Writer Beware!

 

     All writers dream of being published.  Seeing your first work in print, is an awesome feeling.  It's like you're walking on air, you've caught the brass ring, and nothing can stop you, until you discover that there are publishers out there who want lots of money to put your book in print.  The charges can be outrages, even into the thousands.  How can this be happening to you.  Well come back to Earth.  As in all walks of life, you are going to find people who make it their job to scam others.  They sound legit, but in reality, they are frauds!   Here are some flags to warn you.  Like the saying goes, "If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is"  Pin that in your mind.  There are many Vanity Presses out there who will say they will print your book for free, or for a minor fee.  This sounds so great, so you jump at their offer.  But wait.  You know nothing about this press, or the people behind it.  So you need to know what a Vanity Press is first.  So here's the scoop!
       Vanity Presses are publishers who agree to cover all, and might give you a small advance to draw you in.  They say they will cover all cost, book cover design, printing, or whatever is needed to get your book out there in the public eye.  But watch out.  Slowly they will say & offer you better options, but there's always a catch, and money involved.  But you're so excited that they accepted your book that you just believe whatever they say.  Their publishers right, and they know what is best, right?  So you sign a contract with them (I'm speaking from past experience) for seven years, as you wait  patiently for all those royalty checks to come in.  False, they never do.  At best you might get a few hundred dollars, ( they get 90%, you get 10%) while they keep your book tied up for years because they have you under contract with them.  (Please read contracts before you sign on the dotted line)   You can't offer your book to other publishers, until your contract is up( Think of how this restricts you from pushing your work to other publishers)  Vanity presses will tell you anything, even that your book is a winner, when they really think it's not, just because they want your MONEY!
They often will offer you discounts to buy copies of your book, for all those book signing you will be doing, and of course you want copies for that, right.  Unfortunately the shipping cost will be high,
Higher that you expected, sometimes into the hundreds for 20 books that you were told were just
99 cents each.  As a writer, don't let yourself be duped by these publishers just to get your book into print.  Seriously search publishers, their records, how they work, before you choose them.   If not your book could be tied up with them for years!  Writer Beware!!