Writersworld Limited is a self-publishing book company (or Print-On-Demand, POD) based on the United Kingdom. Back in it had a second site in France, as well. Nowadays, it is present in the UK, Spain and The Netherlands. Still so, much of the company's operation and dealing is online, thus being rather an internet-based company with a potential international reach.
In 2005 I was prepared to self-publish a book and, after searching for POD companies based in Europe, I decided for Writersworld Limited. Their pricing seemed competitive in comparison with other companies, and the information provided on their site seemed convincing - later I learn that you get better deals elsewhere, especially in USA, though.
To make a long story, short, it turned out that Writersworld was fast and willing to take my money (some 2200, or $2700), even to contact me immediately because of a small mistake on the payment (some 70) -which was quickly solved through PayPal. Once the money was secured by the company, problems grew from nowhere: some disturbing emails by the owner of the company (Mr Graham Cook) insulting Northamericans when they killed an Italian security officer in 2005 (!), company's staff going on strike because of unpaid salaries, the dissapearance of the company's project manager, the imposibility to contact the owner of the company by phone or email because he was very ill and the computer broke down (!), and, later, when communication could be re-stablished, a long list of emails regarding the lost of the book, the company almost being at the edge of bankruptcy -thus not being able to pay back the money invested-, the staff leaving for a third POD company and taken files and customers with them (!), and a never-ending plot of how the staff wanted to destroy the company for not reason whatsoever (!). While all this was happening, the Spanish site was being developed and, as it now seems, the company was also expanding to The Netherlands.
At the end of the day, I got no book, no money back, very little chances of bringing charges because of being in a different country, etc. Later I searched more deeply the company and it seems the same reasons and excuses had being given to several customers even before I decided for the company.
Anyway, an important duty that now remains is to alert potential authors at international levels (but also those in Europe, in general, and the UK, Ireland, Spain and The Netherlands, in particular) about this company, and recommend them to be knowledgeable of this report and do their research so that they are not scammed out of their money too easily, and keep well clear of Writersworld Limited if they want to keep their investment.
J
Dublin
Ireland
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