Friday, August 24, 2012

Why I Left iUniverse

I published The Virtual Kibbutz, my collection of short stories about life on the kibbutz, with iUniverse in April, 2003. At the time, iUniverse appeared to be the most professional publishing-on-demand option for my book. I paid my fees, received a number of free copies, and purchased many more to send off to Jewish publications with hopes that reviews would encourage future sales.

This week at my request The Virtual Kibbutz was removed from the iUniverse book catalog. It is still possible to order the one or two remaining copies at Amazon and other online retailers, but soon the original edition will become a collector’s item.

I plan to republish The Virtual Kibbutz independently in the coming months. For now, here is the reason why I left iUniverse.

Publishing News

In July of this year, Pearson PLC, a provider of education and consumer publishing services including the Penguin Group, acquired Author Solutions Inc from Bertram Capital for 116 million dollars in cash. The same Author Solutions purchased iUniverse back in 2007. While these corporate acquisitions are not directly connected to my own book, the business logic behind them eventually led to my decision to leave iUniverse.

According to Author Solutions chief executive Kevin Weiss, his company generated $100 million in revenues in 2011, 1/3 were from publisher services, 1/3 from marketing services and 1/3 from distribution or consumer book sales. Meaning, 2/3 of the revenues generated at iUniverse were from sales to authors (publishing and marketing services). The main focus of Author Solutions is to make money from authors, not from book readers.

How does this relate to The Virtual Kibbutz? In the years following iUniverse’s sale, I was approached a number of times by sales representatives offering me additional publishing and marketing services. If I was willing to spend $3,000, I could publish a huge advertisement in The New York Review of Books. And for only $1,200, I could issue a press release announcing the publication of The Virtual Kibbutz.

Belated Press Release

A press release? In 2010 to announce the publication of my book which originally appeared on virtual bookshelves back in 2003?

“How else will people know about your book?” the sales representative asked me. “What are you doing to promote your book?” he asked.

After a number of persistent phone calls and numerous emails, I thought that the offers would stop coming. Until I received a new round of calls a year later.

It became obvious to me that this was not the iUniverse I knew from 2003. These representatives had no intention of helping promote my book. They were just interested in seeing how much more they could milk out of me.

Phone calls can be dismissed and annoying emails deleted. The reason that I decided to leave iUniverse was much simpler.

Non-royal Royalties

According to the original contract I signed with iUniverse in 2003, “if the royalty payment due in a single calendar quarter is less than twenty-five U.S. Dollars ($25.00) the balance will be applied to the next calendar quarter until the royalty payment due equals or exceeds twenty five U.S. Dollars ($25.00), at which time we will make the appropriate royalty payment to you.”

Yet, despite this clause in the agreement, every quarter or so I was sent checks in the amounts of $10.23 or something similar. I wrote repeatedly to iUniverse, stating that this was not according to my agreement and explaining my circumstances, saying that living in Israel I am unable to cash checks of these small amounts.

Suddenly there was a new clause in the agreement, something that miraculously appeared nine years after I originally signed with iUniverse. “Should the total royalty due is still less than twenty five U.S. Dollars ($25.00) by the end of the year, iUniverse will dispense all royalty checks due regardless of the amount.”

The bottom line here is clear. When the occasional copy of The Virtual Kibbutz is purchased, I am not being paid royalties and the only one who is profiting is iUniverse.

Complaints Against iUniverse

This sounds like a very small complaint compared to the many documented cases of authors losing huge amounts of money when purchasing services from iUniverse that they never received. 

A website called Suess’s Pieces serves as a complete index of complaints against the services of Author Solutions and iUniverse. According to the website’s owner, freelance writer Emily Suess, “the real problems with iUniverse began in 2007, when Author Solutions bought them. So, yes, many in your situation had a reasonably happy experience publishing with them before that time. The unfortunate thing is that after they were purchased, it wasn't just new customers that had complaints. Those with already published books seemed to find themselves getting irritating sales. Some found their books had been put up for sale again when they were supposed to be out of print.”

If you haven’t yet read The Virtual Kibbutz, please DON’T purchase it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble, because if you do, I will not receive any credit for it. Please wait patiently for the upcoming, independently self-published version of the book.

28 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing your personal knowledge of iUniverse/Author Solutions. Your experiencenwill prevent other authors from similar frustrations.

    May blessings fall on The Virtual Kibbutz ~

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    1. I am aklready feeling minor symptoms of what to expect from iUniverse and I am not published yet. This week they took $149.00 from the Visa card number I gave them last year for their services in getting my book ready for publication, and signed me up for some Authors Support something for which I gave no consent using the credit card.Now they will not answer my calls or emails about this issue.

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    2. Omg! I was thinking about how to publish my book...now I'm frustrated on how to do this and safely. I am truly thankful I came across this information doing my research.

