Lemons - alternative to PA & my decision

Sepisllib · Feb 5, 2010

Have been thinking of how best to handle the issue for some months now. Since I was one of the "herd" duped by them I have tried my best to make something positive come out of the "Lemons" I was dealt.

I am now in the planning process and design stage of creating an online book store that will effectively sidestep the deficiencies I see in the PA system. I think the plans are good and have merit - so I intend to forge ahead with a watchful eye on the negatives. While I cannot predict with 100 % accuracy the plan will succeed I see a high probability it will, and thus will pursue until the negatives may outweigh the positives.

Once this is set into motion - I intend on going back to PA and will "buy" out the contracts I have with them. Instead of being confrontational I am going to pursue the action as a business deal.

Obviously I am not providing much here in the form of my plans - the only thing I can give out is it may provide some hope to others like us that there is something you can do about promoting and selling your work.

In meantime

God Bless

Bill

Arkie · Feb 5, 2010

You mention lemons and contracts in the plural, as if more than one, which leads me to question how you could be "duped" the second time. And what are the deficiencies you see in the PA system?

allenparker · Feb 5, 2010

Arkie said:
You mention lemons and contracts in the plural, as if more than one, which leads me to question how you could be "duped" the second time. And what are the deficiencies you see in the PA system?

I can't speak for him, but some of us had first right clauses.

Momento Mori · Feb 5, 2010

Sepisllib:
I am now in the planning process and design stage of creating an online book store that will effectively sidestep the deficiencies I see in the PA system. I think the plans are good and have merit - so I intend to forge ahead with a watchful eye on the negatives.

I am genuinely very sorry that you are trapped in PA's sucky shenanigans, however I'm not sure that I understand how your online book store will "sidestep" the deficiencies in the PA system. What do you think those deficiencies are and how will your bookstore solve them?

The concern that I have is that you will spend a lot of time and effort and perhaps money to construct your own store, only to find that it doesn't resolve what (IMHO) is one of the biggest problems with PA - i.e. lack of instore presence.

Sepisllib:
Once this is set into motion - I intend on going back to PA and will "buy" out the contracts I have with them. Instead of being confrontational I am going to pursue the action as a business deal.

Buying back your rights is your decision. However, I'd point out that there is nothing obliging PA to sell you those rights, particularly if you pitch it to them that you want them so you can sell your own books.

MM

brianm · Feb 5, 2010

Other PA authors have opened online bookstores, but the very real problems of no one knowing about the book(s) or the online bookstore still exists. Then there's the added problems of poor production quality and the stigma and stench of the PA name attached to the book(s).

My advice is that you continue to try to get your rights returned, but spend your time writing better books and submitting manuscripts to commercial publishers rather than opening an online bookstore that no one or few will know exists.

~brianm~

DaveKuzminski · Feb 5, 2010

The biggest problems you will face are lack of editing and high prices if you're planning on selling PA books. Oh, and don't forget inventory unless you intend to rely upon PA to produce the books and mail them in a timely manner so you can reship them to your customers. That means you will need a lot of cash in order to purchase those books ahead of time so you'll have them on hand to meet orders from customers. And you will need a wide selection since not too many people will be interested in buying books from a store that carries only a very few selections though I'll admit it's been done even in the real world of bricks and mortar stores. There was and might still be in business a store that last I heard featured only two books for sale but it had plenty of them in inventory.

Anyway, you better do some serious research including into how you're going to make your online store known to people so they'll visit and hopefully purchase books.

tlblack · Feb 5, 2010

Arkie said:
You mention lemons and contracts in the plural, as if more than one, which leads me to question how you could be "duped" the second time. And what are the deficiencies you see in the PA system?

Not only did some PA contracts have first rights clauses to be able to accept or deny the authors next ms, but PA has taken to signing up multiply books by writer's almost simultaneously. Also, not every PA author gets hit by that "ton of bricks reality check" with their first book.

As to an online bookstore Sepisllib...If you are only going to be listing PA books, then you'll have as much trouble getting sales as if you were just trying to sell your own PA titles. Unedited, high priced books aren't going to sell well no matter where they are listed or stocked. JMHO

Sepisllib · Feb 5, 2010

As I stated - not going to provide any details, however will tell you that it will not, in any way, involve PA

PS - all notations and concerns are certainly welcome and worth considering - please keep them coming as I learn something from each and every one.

God Bless

Bill

Christine N. · Feb 5, 2010

I think the poster plans on getting his rights back and then republishing the books himself and selling them online. A noble endeavor, and I wish you luck. It will be hard work, but if you're up for it, more power to you.

James D. Macdonald · Feb 5, 2010

If life hands you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make margaritas and let everyone wonder how the heck you did that.

Sepisllib · Feb 5, 2010

James D. Macdonald said:
If life hands you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make margaritas and let everyone wonder how the heck you did that.

You have an insight - however close counts for horseshoes and few other things.

Just so you all know - this will not be an overnight process as I intend to appraoch it slowly and methodically. Lots of work to do but when it does happen, if I succeed, you will understand how angry I am over this situation.

God Bless

Bill

Sepisllib · Feb 9, 2010

Christine N. said:
I think the poster plans on getting his rights back and then republishing the books himself and selling them online. A noble endeavor, and I wish you luck. It will be hard work, but if you're up for it, more power to you.

As noted - lots of thoughts, speculation, and input and I appreciate each and every one.

There are some that see a wall as a roadblock that they run into and then just sit and spin their wheels trying to push it out of their way. I see such things as an opportunity - an opportunity to prove I can jump over it, climb over it, knock a hole in it and squeeze through, dig a tunnel under it, go far enough to get around it, cause it to become brittle and fall apart, and so on.

That is the exact same principle I used when creating my businesses - so many told me it was impossible, too expensive, and just a really stupid idea. Guess what, started it on less than $100 in summer of 1998 and presently it has been valued at $2 million and still growing. Blood - sweat - tears - and a lot of hard work that your 40 hr a week person would fail at terribly.

No - I am taking a wildly different approach and follow the ideas and development process until I am able to make that decision whether it's six months or years.

Stay tuned.

God Bless

Bill

Lemons - alternative to PA & my decision

Sepisllib

Truth, gentle or not!

Arkie

a reader's ear and a writer's heart

allenparker

Naked Futon Guy

Momento Mori

Tired and Disillusioned

brianm

Brian Boru

DaveKuzminski

Preditors & Editors

tlblack

nothing simple here

Sepisllib

Truth, gentle or not!

Christine N.

haz a shiny new book cover

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Sepisllib

Truth, gentle or not!

Sepisllib

Truth, gentle or not!