Archway PublishingReviews of archwaypublishing.com

Trying to find an Archway cust service rep that a) has any sort of awareness of how to actually handle a problem for a client and b) is willing to take the responsibility to trace something down and debug instead of just passing the buck is a bonafide PROJECT. Living under the glow of the banner of Simon & Schuster has not graced them with any remarkable talent for client handling, it is the same behavior I have felt over and over from them since starting with them in Dec 2025. This is probably why their parent company Author Services has had two class action suits against it by authors. You are warned. 10/9/26 to reply from Archway: I doubt if any path can be found with you guys. Exec K.M. tells me this morning there are "lots of our authors on Goodreads" but you cannot get your webdev system and developers out of the ditch to debug it from blocking me setting up on Goodreads as an author, earlier customer support attempt also being hopeless. She also cheered me submitting my book to Simon & Schuster the parent company as an alternative to Archway, their own subdivision haha. When at your wits end go to the parent company! A truly Indiana cornfield experience I swear. Which rhymes with BEWARE and look ELSEWHERE. I give up!

Archway had my MS from October last year with no movement on it until April of this year. There were many unnecessary delays, phone calls, emails left unanswered. It is very expensive. It is not made clear that marketing will cost many thousands more. I had to spend $1200 for 50 books plus postage to get the book in time for the last book rally of the year, having missed opportunities in June, July and August.

I purchased the most expensive package. I was given an arrogant editor, Tim Fitch, who made my first book an unpleasant experience. I was passed off to May Arado and either she did not have all the information, and she also was ill informed. The onus for everything falls upon the author, and your system is not designed to make this an easy experience.

After I had paid $6000 for them to publish my book they only asked for more money to do other little things that i did not have. I am very disappointed. No refund after 3 months of course. Please do not use this company.

Just received my final product and I am so disappointed! This product looks nothing like the professional version I received in my first project. Pages are off, pages not cut in hardbound editions so when opened the pages tear, author bio on last page of book rather than on back cover. I have asked that my rep call and address these issues. I worked tirelessly to make sure every detail was clear. If these issues are not resolved my next project will not be with Archway!

Archway Publishing extracted more than $25,000 from me for their publishing packages. When combined with my investment in a 10‑book children’s picture book series—including fully completed illustrations and professionally edited, publication‑ready manuscripts—my total financial loss exceeds $75,000. After securing my payments, Archway abandoned me almost immediately. I want every author to understand exactly what they are walking into. The sales representative who recruited me used nonstop pressure tactics, emotional manipulation, false promises, and scripted assurances to push me into purchasing their highest‑priced packages. She called me back‑to‑back, after hours, and on weekends, insisting the “special offer” was expiring within 24 hours and that her “vice presidents” were watching my progress. Once Archway had my money, everything changed. Communication stopped. Services disappeared. Every promise collapsed. Archway told me they had “reformed,” that the negative reviews were “old,” and that authors were now treated with professionalism and care. None of that was true. My experience matched the exact horror stories other authors warned about: unreturned calls, ignored emails, undelivered services, fabricated excuses, and a complete refusal to take responsibility. They even misrepresented the status of my services to the Minnesota Attorney General. I was promised marketing support, visibility, guidance, and a genuine partnership. Instead, I received silence, delays, excuses, and a system clearly designed to run out the clock while keeping my money. Archway’s business model is not built to help authors succeed—it is built to extract as much money as possible and then disappear. If you are an author considering Archway Publishing, please learn from my experience. Do **not** trust their promises, their sales tactics, or their “special offers.” Once they have your payment, you will be left alone, ignored, and financially devastated. I would not wish this experience on anyone. I am currently considering legal action against Archway. If any authors have experienced similar treatment, I am open to joining or initiating a class action.

Good luck getting answers from your designated staff. Unfortunately this review allows for only one "Date of Experience" because this situation has been ongoing. I purchased the most expensive package (person 1) in hopes that they would be able to assist me with the book marketing. I have tried to contact my account manager (person 2), the marketing person (person 3), the person 4 in charge of my complimentary copies; and any other persons who sent me an email in the past (persons 5 and 6) and crickets. I did receive an email (after many relentless phone calls) that included two links to PDFs with a tutorial on how to setup social media accounts to promote my book. Well, duh! Don't you think I haven't already done that through my already active profiles in social media? I then asked my account manager (person 2) if this was a scam because I was promised a press release, a website, advertising and marketing and, after a week and half since my book was released, I have received 0 of those services. Not even an answer to my emails. I wish I would have read these reviews before I chose Archway for my book (the first in a series that they will not be involved with going forward) because I would have NEVER used them.

At the end of 2024, and the beginning of 2025, I paid Archway Publishing $11,202.20 for a marketing plan for my book, Good Night Vietnam, From An American Army Rebel With A Cause. The book was finally published on September 30, 2025. Subsequently, I refused all facets of the marketing plan that were offered. Now, despite my numerous emails and calls to individuals at Archway during the last two months, I still have not received a refund or a response from Archway. I wish I had seen the awful reviews about Archway that I recently read. I should also have again published with Amazon KDP, which previously published two of my books. I only went with Archway because it was a Simon and Schuster Company. As a Vietnam vet with PTSD and suicidal tendencies, this situation is exacerbating those tendencies.