“Should I pay my publisher almost $3,000 to make my book returnable?”
Being told you have to buy insurance to close a book distribution deal? Sounds fishy because it is.
author scams
Why “Free” Publishing Services Can Quickly Go Belly Up, and How They Can Keep Screwing Authors Years Later
Offering something for nothing is a really dumb business model. While working with a “free” company may seem tempting to some authors, these firms typically go belly-up pretty quickly. And, some end up ripping their former authors off for years after the firm’s demise…while holding those authors’ books hostage.
If You Receive a Copyright Infringement Notice by Email, Do NOT Click on the Link!!
We received the following FAKE copyright infringement accusation this week via email…
“Nobody Has Bought My Brand New Book…Yet There Are Already Used Copies For Sale Online?”
I haven’t been paid a dime, but there are used copies of my book on Amazon. Well no, those aren’t really used copies.
“What are the benefits of going with a hybrid publisher?”
Ah, “hybrid.” Such a cool sounding word, right? But…
Are Authors REALLY This Desperate for Eyeballs?!
Sadly, some authors will fall for this type of scam.
“A literary agency wants to represent my 12-year-old self-published book. Legit or not?”
“Because I hear so many horror stories about companies like this agency scamming authors (and yes, they approached me first!), I’m…”
WHO’S SCAMMING GRANNY? Snakes That Prey on Elderly Authors
Elderly authors are easy marks for scammers and thieves. Today, I’ll share the stories of several (semi-)fictional victims. These represent a combination of horror stories we’ve heard over the years.
Promote Your OWN Website, Not Your Publisher’s
Author Andy was so excited! His new book was finished and he’d just approved his print galley. It was time to start selling books! His publishing company put his book up for sale on their website and sent him the URL where he could send people who wanted to purchase his book.
Andy didn’t have his own website or blog, but he didn’t think that would be a problem. Unfortunately, it was, on several fronts. And, while Andy and the other authors below are fictitious, the scenarios are based on real complaints we’ve received from authors over the years. In every case, had the author had their own website or blog, he or she would have lost few, if any, sales.
A publisher wants $4,000 to market my book to OTHER publishers?!
They are simply luring in authors, and then upselling them on worthless services.