“I’m afraid that self-publishing company is going to steal my manuscript!”
How do I know they won't take my rights, or steal my manuscript from me altogether?…
Ask The Expert
“Angela, what’s your opinion about publishers and authors hiring ‘sensitivity readers?'”
The practice of hiring "sensitivity readers" is absolutely RIDICULOUS! Books are supposed to challenge readers' thinking. They not only entertain readers, but also disturb, offend, spur people to action, expand our thinking, teach us about things, people, and societies that we would otherwise never be exposed to, and so much more! This is pre-publication censorship, plain and simple...…
Victim of defunct Tate Publishing doesn’t want to pay Tate’s (unfair) $50 for her production files. Can she just use the files they sent her for approval before the book was published?
"I don't want to ask Tate Publishing for my files. Can I get my book to you without notifying them of my change? I don't want them to sue me. Should I ask my attorney about this?"…
“How can I turn my blog into a book?”
Q – Hi Angela, I have hundreds of blog posts on my website and I’d like…
We don’t use foreign call centers…so now we’re racists?
"Your stand on outsourcing to third world countries is admission of your being racist. Would you mind explaining why you detest dealing with such a huge chunk of humanity?"…
“Can I publish pictures of people’s (private parts) that they’ve texted to me?”
"My friend and I have been collecting (bleep!) pics that men have been sending to us by text. We want to make a coffee table book out of them. How would we go about doing this?"…
“I want to publish an anthology that includes stories written by others. Where do I start?”
I'm interested in writing an anthology. …
“Should I pay Xlibris $6,000-$17,000 to promote my book?”
Dear Angela, (A relative of mine) wrote and self-published a book with Xlibris. She is a…
When a Vanity Publisher…Pretends To Be Traditional
I have been offered a contract by a regular publisher but, because I am not a known author, they want me to commit to purchasing copies up front for a total of $4200. I realize that they want to get all of their costs back up front but that seems kind of high to me. What do you think?…
Ask The Expert – “If our publisher doesn’t abide by our contract, can’t we just have our books published elsewhere?”
It's much easier to move a book elsewhere if a publisher has a non-exclusive contract. Unfortunately, yours does not.…
Q & A – “I’m looking for a publisher. How do I know I can trust you?”
“I’m looking for a publisher. How do I know I can trust you?” I receive…
Should I offer credit to bookstores, libraries and others who want to purchase my book?
The answer is probably not. Here's why, from experience.…
“CreateSpace has put us in a very bad light with our customers! I’m at my wit’s end! Can BookLocker get my book published right away?” YEP!
CreateSpace has put us in a very bad light with our customers now. This book was a Kickstarter campaign and we are now six months late. The complaints are coming daily.…
“Where can I find a sample copyediting contract?”
Hi Angela, I’ve just landed my first copy editing job through your recommendation. I’m wondering whether…
“My Dad Abused Me, And May Have Killed My Mom. Everyone Tells Me I Need To Write A Book About My Life! Where Should I Begin?”
***There are millions of people with fascinating stories to tell. Unfortunately, many of these survival stories…
“How can I make some extra holiday $$ with my writing?”
Angela, A few years ago, you published an article on how to make extra holiday money…
“My book hit the market and I’m now being bombarded with sales calls and spam…from another publisher!!”
I am not sure how this happened, but ever since my new book hit the market, a different publisher has been calling my office, and sending emails.…
“Are print book sales really making a comeback?” Yep!
"Physical book sales have rocketed by four million this year, fighting back against the digital revolution. Predictions, a few years ago, that the printed book would die appear to have been greatly exaggerated."…
DIY Publishing Services – Are Any of Them Really “Free?”
I see your claim that it is less expensive to publish with BookLocker than with CreateSpace and I don't understand why you think so. All over the Internet, information about CreateSpace makes authors think their services are free. Their homepage even says "free." What gives?…
“This website ripped off my book! Help!”
"I found a website that ripped off my book. Help! Can you get them to take it down?"…
“How much should I charge to ghostwrite someone’s life story?”
I've been approached to write and collaborate on a book of someone's life story. They've agreed to list me as the co-author, and asked what type of payment I desire. What should I charge?…
“Where can I find a list of writing contests?”
Could you suggest books, websites, etc. that have real poetry contests? Not the type that publish your poem and then want you to pay $100 for a copy. Also, where can I find lists of magazines that pay you for poems?…
“Can I Use Somebody Else’s Photo/Artwork if I Flip it Horizontally?”
I am still working to get my illustrations for my book. Can you advise on something I was told by my illustrator? She told me that most photos copied from the Internet can be flipped horizontally to alleviate concerns of copyright infringement. For example if a mountain appears on the left side of the photograph, flip the photo so the mountain is on the right side. I also wonder if applying artistic effects to a photo (pencil sketch, smooth pastel, etc.) would eliminate concern of issues. I was given five websites for Royalty Free photos and images that are free of charge. Do you have any recommendations for me?…
My Daughter Wants To Do a Signing! How Should I Approach My Local Bookstore?
Angela, My 8-year-old daughter is an author. She has received a lot of coverage in our…
“How can I sell my self-published book through a large specialty distributor?”
Angela, I want (a large, specialty book distributor) to sell my book on their website, as…
Hmmm… Should I Sign Up for “Amazon Giveaway” to Promote My Book?
According to a website: "Creating a book giveaway function does nothing but increase you and your book's visibilities. Meaning that it is very necessary. Amazon has created a book-giveaway-channel that would allow authors to create reading contests, and choose their winner(s)."…
How Much Should I Pay a Book Illustrator?
Different illustrators charge different rates. The prices are all over the board. I definitely recommend having a work-for-hire contract so you'll own all rights to the artwork in your book - forever. You need to be able to use that artwork not only in the book, but also in marketing and, if the book takes off, you'll want to be able to use it when creating related products in the future as well. You don't want to have to pay additional fees each time you want to use artwork that you paid the illustrator to create. Of course, you may need to pay a bit more up front but it will be worth if you can use it freely in the future.…
“I’m too embarrassed to self-publish!” vs. “I’ll never sign another traditional publishing contract!”
Contrary to popular author assumptions, self-publishing no longer hurts your chances of landing a traditional contract. In fact, if you can prove impressive sales of your self-published book, your chances of landing a traditional contract are greatly increased. Fifty Shades of Grey is one example. It was a successful self-published book and look what happened after a traditional publisher discovered it!…
Another Example of Greed in the Publishing Industry! Editing Existing Book vs. New Edition?
After a new book is released, most authors spend a lot of time promoting their new baby...initially anyway. (Yes, some authors get tired of promotion if they don't have a step-by-step guide to assist them.) In their promotional activities, they will usually include specific links to Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, their publisher's website, etc. If an author publishes a new edition under a new ISBN, the book will receive all new links. So, those old links that the author posted on social media, in comments under news articles, and more will all lead to the old edition of the book.…
How Should I Approach “Regular Folks” (Not Professional Writers) To Contribute To My New Book?
I am looking for real-life hindsight, wisdom and reflections from people who have first-hand experience with the topic I am writing about. I would like a diverse cross-section of people nationally and, even possibly, internationally. …