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    3. Yes, once iUniverse has your cc, they take you down the rabbit hole with promises of increased sales and services that infrequently produce results. Not that their product doesn't look professional, but the additional services offered in their "plans" fail to yield much except phone calls and additional publishing options at great expense.

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    4. Again, engaging with these outfits is rarely an overall positive. After having used local publishing houses that proved deceptive and inflexible, iUniverse interacted with me at several levels in ultimately positive ways. I do have to say that the two books I published with iUniverse were professionally done, edited well within the parameters of the agreement I selected and have been sold on Amazon and elsewhere. They were flexible in terms of layout and the use of personal artwork. And at the end of the experience, I was generally pleased with the final product. However, to my surprise when I periodically do searches for either one of the books, I discover that they are being re-marketed by "private owners" as far away as France and England in Euros for ridiculously high prices, monies which I have never seen and will not. Yes, though there have been sales, the "royalties" are few and far between. As far as the calls and emails that offer enhanced sales and exposure at unrealistic prices, I've found that after never failing to decline them, I fell off their radar. I'm pursuing something now with Goose River Press, examining their offer and have found their fees and services to be in iUniverse's ballpark. Thanks for sharing your experiences and much fortune in this new direction.

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    5. Iuniverse Publishing Company that are out of Indiana, Eve Carson would call me every month to check up on me and reassured me that the money I spent would be well worth it. That was a lied!!! In March , 2023 I gave Eve Carson the go ahead for Iuniverse (total $2,074.00) to publish my book. I made a payment of arrangement where I would pay March 20, 2023 ($741.33): April 20, 2023 ($666.34) and May 20, 2023 ($666.35). However, my son read the latest reviews and told to terminate the agreement, which I did before the 90 days (I called and emailed Samantha Anderson several times but who never called or emailed me back. I paid Iuniverse Publishing $1407.67 (for March 20 & April 20, 2023). I asked within the time scope (within 60 days but the requirement was 90 days) my refund, but instead of reimbursing
      $1,257.67 (taking out $150 out of the $1,407.67, refunding me $1,257.67 ---- Iuniverse Publishing ONLY REFUNDED ME $932.67) Denise at Iunivserse informed me over the phone THAT THEY TOOK OVER $400 DUE TO THE MANUSCRIPT BEING DENIED ---- THAT'S A LIE!!!!! Denise who works at Iunivserse conjured up a lie and STOLDED MY MONEY WHEN IUNIVERSE WAS ONLY SUPPOSE TO TAKE OUT $150, according to ther Termination Agreement (I was within my scope of the time frame of the Termination Agreement).

      DO NOT GO TO IUNIVERSE PUBLISHING THAT ARE OUT OF INDIANA!!! THEY ARE A SCAM -- RUN DONT WALK AWAY FROM THIS PUBLISHING COMPANY!!!!! THEY STOLED AND LIED ABOUT REIMBURSING ME MY ACTUAL AMOUNT OF MONEY OF $1,257.67. I hope they go out of business. They are a bunch of scammers. If Eve Carson calls you, tell her no. She will reel you in and then once the guidance person or editor takes over there will be a lack of communication. When you call or email them for advice, they never call or email you back.



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  2. I commend you for sharing this story of warning to all would-be and actual authors. I feel writers are all colleagues, not competitors.

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  3. I've made a mental note to avoid iUniverse. Thanks for sharing your experience.

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  4. This is interesting to me, as someone who has published with both traditional academic presses (American Psychiatric Press, Hamilton Books) and with iUniverse. The two books I published with iUniverse, in 2010 and 2013, were both produced and edited professionally, and I was satisfied that the publisher had fulfilled its obligations. I haven't made a lot of money, but I did see the 2013 book (to my surprise!) in Barnes & Noble (The Three-Petalled Rose). I have not been bothered by high pressure marketing scams, etc. So, maybe I was just lucky--or are there others out there with similarly positive experiences with iUniverse? --Regards, Ron Pies MD

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  5. iUniverse was a wonderful company when it was a family-owned concern in Nebraska. Sadly, the best rated electronic publishing company was purchased by one that wasn't rated nearly as well. It didn't take long for things to change and you are not the only one to leave. I bailed in 2009. Good luck with self- publishing. It's hard work but at least you know your publisher has your best interests at heart.

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  6. I never used iUniverse nor was I ever in a position to do so. But I know people who have and I cannot report one positive story. One friend used to forward their emails to me. They were absolutely outrageous—asking for thousands of dollars for absolutely nothing in return. Example: we'll display your book for ONE HOUR at the LA Times Festival of Books for $$$$.

    Maybe they were better back in the day, but I've never heard anything positive. I also don't understand why a company that basically prints your book has any rights at all as a publisher.

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  7. Thank you for posting this. I will certainly avoid iUniverse if I decide to self-publish.

