Arena Books

[SpaceShip]

Anyone know anything about these publishers? I have just received an email from them asking if I need anything published!!!!! Now I've heard of unsolicited material being given the turned up nose treatment by publishers but I've never come across publishers soliciting material from writers! Admittedly they do say that if I am accepted by them the cost of publication is shared until 2,000 copies are sold through the trade and then my half would be returned, but I wondered if anyone had any info on them?

 

[The Judge]

Don't. Touch. With. A. Barge. Pole.

I don't know anything about them, but all my spidey-senses are going crazy here. What's the "cost" of publication and how do you verify that the costs are legitimate? What are the prospects of your selling 2,000 copies "through the trade"? In other words, are they going to ask for (lots of) money up front, produce something shoddy which costs less than half they've claimed from you, and then say that only 100 copies have been sold so no money back?

 

[SpaceShip]

Hey Judge - you are so wise! Thank you mate. I shall carry on self-publishing. At least then I know who's in charge eh?

 

[TheTomG]

Anything that sounds too good to be true... usually is. Sorry this has turned out to be less exciting than it first seemed - haven't heard of them either, but anything that says you need to pay up front in any form is just good old fashioned vanity publishing, and there are SO many self-publishing options out there now, both e-book and otherwise, that there's just no reason to do anything that go either of the two routes - entirely self published with no upfront costs, or entirely traditionally published with a publisher and get paid up front (no matter how small.)

Even if you want to just be vain, still go the self-published route