Here is an example:

Search Results:

BookSurge

CreateSpace

Notice that each site is offering the same free book as well as having an almost identical layout. The one site even states that the sites have aligned to offer services to authors.

The issue is not unique to these Amazon owned companies. Check out these double serving complaints on the Google AdWords support forum. Do large spenders get a pass on double serving? I’ve been in the publishing industry and have a pretty decent idea what the self-publishing arm of Amazon is spending per month. Is Google looking the other in order to not impact Amazon’s overall paid search budget?

Here is the Google policy on double serving. Notice the large bold text that says: Don’t Do It

Thoughts?

Having worked at Lulu.com for almost 3 years, I find it shocking that so many bloggers have a great website and get tons of traffic, but then they think they need a book deal. I do not want to name names, but countless “ego bloggers” have written books and felt the need to sign deals with small imprints of publishers. They all talk about controlling their “content” and being in control of their websites and personal branding, but then feel the need to try for a book deal. These deals do not get the writers rich, nor much money.

If they used an open publishing company such as Lulu.com, they could have retained all the rights to their writing, set their own price, got distribution into stores and Amazon.com and, most importantly, made more money per sale. Why do they speak about controlling their personal content, yet go off and try to make money through a “traditional” publisher? Ego.

There is a stigma associated with self-publishing (or vanity publishing, or open publishing, or whatever you want to call it). Many people think that self-publishing means that you are not good enough to get a book deal so people give up control and money just to go through a traditional publisher.

Smart writers have gone with publishing their own books and made a significant amount of money. Because I work at Lulu.com, I see the numbers. I don’t make as much money as the top sellers do in just a year. If the ego bloggers put their egos aside, they could realize that they could make far more money using a site like Lulu.com than they could the way they are publishing now. Wil Wheaton is one of the most popular bloggers and he recently chose to publish through Lulu.com and has sold quite a few books and he has plans to continue.

Many people say that self-published books are not as good as those put out by a traditional publisher. Really? Take a walk into your local Barnes & Noble and be sure to take a look at the giant discount book section. This section is full of books that spent about 2 weeks on the regular shelves before being reduced 70% and placed in the discount section.

If you want control. If you want to make more money. Go with a company like Lulu.com and take control of your writing and actually make money. I did and made a pretty decent amount of money when I published my book.