Book Review Discrimination and the Traditional Establishment
By: J. B. Bergstad | Posted: 21st December 2009
Certain books, magazines, journals, periodicals and newsletters discriminate against the self-published author in that they refuse to review our work. That's a fact. Some of these book review sources can go a long way in making the case for a new offering of fiction or nonfiction in the marketplace.
In searching the web last week, I ran across an article extolling the virtues of a well known weekly industry publication as an excellent book review vehicle. I scanned their site and found the submission guidelines: No self-publish or POD allowed, thank you very much. At the bottom of the same page was a large banner advertisement for an independent publisher. This publisher is one of the premier vanity publishers around, something akin to a Publish America. In my opinion, the well read weekly industry publication and their book review policy, is oxymoronic at best. If they defend their acceptance of advertising revenue from the likes of a dubious vanity publisher as "just doing business," while continuing to reject POD and other self published books for review, I say their policy is blatantly hypocritical.
If you're a first time author looking for a publisher, I'm sure you've run across this independent publisher. They lobby the Internet in an aggressive manner. Look under "Book Publishing" and you'll find their paid advertisement in a prominent location on the first page of Google and Ask.com and on the second page of Yahoo. They bill themselves as a family owned publisher of Christian orientation. That part of their statement I can attest to personally. I'll give you a short version of my experience with this publisher.
A year or two ago I submitted a version of my novel to them for consideration. I sent the then unwieldy 526 page manuscript late in the week, a Thursday I think. I didn't expect a response for at least a couple of weeks. On the following Monday or Tuesday I arrived home to find a message on my recorder. A lady, (can't recall the name), representing the independent publisher wanted to discuss my book. I felt like dancing around my office, but as I was approaching seventy-years-of age I repressed my excitement.
I called the number. The person I spoke with seemed very excited about my manuscript. She went on to explain, however, I would be required to go though the manuscript and replace certain uses of language that they, adhering to their Christian principles, could not in good conscience publish. After the language problem was solved, the publisher would ask for a one time investment of $4700 and change as a gesture of my commitment to the marketing success of my novel. The company, the lady explained, felt the author should have a monetary investment in the marketing of the manuscript, thus providing additional incentive for the author to participate in the books successful launch.
The sales representative made the $4700+ investment on my part sound trivial, a mere formality. She was very good at her pitchman's job, (I suppose, to be politically correct, I should refer to her job as that of a pitch-person), but it was easy to say no because of the first caveat: the required language edit. To be fair, when I refused the edit and chose to retain the manuscript's authenticity of place, time and people, the publisher backed off. They said it would be impossible to publish my novel without the replacement of certain exclamations made by characters in the heat of battle or confrontation.
Religion has little to do with this article. But, as a Christian, I loath the fact this company promotes a family owned, Christian principled organization, and at the same time, employs the sleazy sales tactics of a Publish America and others of their ilk. If, in fact, they were following rigorous Christian virtue they would explain up front there is an author set up fee. They don't because they are well aware they will not get half as many folks like me submitting a manuscript and thus giving their pitch-people the opportunity to sell—sell—sell.
I was so incensed by the Self Publish/POD No Review Policy of the well known weekly industry publication I composed an email and sent it to their Reviews Director. To date I've receive no response, but it is the Holiday Season. Perhaps after the first of the year? Yeah, right. jb
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Tags: google, submission guidelines, doing business, advertising revenue, searching the web, virtues, periodicals, book publishing, banner advertisement