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FREE MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION FROM TATE???
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message 1:
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Tameka
(new)
Jan 31, 2014 02:53PM
Ok. So I submitted 3 manuscript to Tate the past 2 years. The 1 that I just submitted recently, they offered me $3990 and drastically reduced it to $990. Now I got a call from a an Indian sounding sales rep telling me that my manuscript was CHOSEN to be given a free marketing and distribution deal. Everything is free blah blah blah BUT.... I would have to provide print ready cover, layout and everything. WHAT???? So it ended up that they offered me $500 for cover design and $400 for layout. WOW... this company is just PATHETIC!!!!
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Sure sounds like it. Seems like a lot of these types of companies are trying to sucker authors in.
Tameka wrote: "Ok. So I submitted 3 manuscript to Tate the past 2 years. The 1 that I just submitted recently, they offered me $3990 and drastically reduced it to $990. Now I got a call from a an Indian sounding ..."Hi Tameka, my advice would be to go through Create space or a company like that. For Nook though they want you to buy a package and then send additional money upfront for printed books. I went with Create because they were the most reasonable. You have to pay money for the book cover and interior lay out you want, but you are in charge of how things are done. I used Create for the first time last May and I liked their services. Then once your book is ready for sale you only have to pay for the advisement of your choice. If someone buys your book it does not cost you and you have a royalty from it.
I'm always wary with anything that offers "free marketing and distribution" or FREE anything. If it isn't coming from a major publishing house then it's definitely 'iffy' for a company to use that tactic. So many of them are complete charlatans these days.It costs effort, time, and money to market books, and even then...results will never be absolutely predictable, (many traditionally published books have tanked in the charts) and that's AFTER tons of marketing money had been thrown in the bag with them) so I'm surprised people throw hard earned money so willingly at some of these firms who make promises they can't keep.
There are so many ways for IBP (independent book publishers) of which many of us can call ourselves - to find places to sell and market our books, well, who would go with anything screaming out free services?
Been hearing a lot of good things about create Space. Will definitely be checking them out now.
Interesting. I paid $500 for one of my covers - but it was/is an original piece of art, done to my specs, painted on canvas and then digitally enhanced after being scanned in, with a unique font. I wonder what Tate would find you for $500?
K.A. wrote: "Interesting. I paid $500 for one of my covers - but it was/is an original piece of art, done to my specs, painted on canvas and then digitally enhanced after being scanned in, with a unique font. I..."Tate will grab a photo from the internet use photoshop to make it look as near as possibly as they can to what you want, create 2 - 3 versions of it and that's it. Seriously, TATE is the DEVIL himself!
I was contacted by Tate last year. Their hook is they will publish yiour book for free. BUT...you must either use their publicity firm OR one that they approve of. If you use their firm it runs about $4000 and they help you by advertising in newspapers, setting up signings, radio etc. I passed on the offer as if I had $4000 to pay someone to do the publicity I would have already have done it before I heard from them. Few of the authors that sign with them will tell you they had to dish out money for publicity. I did a signing at the same place as one of their authors and all we did was call the place to ask if we could have a book signing and they said OK. So what did they do for their author? Nothing she couldn't have done on her own.
Darlene wrote: "I was contacted by Tate last year. Their hook is they will publish yiour book for free. BUT...you must either use their publicity firm OR one that they approve of. If you use their firm it runs abo..."That's what I thought so too. $4000... For some people, that means life or death kind of money
My co-authors and I don't have that kind of money. We used Createspace, KDP, and ACX. All free but it does take time to self publish and promote your books. We did two books together.
I guess we wouldn't have any problem with Tate in the coming months. I heard they owe $50,000 to fedex and has let go most of their US employees. Time to check createspace guys
I use Create space and KDP I don't understand why publishing companies should ask for money up front, they are going to get part of profits and they should know how to promote to get sales. That's why you would have them.
Legitimate publishing companies do not ask for money up front. They are selective, and the process takes time, but they make money when your books sell.A reputable vanity press will be up front about what they are and what services they are charging you for. Honestly, I would just go with Createspace.
Do we really need a third thread on this?
Never use places like TATE that take your money. They are only interested in selling books and services to the author. I set up my interior design and cover. I'm uploading to createspace. Since I did nanowrimo I got a free hardcover from Lulu, so I used the same interior and used their covercreator built right into their website to do the dustjacket. Uploaded, and the proofs are on the way in the mail.
I can contact my local stores and newspapers myself, facebook, tweet, blog--you don't need a place like TATE.
