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It's heartbreaking. You go to a local fair and there at the author's table is a row of smiling hopefuls, eager to sell their books. A few are beautiful books, either self-published or produced by traditional publishers. But so many are poorly written, poorly produced, with amateurish covers and cheap bindings. The author's smiles are wearing thin as they realize that the world isn't flocking to buy their books, and they're just beginning to wonder if there's something wrong with this picture. Score another for the vanity presses. The poor authors, with no knowledge of the business end of publishing, have been snookered out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars and now have cases of unmarketable books serving as very expensive doorstops.
In these days of POD (publish-on-demand) technology, the vanity presses may promise to ship the books when they are ordered, which at least relieves the author of having to warehouse the books. But the vanities still charge large amounts of money and the author is still left with an empty bank account and shattered dreams. Or worse. Some scammers take money from hopeful authors and deliver nothing at all. The good news is that with a little knowledge, it isn't too hard to spot a scam. Here are some obvious red flags to look for:
"We'll publish your book for ONLY $595!" Remember this one rule above all: legitimate publishers pay YOU for the rights to publish your book. You should never have to pay anyone to publish your work unless you choose to self-publish. To get a book published, you have to write the very best book you can. You must study the market, and use a current market guide to select the most appropriate publisher. You submit your manuscript using a standard manuscript format, which is described in most good books on writing and publishing. While you wait for a reply, you go to work on your next project. If a publisher is interested, an editor will contact you and make an offer. The publisher will pay you an advance against royalties, and once the advance is earned back, you will earn royalties on further sales. You or your agent may also sell other subsidiary rights, such as foreign translation rights or movie rights. Chances are high, however, that your manuscript will be rejected. If that happens you select the next publisher on your list and send the manuscript there, then go back to work on your next project. If you want to self-publish, the best way to go about it is to create your own small publishing company. You give your company a name, you choose a good printing service, you buy the ISBN number and file for copyright. If you pay for "publishing," but the book bears the imprint of another publisher, that company is a vanity publisher. A good printing service will encourage you to use your own imprint. You have a much better chance of getting a distributor to carry your books if you use your own imprint. Most distributors steer clear of vanity publishers. If you want only a few copies, such as a memoir meant only for family, look for a good book binding service.
Pyramid Scheme. Any Multi-level marketing with more than 2 levels, in my dictionary is scam! Customer will need to pay more to sustain the commissions, I don't like too many levels scheme, they don't focus on providing a good product and services.
"We know the secret for instant success!" There is no "instant success" in the publishing world. Most famous authors worked hard for years to become an "overnight success." Sometimes a lucky break will propel a new author to the top of the bestseller list, but remember, their story is just one out of millions. Most authors never get that kind of fame. If the opening page of the site talks about how your book could be a best-seller, be cautious. Real publishers don't make those kinds of promises, because they know the reality of the publishing business.
You Don't Have To Know Marketing. Some how I heard someone saying: You don't have to know marketing to be successful online...Ignore them, because you need to know everything about online marketing before you can earn enough money to sustain your life!
These are the most common money making scams, you must be able to identify and avoid them before you can build a successful online business!
In these days of POD (publish-on-demand) technology, the vanity presses may promise to ship the books when they are ordered, which at least relieves the author of having to warehouse the books. But the vanities still charge large amounts of money and the author is still left with an empty bank account and shattered dreams. Or worse. Some scammers take money from hopeful authors and deliver nothing at all. The good news is that with a little knowledge, it isn't too hard to spot a scam. Here are some obvious red flags to look for:
"We'll publish your book for ONLY $595!" Remember this one rule above all: legitimate publishers pay YOU for the rights to publish your book. You should never have to pay anyone to publish your work unless you choose to self-publish. To get a book published, you have to write the very best book you can. You must study the market, and use a current market guide to select the most appropriate publisher. You submit your manuscript using a standard manuscript format, which is described in most good books on writing and publishing. While you wait for a reply, you go to work on your next project. If a publisher is interested, an editor will contact you and make an offer. The publisher will pay you an advance against royalties, and once the advance is earned back, you will earn royalties on further sales. You or your agent may also sell other subsidiary rights, such as foreign translation rights or movie rights. Chances are high, however, that your manuscript will be rejected. If that happens you select the next publisher on your list and send the manuscript there, then go back to work on your next project. If you want to self-publish, the best way to go about it is to create your own small publishing company. You give your company a name, you choose a good printing service, you buy the ISBN number and file for copyright. If you pay for "publishing," but the book bears the imprint of another publisher, that company is a vanity publisher. A good printing service will encourage you to use your own imprint. You have a much better chance of getting a distributor to carry your books if you use your own imprint. Most distributors steer clear of vanity publishers. If you want only a few copies, such as a memoir meant only for family, look for a good book binding service.
Pyramid Scheme. Any Multi-level marketing with more than 2 levels, in my dictionary is scam! Customer will need to pay more to sustain the commissions, I don't like too many levels scheme, they don't focus on providing a good product and services.
"We know the secret for instant success!" There is no "instant success" in the publishing world. Most famous authors worked hard for years to become an "overnight success." Sometimes a lucky break will propel a new author to the top of the bestseller list, but remember, their story is just one out of millions. Most authors never get that kind of fame. If the opening page of the site talks about how your book could be a best-seller, be cautious. Real publishers don't make those kinds of promises, because they know the reality of the publishing business.
You Don't Have To Know Marketing. Some how I heard someone saying: You don't have to know marketing to be successful online...Ignore them, because you need to know everything about online marketing before you can earn enough money to sustain your life!
These are the most common money making scams, you must be able to identify and avoid them before you can build a successful online business!
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