…Of course, my evidence that you can’t give iUniverse books away is only anecdotal.
Kevin’s back. This time with a response to My Thoughts on iUniverse and a very generous offer. I am glad he stuck around to continue the conversation with me, but I am somewhat disheartened that he didn’t also address this comment left by a very unhappy iUniverse customer in the same thread. Ah well, time is limited for everyone. We’ll take what we can get, won’t we?
Kevin’s response:
Emily,
I haven’t read the iUniverse title in question, so I can’t judge the quality of this book; but I find it troubling that you would judge a publisher’s entire library based on one or even a small selection of titles. Using this logic would mean that Simon & Schuster puts out books of questionable quality because one of its imprints, Gallery, published Snooki Polizzi’s book.
Your remark: “Regardless, throwing the blame back on the author—because they have the final say, after all—is to deny (or at the very least minimize) iUniverse’s role in polluting the market with utter crap,” is also puzzling to me. Are all iUniverse titles “utter crap” because they don’t receive the blessings of a gatekeeper?
If so, by this logic, all blogs would be “utter crap,” and WordPress would be polluting the Internet because unlike content produced by news organizations, blogs aren’t scrutinized by a gatekeeper. Readers judge if a blog is worth reading, and that determines its level of success.
I would be happy to send a sample of quality iUniverse titles for you to read. Please let me know your preferred genre and how I can get them to you. Thanks for providing this forum for dialog.
Regards, Kevin A. Gray kevin.gray @iuniverse.com
Oh, Kevin, I dare you to read Maximum Speed: Pushing the Limit. Triple dog dare you. But that’s kind of beside the point. Let’s get to the heart of your comment, shall we?
At no time have I ever judged iUniverse’s entire library. I was clear about my inability to do such a thing because I haven’t read all of your titles. See the original quote:
Now, I’m not saying everything that comes from iUniverse is crap, because I haven’t read everything from iUniverse. But I know for a fact that some of what comes from iUniverse is crap, because I’ve had the misfortune of reading it.
Likewise, I never labeled “all iUniverse titles ‘utter crap.'” You seem to have jumped to that conclusion all by yourself (and then subsequently gone off on some wild, fallacy-ridden tangent about WordPress and news organizations to boot).
I simply stated that because iUniverse does print some crap, it should be held accountable for its part in printing said crap. In the case of all given works of crap, the authors are responsible for writing them, for sure. But iUniverse is also culpable, as a result of its business model.
There’s no need to be ashamed about any of that, I guess. We all understand that making money is what businesses do. But I feel iUniverse needs to do a better job of owning it and accepting that it does indeed contribute to market pollution. Now, having personally read a total of three different iUniverse titles recently and a total of zero good ones, my personal opinion is that iUniverse probably puts out proportionately more crap than, say, Simon & Schuster (since you mention them).
QAs a book-loving consumer, I’m already done taking chances on iUniverse. So concerning your offer to send me more titles? Thanks, but no thanks.
On Saturday I reviewed a book titled Maximum Speed: Pushing the Limit, published by iUniverse. I have a few thoughts on iUniverse.
There’s no need to read the original review unless you just want to. I can sum it up for you by saying this: my overall opinion of the work, though completely honest, wasn’t exactly flattering.
A smattering of people commented on the post, but I wouldn’t say it attracted much feedback. That’s generally the case with these types of self-pub reviews, I’ve noticed. However, when commenter Grizzbabe rightly pointed out that the book’s cover couldn’t be any cheesier, I lamented in my reply to her that “you don’t get professional editing services, and you sure as heck don’t get real graphic designers” from a place like iUniverse.
An iUniverse representative was good enough to stop by and leave the following comment in the company’s defense. I wanted to draw some attention to it for two reasons: first, because I think it’s important to hear from other people on the subject of self-publishing, and second, because I just couldn’t let it stand there without providing additional commentary.
Here is Kevin Gray’s comment, unedited:
Actually, Emily professional editing services are available through iUniverse; and we storngly recommend every author utlize the services of a professional editor — either through iUniverse — or from another source. Because iUniverse is an indie publishing company, authors are free to disregard this advice and push forward without an editor.
Authors are also encouraged to take great care in working with iUniverse in designing their covers. Many authors provide their own artwork or commission the services of a professional illustrator — either through iUniverse or again from an external source. Authors have final signoff on the entire book, including the cover, before the book is put into distribution.
The fact is fewer and fewer “non-superstar” authors are receiving advances from publishers, making indie publishing providers like iUniverse more and more popular. Whether an author chooses to publish through iUniverse, or to utilize another publishing option, we encourage all authors to seek out the assistance of professionals to ensure their books are the best they can be.
Regards, Kevin A. Gray iUniverse kevin.gray @iuniverse.com
First, I don’t dispute that iUniverse sells editing and design services to its customers. But, were Mr. Gray and I to compare notes on what qualifies as a “professional” designer or editor, I fear we might find some real discrepancies. At any rate, I can’t adequately judge the editing capabilities of iUniverse’s editing professionals, because I don’t know which authors chose iUniverse editors and which chose to do their own thing.
Regardless, throwing the blame back on the author—because they have the final say, after all—is to deny (or at the very least minimize) iUniverse’s role in polluting the market with utter crap. (Now, I’m not saying everything that comes from iUniverse is crap, because I haven’t read everything from iUniverse. But I know for a fact that some of what comes from iUniverse is crap, because I’ve had the misfortune of reading it.)
Actually, did I refer to iUniverse as a publisher earlier? Because I didn’t mean to. iUniverse and companies like it are more like printers than publishers. And, dear authors, if you don’t get that, you need only consider which direction the money is flowing.
