This is a scheduled post and I will answer any comments tomorrow.
Recently I read a blog from a self-published author who was thrilled to bits to gain a publishing deal. She had signed the rights to her book over to the publisher, and of course now looked forward to the royalties from many future sales.
However, I’ve been on a steep learning curve over the past 8 years regarding the integrity of small publishers. In order to satisfy my own curiosity I went on to Google and typed in ‘Writer Beware‘ and the name of the lady’s publisher. As I suspected, there were many complaints about this particular publisher regarding the amount of ‘set up fees’ needed and the lack of any royalties.
I’m sure most of us have been taken in by small publishers at one time or another at the beginning of our writing careers. I know I have, and now unless the day comes when I am taken on by one of the big five then I shall stay self-published. I might have a long wait, but I’m in no rush…
Along with unscrupulous small publishers comes unscrupulous writing competitions. Yes, I’ve been taken in by those as well. Some of them are just money-making schemes by marketing companies to fleece the unsuspecting author.
I’m not going to name these publishers and marketing companies here, but you can find quite a few of them on the Writer Beware site kindly kept up to date by founder Victoria Strauss and her associates. These days I always check Writer Beware and also Google any company if I am ever offered publishing deals or if I see a writing competition I’d like to enter. I’ve saved myself a lot of grief, although not in the first years of my career. I spent unnecessary money on a vanity publisher back in 2009 that pursued me for years afterwards, and I lost the rights to a couple of my translated books through a small publisher which changed its name. I entered pointless writing competitions, and the names of some of these ‘competitions’ I later found on Writer Beware.
So these days I am forewarned and forearmed. Unfortunately I am now instantly suspicious if I am offered a publishing deal by any independent publisher, and I receive at least 2 of these ‘wonderful’ deals every year. To be quite honest, guys and gals, it’s better to stay self-published.
Should I have warned that author who was so upbeat and joyful about gaining a publishing deal? As far as I could tell, she had already signed on the dotted line and so I fear it was too late. But hey, this blog is here to warn everybody else. You can even email Victoria Strauss with any particular concerns. I have emailed her several times over the past few years, and she always answers within a day or two.
Don’t sign anything unless you check the companies out first!
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olganm said:
It’s difficult to know what to do, Stevie, because in most cases we hear about it when it’s too late, but forewarned is forearmed, so I’m sure your post will be useful. Thanks for sharing it.
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Stevie Turner said:
You’re welcome, Olga.
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InsideMySlingBag said:
Thanks for putting this up Stevie, m sure this is going to be of great help to a lot of writers!
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Stevie Turner said:
I hope so.
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D. Wallace Peach said:
I totally agree, Stevie. I wouldn’t turn down a big publishing house, but otherwise, self-publishing has worked for me. My experience with a small independent press wasn’t bad, but that said, I still had to do all the marketing, and there was a lot I found frustrating, particularly the lack of control over… just about everything. I hope your excellent advice saves some authors some unnecessary grief.
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Stevie Turner said:
Me too. It just isn’t worth it for the amount of sales generated.
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OIKOS™-Editorial said:
Thank you for the very helpful advice, Stevie! Even if i am not a writer, its helpful for my oversight over the branch. I most time have to deal with different sorts of businesses trying to blame third parties on money. All of them at least using the same methods. At least one can say: Read, read and google before you sign a contract. I hope you had a wonderful weekend, and wish you a beautiful week! Michael
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Michael. Yes, we have to be very careful where money is concerned!
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OIKOS™-Editorial said:
😉
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dgkaye said:
Excellent advice Stevie. When in doubt, Writer Beware is an excellent site for scammy writer information. 🙂 x
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CarolCooks2 said:
Great advice, Stevie my sister inlaw fell foul of that one but had already parted with her well earned cash when she told me…
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Stevie Turner said:
Oh dear. So many others have too, including me back in 2009. I went on the advice of a consultant that I worked with at the time. Obviously he had been duped as well.
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CarolCooks2 said:
Jan was just green and paid him to publish her stories that was 2 yrs ago now and still not published she has written that off …scammers are rife in all areas of life unfortunately buyer beware xx
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Stevie Turner said:
It’s all a learning curve, and unfortunately many of us go through this until we realise signing up with small publishers generally just isn’t worth the hassle.
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invaderstim said:
I’m glad I made the right decision, indie publishing. Also knew I was marketing to a very niche group before I published, so going with any of them would be a downgrade, even to my slow start
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Stevie Turner said:
Well done. Keep at it.
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petespringerauthor said:
I read this same post. Google is a powerful tool against scammers. I’ve been called on the phone with a couple of offers from people who say generic stuff about my book, and I’m immediately skeptical. I ask them in passing the name of their company, and there are tons of people who have been ripped off. The problem is sometimes people are embarrassed to admit they’ve fallen to these unscrupulous methods.
