Self-Publishing Book Scams
Posted By Jasper Longfellow on September 3, 2010
Are you an author who has decided to go the self-publishing route? If you have received numerous rejection letters from publishing companies, but you still belive your book has potential and commercial value, you may be. Self-publishers also like the freedom and control that they have.
Despite the benefits offered by self-publishing, it is still important to proceed with caution. Did you know that there are a number of self-publishing cons out there? Typically, when somebody says scam or internet fraud, stories of dating scammers or Nigerian investment scams come to mind. But there are also several publishing ripoffs and is is what you will want to look out for:
If you self-publish a book, you should not have to sign any contracts, except for agreements to pay for services directly provided. The process you should start out with is to search for a printer that will turn your words into a real book. You do not need to sign any contracts or agree to give away your work for this to be done. In most situations, all you need to do is pay the already agreed upon price. If you are sent a contract, then you are most likely dealing with a vanity publisher, as opposed to a printing company. For the unitiated, a vanity publisher is a publisher who will publish your book at your expense.
Whether you deal with vanity publishers or a printing company, treat any recommendations for add on services with caution. For example, if an individual in your travels says ‘I know a designer who can layout an amazing cover for your book’, proceed with caution. Of course, the individual or company in question is more than worth the look, but you should know that many companies do not recommend others out of the goodness of their hearts. Typically they will receive a percentage of each sale made by working as an affiliate and this could inflate the price compared to that if you shop around.
As for hiring the services of a professional editor, know who you are working with at all times. Do the proper amount of research first. You can honestly never tell if an editor actually reads your books and make changes. Be leery of anyone who says “everything looks good to me,” and then hands you a bill. It is also important to remember that when you hire an editor, you essentially hand them everything that you have worked on for the past year or months. Make sure you hire a trusted editor who will not run with your work and then later claim it as their own.