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I have had a terrible experience with Xlibris. I paid for several extras, including 3 book conferences, downloadable book, buy-back service.

I have sold exactly 0 books from them. Be very careful if you decide to use this company. Four friends that I know purchased the book from the Xlibris web site, and when I called to ask about the royalties, they said that I had not sold any books. This is not true.

I know that 4 books were sold in December.

Also, I paid money for the book to be represented in 3 conferences. I asked specifically if someone was going to the conference and representing the Xlibris authors. I am hightly doubtful that we were represented.

We were placed on a list of hundreds of thousands of books being featured at the conference.

Going with Xlibris was a rookie mistake. I am going to report them to the Better Business Bureau so other unsuspecting self-publishers do not fall victim of this highly illegitimate company.

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

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Guest

I have just published my first book through Xlibris and I want to say, that over all I am very happy with the service I received. The company have fulfilled their side of the agreement. I received my editing service, my 40 paperbacks and my 20 hardbacks and the quality of the books is good, the Ebook version is also good. My book is for sale on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and of course Xlibris. I have a webpage under the name of my choice and I also received promotional material such as bookmarks and posters and the quality of these items is also good.

The company also undertook an email campaign to promote the book but I must say, I consider it to be my job to promote my work and so I expect very little reaction from this. Before submitting my work to Xlibris I enquired about having it independantly edited and the quotes I received amounted to more than the whole package Xlibris offered me.

As far as I'm concerned I now have a product I can market, something I can show to publishers which will hopefully get me a deal for the next book and that, at a price which I would've paid to have 110,000 words edited.

How things are going to turn out with royalties I have no idea... that is in the future.

In closing I just want to say we are trying to break into a difficult market place full of talented people, the words struggling author come to mind, and unfortunately that is what most of us will be doing for a long time.

Writing is not a get rich quick scheme... it's hard, but very enjoyable work.

Guest

Attention all: If you're paying to have your book printed, you're doing it wrong. Period.

There is a reason you don't see authors whose books are actually in libraries and on bookstore shelves switching to vanity publishing companies -- because their products are terrible, editing and submissions have a point, and nobody ever sees these books.

Every print-on-demand or self-publishing company (literally, all of them) get their customer base from people who want to be authors but who want to take a short-cut.

And now it's a huge industry. Unless you wrote 50 Shades of Grey, nobody has ever read your self-published work (and that one only made it because it was Twilight fan fiction.)

Guest

I haven't even gone through them. I just spoke to them over the phone and reviewed the website (before I ran into these post) They look like scammers.

LOL. Im not laughing because the situation is funny only because this really could have happened to me. I am very happy I trusted my instincts. I am doing everything myself and sending my book to actual printers.

By the way if you do not OWN the ISBN and it is provided through them, they can do whatever they want with the book pretty much. Research research research

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-528127

Thank you for your comment--mostly the information about an ISBN. I went to that website and found a plethora of information to help me publish my first book.

Guest

well, to tell you people honestly, me my husband and two of my friends are all published authors with this company, and so far, we are very happy with all the services. i saw this blog in google and i was surprised with ya'll people whining about their services.

they have excellent customer services and so far, everything like the whole process was very smooth and to think, my and my husband only spent less than what we expected. we have sold only couple of books now but we are all aware that it doesnt take 24/7 to be famous and to be a billionaire.

Irine Wiz
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-485575

I would have to say that the service I received has been less then good. The services they offer are a ripoff, I don't care if you are a self published author; as a company you shouldn't want to produce anything less then perfect when it has your name on it.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-485575

Your not supposed to pay them they pay you for the right to publish your book it shouldn't cost you a dime to get your book published this is why they are consider vanity publishers. I have been in contact with companies that offered to pay me to publish my book and a legal consultant explained to stay away from these such companies

Guest

Use Xlibris and once you have made all your payments you immediately become a nobody. Expect nothing from them except frustration.

You will be provided with a CD copy of your cover and the story--they never tell you it is useless to try and use it to improve your product for reprinting their mistakes. HOW DO THEY STAY IN BUSINESS !!!!!

Sandi Ach

Kevin, when you pay for something, don't you want to get the service you paid for? If you do not, are you angry? If not, then you are an unusual person.

When I self-published, I was told that they would perform certain services for a price. I paid the price. I either did not get the services, or they were very poorly executed with no result at all. You are impying that my book is ***, so that is why it is not selling. Have you read it? Do you think that the fact that they priced it too high could be a factor?

I posted this note so other newbies considering self-publishing do not make the same mistakes as I made. You must have all kinds of money to throw around if you think that I should not complain if I am an unsatisfied customer.

I am beginning to think that Xlibris is not a legitimate enterprise. You should think twice before you go on a website and say things like "stop whining" or "be rational for a change". You should make productive statements or your posts will not be taken seriously.

Hurman Ykt
reply icon Replying to comment of Sandi Ach

I have completed my first children's book with Xlibris. The illustrations are good.

The personal contact by phone was quick, courteous, and helpful. The book looks nice. Now I'm faced with new offers to market my book. This price is now much steeper than the publishing cost.

I am hesitant. I would like an opportunity to dialogue with you to learn more about your experience before I go another step further.

:)

Guest

just becoz you paid for extras does not guarantee book sales, the contents of your book is the number one factor which makes consumers buy or not... be rational for a change...

try going to a traditional publishing house, if they like your book they buy it, if not... then stop whining...

Guest

i two have used xlibris to get my book published but i didnt have the money for the extras, so i was going to check my online sales from barnes and noble and it kicked me out of the website that they design for the others. like you it was a rookie mistake going with another company soon.

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