Does anyone have any experience with Olympia publishers?

I have been offered a publishing deal with Olympia publishers but I am unsure about if I should accept their offer mostly because they want a financial contribution from me to get things started.

I currently have a deal with Amazon KDP but it is very slow moving.

Any input will be appreciated.

Hi John -

I know nothing about Olympia.  But I would be very wary of any publisher looking for a financial contribution from an author.  This sounds like what we call vanity publishing.  If they thought they could make a success of your book, they'd be offering you money, not the other way round.  If you're going to put your own money down, you might be better self-publishing and keeping all (any) profits.

I don't want to rain on your parade.  But there are a lot of people out there trying to cash in on writers' desire to see their work in print.  Many of them make minimal efforts to get your book out to readers.  Personally, I would keep looking.  If the book is good enough, an agent or a publisher or both will take it on, and there's at least a chance of them making a success of it for you.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

That was some good advice from Jo.

The Writers Beware Blog, which has bee around nearly twenty years, researches and reports on publishing companies. They list Olympia as a predatory vanity publisher. Beware.

Only just seen this one.

Vanity publishers are the scum of the earth.  They will publish anything.  Every now and then an established writer will prove this by submitting a deliberately truly dire piece of work under an assumed name, and will receive a glowing welcome message and an invitation to 'contribute to the costs of publication'.

The vanity manipulator may even offer - for extra payment - to proofread and edit your manuscript and 'thus give it a better chance in the marketplace'.

This is generally complete and utter bollocks.  They don't even need to look at it.  They already have all they need to proceed with their scam.  Your name and contact details.  If they can't trap you themselves they can sell on their list of 'gullible' names to other scammers. 

If a lawyer looks at the 'publication contract' it will be legally worded so that all they actually offer to do is 'publish', which generally means nothing more than a few copies to keep the law off their back.

In fact, seeing as you can now 'publish' online  without laying even a spot of ink on paper, vanity publishing has to be the epitome of 'money for old rope' [1].

Unlike real agents and publishers, who have a vested interest in your success, Vanity Publishers will do nothing to publicise or sell the work.  The internet has made their form of predation easier and more profitable than it ever was when they had to put 'requests for authors' into newspapers and magazines.

They prey on your dreams and hopes.

Gyppo

[1]Historically worn and damaged 'old rope' used to be picked apart and used as 'oakum', which with tar was packed into the seams of wooden-planked ships to make them waterproof.




 

Thank you to Jo, Laura and Gyppo for the advice.

I have declined the offer from Olympia and I will stick with Amazon KDP for the foreseeable future

You're welcome  ;-)

Gyppo

I think it's a good decision, John.  The only door you're shutting is one you don't want to go through.  There are other doors.  Keep trying them.