Publishing Service Index | July 2014

publishing-index
This is the PUBLISHING SERVICE INDEX for July 2014. This update reflects some review updates and author feedback over the past four weeks. CreateSpace has retaken the top spot ahead of Amazon KDP. Both have swapped places several times over the past few months.This months index sees the introduction of Kobo Writing Life and Publish Green, reviewed in full on TIPM over the past month. The PG review is here, and the KWL review is here. As with all new entries to the index, it will take a couple of months or so before both companies find their natural positions. Both hold healthy positions (PG at 14, and KWL at 17). Their positions do not—at the moment—reflect direct author/client feedback.

IngramSpark has jumped ahead of its sister Ingram company Lightning Source for the first time since its entry into the index last summer.

The next index will be released in September 2014. Instead, during August TIPM will be releasing an extensive head-to-head of some of the leading e-publishing services we have reviewed over the past few years.

Schiel & Denver, and Indepenpress, which owns Pen Press UK, have ceased trading, and will be removed from the index in September.

I’m still fielding comments from authors—new and old—of Raider Publishing International. This company, outside of several Author Solutions-owned imprints, receives the highest amount of negative feedback from authors. Over the past 18 months Raider has pulled the shutters down on its two smaller imprints: Purehaven Press and Perimedes Press. More disturbingly, just this month, Raider has launched Green Shore Publishing targeting authors directly in the UK and Ireland. You can read our full news report on this here.

TIPM continues to receive regular feedback on services through comments under our reviews, via our TIPM Facebook page, and directly to us. Your comments are always welcome and every comment and experience of a publishing service—positive or negative—is always reflected in every new index published through TIPM.

(KEY)

 

DIY – Do-it-yourself bespoke services
ASS – Author Solutions Services (Packages) – May also include Partnership publishing programs
PUB – Also offers Mainstream Contracts or is a service imprint of a traditional publishing house
PRT – Printer (primarily a printer with some additional but limited services)
FULL – Fulfilment Services provided for distribution logistics, warehousing of stock (including supply to wholesaler and retailers) 

The most asked question we get at The Independent Publishing Magazine is often along the lines of; ‘What self-publishing service should I go with?‘; ‘Is so and so a good service to go with?‘; or ‘Is so and so a scam?

In some cases, that is an easy question to answer, cut and dry, but in other circumstances, the answer is entirely arbitrary. We are not here to review and run down a company’s name, nor are we here to endorse a company’s services. If we were only to review companies according to every point on an ideal dream list of what an author wants/should get, we would have very few reviews to share with you. In truth, no company has ever attained a 10/10, and only a few have recorded more than 08/10.
The reality is that some companies offering publishing services begin in a blaze of glory and we might rate them favourably at the time; others, frankly, are just poor, and they improve (sometimes in response to our reviews) to offer reasonable or better services. We are constantly updating our reviews, but this takes considerable time, and so do the initial reviews.
We get a vast amount of information from authors and the companies selling author solutions services every day – good and bad. We get a great deal of information from monitoring services week by week against the experiences of what authors report back to us. Simply put, and truthfully, we cannot reflect all of this information through the reviews. That is why the comments section under each company we review is so important. It is your recording and dealings with that specific company, and a positive or negative flag to subsequent authors considering using the same company.
So, how do we reflect the changing ups and downs with services?
We believe the PUBLISHING SERVICE INDEX will help to guide authors to services on the up, and those, gradually on the down. If you like, what we present is a kind of stock exchange for companies supplying publisher services..
The PUBLISHING SERVICE INDEX was first launched in June 2010.

Mick Rooney – Publishing Consultant

If you found this review or article helpful, but you’re still looking for a suitable self-publishing provider to fit your needs as an author, then I’m sure I can help. As a publishing consultant and editor of this magazine, I’ve reviewed and examined in detail more than 150 providers throughout the world like the one above. As a self-published and traditionally published author of nine books, I understand your needs on the path to publication and beyond. So, before you spend hundreds or thousands, and a great deal of your time, why not book one of my personally tailored and affordable consultation sessions today? Click here for more details.
 
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Authors

One Comment;

  1. David Briggs said:

    Great content plus timely articles offer depth. I’m a writer/author myself so this info is very useful. Good job.

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