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Stevie Turner said:
Yes, but it does make you very cynical and hard to convince after you realise what’s happened. I’m suspicious of all small publishers now. Sad but true.
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Elizabeth said:
Thanks so much for the link.
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Stevie Turner said:
You’re welcome.
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robbiesinspiration said:
Thanks for this link and excellent advice, Stevie. I love my small publisher and have experienced no problems in over 4 years.
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Stevie Turner said:
I’m glad that you found somebody you could trust.
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johnrieber said:
Terrific advice! I know someone who published their memoir two yeas ago…relentless self-promotion to get the word out, and now she shares that she will be waiting out her deal before doing another as she hasn’t seen a dime from he company…shameful these people prey on Writers this way…
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Stevie Turner said:
Yes, they do. It’s best that she stays self-published I think until she can gain the interest of a bigger publisher who might be a bit more trustworthy.
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johnrieber said:
Your advice is terrific, and it’s unfortunate to see aspiring Authors of all ages preyed upon when they just want their hard work published.
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Stevie Turner said:
Yes, money grabbers are everywhere, and they don’t care what they do to fleece the unsuspecting self-published author.
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lividemerald2013 said:
I used a startup vanity publisher back in 2002. Although the intentions were honorable, the company eventually folded. I was unhappy with the look of the paperback, and spent a little more money to get a hard cover edition (it looks very nice). Unfortunately, the publisher didn’t give it a different ISBN number, so it can’t be marketed. The defunct publisher still has the paperback listed on Amazon. There is probably some way to get a different ISBN number for the hard cover edition (all copies are in boxes in my house), but I’m not aware of how to do that. In 2013, I published a second novel using CreateSpace, and then published a revised edition along with a Kindle version in 2017. I will use KDP Services in 2022 or 2023 to publish two novels simultaneously. My books are too offbeat and creative for a traditional publisher, so I’m stuck with self-publishing.
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Stevie Turner said:
Not sure if you’re in the UK? If you are, then you can buy ISBNs from Nielsen. I think in the USA it may be a company called Bowker.
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lividemerald2013 said:
I’m in the U.S. I’ve heard of Bowker. Thanks!
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Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. said:
Excellent post Stevie and so many writers get reeled in to schemes and like you I am very happy to stay self-published..and I have been tempted by writing competitions until I read the fine print.. will share in a Blogger Daily..xx
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Sally. At least by staying self-published we have control over our work.
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Darlene said:
Great advice.I have often warned writers about this very thing. I do have a small independent publisher but she is traditional in every sense of the word, very reputable and has never charged me for anything. I am so happy I found her after a 5 year search. She is very picky as to who she takes on as well.
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Stevie Turner said:
Sounds like you’ve hit the jackpot there, Darlene.
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Darlene said:
There are some great small independent publishers out there. But if they ask for lots of money from you, run the other way!
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Stevie Turner said:
Yes indeed. Thanks Darlene.
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jowensauthor said:
Reblogged this on Jeanne Owens, author.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for the re-blog, Jeanne.
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franklparker said:
Reblogged this on Frank Parker's author site and commented:
Those of us, like |Stevie, who have been grubbing away in the writing business for a few years are well aware of these scams. But there are new people entering the craft all the time so this is a timely warning to them. I was offered a contract a few years ago but as I don’t have a lot of spare cash I declined.
On the other hand, there are genuine small publishers out there. I signed a contract with TSL that cost me nothing up front. I had excellent support with cover design, formatting amd proof reading, at no charge. TSL will only make money if they are able to sell multiple copies of my book. If they do, so will I.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks for re-blogging, Frank. I’m glad you’ve found a publisher you can trust.
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Lucinda E Clarke said:
Sadly I know several authors who fell for this. It’s so easy to think you are now an established author, avoiding the snob value of not being a ‘proper writer’ if Random House / Penguin have not snapped you up. Then you come down to earth with a bump and your work now belongs to them.
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Stevie Turner said:
Absolutely. Until Random House snap me up I’d rather have control over my own work!
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Karen at Reprobate Typewriter said:
Well worth the time to check out any company you’re doing business with… especially in the internet age. It’s getting painfully easy to throw up a website and call yourself a publisher. Thank you!
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Karen for your comment.
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beetleypete said:
Reblogged this on beetleypete and commented:
A warning from Stevie, based on her own experience!
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Pete for re-blogging.
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beetleypete said:
Even though I am unlikely to find myself in this situation, this is invaluable advice for the unwary.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Stevie Turner said:
Thanks Pete. I’m sure you could write a book if you tried!
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