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  8. I am sorry for your grief, Ellis. Certainly with the advances in self-publishing and print on demand, there is no reason to use these vanity publishers. With respect to Author Solutions. David Gaughran, a well-respected self-publisher, is an excellent one to read about this predatory company. http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com

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  9. Hi Ellis,
    David says it all in his blog below. You've made a great decision. Traditional publishers are jumping on the self-publishing bandwagon to exploits authors. As an author you are responsible for marketing and promotions if you self-publish with a self-publishing platform. M&P is harder than writing and publishing but you learn and grow, and the rewards are great. I got my own ISBN and printed my books at a old fashioned bindery. I'm glad I chose this path because I'm in control. The downside to this way of printing is you would have to store your books, which shouldn't be a problem if you have space in your house.
    Gawri Manecuta
    http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/penguin-random-house-merger-helps-author-solutions-exploit-writers/

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  10. i just stumbled across this blog and I'm glad I did! I, too, had the misfortune of publishing with iUniverse and am looking to pull my novel Baby! Baby? Baby?! from their catalog. Did you have any problems doing so? It was such an ordeal dealing with them that I can't imagine leaving them being easy!

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  11. Some books are not published, some are not read, others reach the best sellers list on the New York Times and go downhill from there; but what comes in between the gaps in between is all "hootspah" [my spelling]!

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  12. I have published three books with them, starting in 1999. The royalties have been suspiciously low, though I see many of my books advertised at various online sites. I receive royalty statements with no details about titles or number of sales, and there seems to be no way of getting that info. Books published by my traditional publisher, Greenwood Press, are handled completely differently. I do not expect to use iUniverse again..

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  13. Now I can't figure out whether to use them or not. But self-publishing appears to be the only option available these days. Traditional publishers aren't accepting manuscripts from new authors, it seems!

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    1. Traditional publishers still accept submissions from new authors. A friend of mine did a bunch of research, sent out 5 queries, and got 5 offers. The publisher she chose paid for EVERYTHING, gives her 30 and 40% royalty, and signed her for her next two books. It does happen. I went the other way, I like my 70%.

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  14. who are the publishers???

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  15. A few weeks ago, I got a call from iUniverse, asking me how much longer it would be until my book was finished being written. I was within a week or so of that happening and told them so. However, within a day of submitting my manuscript, I got an email from iUniverse saying that they were going out of business. I was so upset that it took two days to tell my husband what happened. I was afraid that he would be angry at me for what happened.
    At this time, I have not received any other notice, one way or the other. Was this a scam, or was it sheer dishonesty? In either case, someone there belongs in prison!

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    1. DISSATISFIED
      I have experienced all of the unfortunate reports written above about iUniverse. My mistake was that I did not research the company. Thanks to all those who wrote about iUniverse's DISHONESTY. I published the book: ' A CHILD OF COLONIALISM AND WORLD WAR II"/ non fiction and historical with them in 2012. The experience to date has been extremely disappointing. I am presently still being hounded by telephone calls to buy expensive marketing, which so far has brought me zero dollars ($0.00). Since 2012 all the money I have received from iUniverse is less than $8.00 US. However I received an Income Tax Form from iUniverse and the US IRS stating my income for 2015 as $13.00. THAT IS INCORRECT. In 2015 I received $3.00. I SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THAT iUniverse SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND ALL THE MONIES THAT THEY HAVE STOLEN FROM AUTHORS BE RETURNED TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED AND DISSATISFIED. I would like to know how I go about requesting immediate removal of my book from the iUniverse Catalog.

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  16. IUniverse published my first book. It was an ordeal from day one. I had to purchase my files back, which were not the kind a publisher could use to reprint. The formatting was off and unprofessional. The royalty issue was ungoing. They should be avoided.

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  17. Has anyone been able to retrieve the royalties that you were owed? If so, what process did you use to get your monies?

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  18. I agree with you watch out for these companies that want your money and the problem is you are not in the country where you published the book.

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  19. I am commenting as 'anonymous because I Am up to my knees with iUniverse. I too bought into their pitch and have been out will be $1400 by Jan. and as far as my Royalty Reports show, I am owed $9.00. I would get out right now but am just absolutely in too deep. I have one published book and working on a sequel which I have signed over to them all ready. After reading all these comments, I feel like a rat in a trap. Please wish me luck. And if everything turns out OK then I will give my name. Should know something by Feb. Signed, 1st time shame on them, second time shame on me, third time, forget it, I'm gone!

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  20. Question: Has anyone considered undertaking some kind of "class-action" law-suit against I-Universe? This is not the only complaining blog i have come across about them and Author Solutions.. Clearly, the set up is designed to scam (naive) Authors as their primary source of income with no real intention to sell books for mutual gain - Over the past few years, their must be several thousand author like me (and you) that wold gladly see them suffer a multi-million claim and rid the publishing industry of these charlatans!!??

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