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| Photo credit http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2009/08/gate-keeper-tale-of-hope-change-and.html |
Anyone who is in the publishing industry, anyone
who has a pinky toe in this pond, has heard or will hear about Simon
and Schuster launch of a self-publishing division, powered by that company of
questionable practices, ethics, services…etc. Author Solutions.
Why would I say that about Author Solutions? Well
it could be because industry gladiators out there to support and protect
writers like Writer Beware have been sharing information about them for a
while. Or it could be the personal experiences that people have shared with me.
However, I won’t broadcast on my blog because they asked me not to.
But I think
the real kicker is Google.
When you Google anything at the end of the first
page Google will present you with a handy set of other phrases built around what
you just searched for. Now since Google is the largest search engine in the
world it’s got a decent little reputation right.
When I Googled “Author Solutions” these are, the
suggested phrases presented me with.
Let’s look at the first two
suggestions.
Author Solutions Complaints
Author Solutions Scam
I mean really? Does Penguin (Who
bought Author Solutions to begin with.)do a background check on their purchases? Yes that’s exactly
the first thing that jumped to my mind. I’m a marketing strategist. This is how
my mind works.
If you want to hear more details
about this contraversial deal. And the joke of services vs prices they are providing
I’d go here.
David Gaughran is a favorite for me when it comes to investigated and
intellegient info on the publishing world.
But that’s not what this post is
about.
The question I’m posing is this.
Are the former Gatekeepers, The Big 6, New Yorks
publishing houses, so desperate
for PR that they knowingly bought then created a product around a company that
is known to be shady?
I mean these are successful,
intelligent corporations. With people with amazing college educations and
lawyers where even involved. Don’t lawyers investigate this stuff? Aren’t they
supposed to out for the best interest of their client?
Hell, I bet Penguin does a
background check on their employees. Wouldn’t they do that for a company they
bought?
The answer my friends is…I don’t
know.
My gut says yes. That common
sense says yes. But often times when you get into the corporate and business
world common sense is lost to statistics and pretty pie charts.
With that said I can’t help but
think that they had to have some idea about Author Solutions bad online rep.
And if that’s the case are they so desperate for publicity, to get their hand
into the self publishing world, that they just took a chance?
What do you think?
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| Bri Clark Social Ghoster Marketing Strategist, Author, Speaker, Social Media/ Platform Consultant |
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Sass is Class Blog Google ain’t Granny
I think "bigger is better" is a myth that's getting more and more blown apart every day by stuff like this. Any business school college grad that's still wet behind the ears can quote you the steps of a SWOTT analysis-- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats, and Trends. Hello, Big Biz: the trend is that everything in business is moving toward a personal, social, more intimate, local, and real climate. Big Biz can try to fake us out by buying up all the boutique labels, the indie brands, but in the end we'll know they're faking it.
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