iUniverse?

[jennifer_brozek]

Apparently, a publishing agency I queried with one of my books gave my information to iUniverse as "good fit" for my "project" (IE: finding an agent for that particular book). I've done some research and all I can really find out is that iUniverse appears to be a vanity press who might be able to get your book (for a fee) in on B&N bookstore. I've politely turned down the sales manager assigned to me as I am not interested in self publishing. I am still receiving emails and phone calls from iUniverse.

I was wondering if anyone else has experienced something like this and what their opinions of iUniverse are.

In other thoughts, sometimes my search for an agent frustrates me. But, to quote Lo-Pan from Big Trouble in Little China, "And, yet, like fools, we keep trying." Yep. That's me.

Comments

[cuddlycthulhu.livejournal.com]

While my experience wasn't with iUniverse, several years (I'm thinking five or six at this point) ago I heard of a service called XLibris. XLibris is basically a vanity publisher and, unsurprisingly, on Predators & Editors watch list. At the time I was ignorant of P&E and vanity presses and asked them for information.

What I got was a packet of information explaining their services and then I had an "account agent" calling me once a week for a month two weeks later about "my manuscript". It didn't matter that I didn't have anything completed or that I was just trying to find out information, I was basically hounded about the writing I was doing and it creeped me out. I told the woman that I found the behavior unprofessional and to take me off her list.

Last year or 2007 I got a call from some new guy at XLibris asking about my manuscript. I asked him how he got my number and he said it was in the system; I informed him that years ago I'd asked them to take me out of the system as I had no real wish to do business with them. He got snooty with me and that's the last I've heard from them.

I'd just make a filter that automatically trash their e-mails and complain the next time they talk to you to a supervisor.

[shaharazad.livejournal.com]

This sounds like pretty dubious behavior on the part of the agency (if that is actually how iUniverse got your info).

From what I've heard of iUniverse, you've got it right: Vanity publisher. Definitely not worth your time.

[dbara.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they're a self-publisher. They do have an editorial process, but I'm not sure if it's for anything more than copy.

I was only ever harrassed with emails, no phone calls, but that would start to piss me off real quickly. Maybe they're getting more agressive because of the economy?

They do produce a nice looking book though.

db

iUniverse

[rthomasriley.livejournal.com]

Run far, far away. iUniverse is just as bad as Publish America. They are a vanity press through and through. If this publishing agency gave your information to iUniverse, then run from that agency as well. Just my two cents.

Thomas

Re: iUniverse

[jennifer-brozek.livejournal.com]

That is kind of what I'm getting. I want to publish but I want to do it through a respectable publisher.

[dqg-neal.livejournal.com]

Hopefully the good fit is just that the agency you contacted was a scam. Otherwise you could read the responce as quite rude.

What agency was this that you contacted?