Maybe operations like these do have a place in the free market, particularly if Mr. Gray’s argument—that traditional publishers are mostly just signing the superstars these days—holds water. However, people shouldn’t be deluded about what’s really going on here.
Writers, I’d just like to close by saying this: if seeing your novel in print is on your bucket list and traditional publishers have rejected your work, why not pay iUniverse to print it and slap it on Amazon.com? I’m all about people dying fulfilled and junk.
If you’ve used iUniverse or a similar service, please share your experience with me in the comments.
Last week Missy at Literal Mom interviewed me about freelance writing for her post “Interested in a Freelance Writing Career? Advice from an Expert.”
While I might be just a touch skittish about being called an expert, I am always glad to share what I’ve learned so far with other writers.
If you are thinking about getting started as a freelance writer, I hope you find the answers there helpful. And, if you’d like to ask me something that wasn’t covered in the interview, you can always contact me directly.
Thanks to Missy for the interview and for being kind enough to support Writers’ Week at the same time!
After completing a handful of free book reviews here at Suess’s Pieces and receiving several requests for future reviews, I have discovered a problem with my book review model. So things are about to change around here. And I’m about to make myself look like the meanest person you ever did meet.
Yo, Authors, I’m Not Your Private Fangirl
I started reviewing books for free as a way to help self-published and little-known authors get a modicum of online publicity for their works, and I was glad to do it. What can I say? I’m a writer who likes to give back where she can. However, I started receiving requests from authors* that made me wonder if I had the word groupie or fangirl tattooed on my forehead.
Initially the requests from authors seemed innocuous enough. I was asked to make comments on a blog post. Then I was asked to write a post on Suess’s Pieces in response to one author’s recent blog post with a link back to the original (in addition to the initial review.) I was later asked to retweet this or that.
Blah, blah, blah.
I ignored these different requests for the most part. Manners and etiquette aren’t universal traits, after all. But then yesterday I received an @mention on Twitter after letting an author know that her book had arrived and was in the queue for review. The author wrote, “Super! Some readers have taken pictures of them and the book at a race track and FB(ed) it. Will you?”
Um, ‘scuse me?
Fuck no, I won’t drive myself to the IMS with your 133-page “novel”, ask someone to take a picture of me with it, and then upload it to Facebook for you. First of all, I haven’t even read the book yet. But odds are it sucks. Second, what the hell? We are not friends. I am not a pushover.
Yoohoo! I’m Already Doing You a Favor
Is there anybody in there?
Writing a review (for free!) of a book that will likely never get a mention in Booklist or the Times might not be enough to qualify me for sainthood, but it is something you should kind of pretend to be grateful for. Say thank you, and move along. Or, if you prefer, return my kindness with a kindness of your own. But don’t keep asking me to give up more of my time to promote your pet project. It’s rude.
Reviews take time! (Cue The More You Know Star and some B-list TV personality.)First there’s the actual book reading, which, in the case of most self-published works, is excruciating. And then there’s writing, formatting, and publishing the review. Even my brief book reviews rob me of several precious hours. That’s time I could be copywriting for a real client or cleaning out my dog’s ears.
New Book Review Policy
There will be a fee for all future book reviews**. Prices are as follows:
Standard Review, completed in 6-8 weeks: $149 Expedited Review, completed in 4-6 weeks: $199
Both standard and expedited reviews will be a minimum of 400 words and will include publication of cover art, two links to the book’s Amazon page using my affiliate account, and a link to the author’s website or blog.
WARNING: Paid book reviews do not necessarily equal favorable reviews. In fact, future reviews will be brutally honest critiques of your work that could garner a lot of attention. But hey, there’s no such thing as bad publicity, right?
Seriously, Em? No One Will Ever Pay That
Well, you’d be surprised. But if I never write another review on Suess’s Pieces again, I’m okay with that.
Book reviews on Suess’s Pieces are changing effective immediately. Authors and publicists go here to request a book review.
*Not all of them, mind you. Some of them were quite nice to deal with. But certainly there were enough to piss me off and prompt me to write this post. **Previously agreed to free reviews will still be honored.
The Velvet Thorn. Olivia Villa-Real. 2011. iUniverse.
In the novel The Velvet Thorn by Olivia Villa-Real, readers meet Bella Mariposa, a talented singer and composer who happens to be married to a real scumbag. Daniel Miranda, Bella’s jerk husband, is the kind of guy you’ll love to hate—the kind of guy that thinks sex is an obligation and that dinner should always be ready at the precise moment he walks through the door.
In an attempt to restore her marriage and provide a better home life for herself and her children, Bella enrolls in a spiritual retreat in Hollywood. It is there that she meets Father Derek Lindenberg, a man wholly devoted to his Catholic priesthood. At the retreat, the two establish a strong connection and, of course, eventually fall in love.
It’s not a particularly original story line, truth be told. Having a priest fall in love with a beautiful young woman has been done before. (The Thorn Birds? Anyone?) However, it doesn’t make such a plot line any less intriguing.
Influenced by her own life experiences, Villa-Real has done an acceptable job of exploring how love and relationships can test a person’s devotion to the unyielding rules of religion and religious society in The Velvet Thorn.
Remember that day back at the end of July when Leslie, The Social Media Mercenary was giving away two free spots in her Get Your Workday Together Workshop? Well, deadline for entries was yesterday at noon, and last night two winners were selected using Random.org.
Congratulations!
Jim Queeno
and
Lisa V.
If you weren’t a winner but still want to take part in Leslie’s workshop, you can register here.
Thanks to everyone who entered. Stay tuned for more chances to win cool stuff in September!
