to have them assess the book before she got the copy-edit, twice I think.
I’m getting a professional cover for $60 because I’m happy with only one concept, and sometimes BSing on Reddit pays off ‘cuz you make friends. Community is so important if you’re a self-published author. You can get recommendations for editors, find beta-readers, and someone to share both the good and bad moments with.
Agreed! Good copy-editing may be very expensive, but why not hire a recommended freelancer – and keep all profits to yourself!
Actually, I know someone who’s pretty cheap. The thing I’ve found with self-pubbing, is you need to find someone who’s better at it than you, and then bug them if you can. I’m lucky, I do have someone to harass and recommend copy-editors. Beta-readers you click with are invaluable as well.