The Exploitation of Writers: When Will It End?

I’ve been following different types of publishing since the turn of the century–maybe even a little earlier. I have seen a variety come and go while others simply changed their names. The problem is these wolves in sheep’s clothing continue to pop up and take advantage of aspiring writers who long to be published. They seek them out because they know many of them are uninformed and haven’t yet had someone take their hand and guide them to the right path. In this post I will point out some of the things you need to look for before being certain you have found a “legitimate” publisher.

The Publisher Contacts You

This should be your very first red flag. No legitimate publisher contacts a writer out of the blue. Firstly, the majority of traditional publishers accept work only from literary agents. Secondly, legitimate publishers do not reach out to writers–they have enough submissions to review without adding to their already overburdened load. The wording is typically the same: they saw your manuscript and are interested in publishing it. BUT THEY HAVE NEVER EVEN SEEN IT! This is one of the many ploys of a vanity publisher who has probably read online somewhere you were writing a book or had just finished one and were looking for a publisher. Don’t fall for it–the only thing they will do for you is cost you your hard-earned savings. Worse is the fact once they have your contact information, it will be next to impossible to get rid of them.

A Legitimate Publisher Does Not Charge the Author

This is probably one of the most expensive lessons to learn. I belong to many writing groups on Facebook, and it amazes me how many aspiring writers actually think they have to pay to publish their manuscript. NO! NEVER EVER PAY ANYONE TO PUBLISH YOUR STORY! If you must pay money, that is a vanity press, not a traditional publisher. These companies don’t even care about quality, they are only interested in whether you will pay their exorbitant fees. They promise to handle everything for you–editing, cover design, printing. The problem is the services are not always of the highest quality, and you don’t have the option to choose someone on your own.

Some of the vanity presses even require the author to buy a certain number of their own books to sell at libraries, book fairs, and the like. You don’t get free promotional copies, and you probably don’t even get an author’s price for what you have to buy. You have to buy these copies on top of whatever ridiculously high price they charge you for “printing” your book, which is really all they are doing. The editing and cover design are separate charges.

Another untruth some of them will project is you are self-publishing. No, you are not self-publishing by any means. When you self-publish, you have total control over your work, you individually contract your editor and cover designer, and your name goes on the book as the publisher. This is just another one of the fallacies they use to draw people in. Vanity presses not only charge you to publish your book, they also take a percentage of sales in many cases.

Perform Your Due Diligence

How can you avoid falling into the trap of these unscrupulous companies? Due diligence is one of the best ways to ensure you do not become a victim of one of these scams. The first clue is if they ask for money. Check their reputation. There is no vanity press that has a good reputation, although you are likely to hear some uninformed people tell you they had no problems with them and were happy with the work. Remember, some people honestly believe they have to pay a publisher. I learned very early on the reality of publishing and how it works. I also learned what companies to be on the alert for. Research is essential in this business. Don’t get all excited if you get an email from someone who says they want to publish your book when you haven’t submitted it.

Literary agents are also subjects of scams. The key here is if they ask for money up front, RUN! A literary agent does not charge up front fees–they take a percentage from any royalties you earn. This is the reason they are very choosy which authors they represent. They are not going to represent someone who stands a slim chance of earning money off the book.

Conclusion

Vanity presses and hybrid publishers (another type publisher that charges fees) for decades, and we are not likely to get rid of them any time soon. As writers and authors we have to be on the alert for scams and always remember money should flow TO the author, not FROM the author. Don’t be afraid to take the time to research. There are sources online that provide a list of publishers to avoid–make use of those sources are invaluable for writers to use.

Do Authors Need Editors?

I blogged about a similar topic a few years ago, and it appears some things never change. There are still many authors–and even those claiming to be editors–who insist hiring a professional editor is an unnecessary and frivolous expense. It amazes me these very people are making these statements in writer’s groups that consist of new writers who may have a great story to tell but don’t have the least idea how to put it together. Apparently there are still many people who think editors are no more than high-priced proofreaders!

One of the biggest complaints I see is the cost factor. Yes, editors can be expensive–I’m a copy editor in addition to be a writer, so I understand the concerns. However, if you want to make money from writing, you have to be willing to invest some money. For any business to succeed it is important to make an investment. What’s the old saying? “You have to invest money to make money.” That is true of not just retail business and other commercial enterprises but writing as well. If you want to make money, you have to be willing to invest some money into that venture. It may mean waiting a little longer to publish, but you will have a product that looks professional and has a better chance of selling.

What is the problem? Why do so many people have this line of thinking? It appears there are many who want to rush into things because they think they are going to immediately make money, and this just isn’t going to happen. I have writer friends who have been waiting for two or three years to see royalties from their work, and these are people who actually invested money in professional editors. In fact, many of them even hired professional designers and are still having trouble.

Another with this line of thinking in today’s market is the difficulty new authors have gaining the attention of traditional publishers. Apparently in today’s market agents and publishers want manuscripts that are almost clean; some are even asking for the name of the editor the author used. Do you want to be left standing in the rain in order to save a little bit of money? If you lack cash, there are ways you can afford an editor such as bartering services with someone who has editing experience. You don’t want to ask your next door neighbor who has never edited in his or her life, however; that defeats the entire purpose.

The other thing that is important here is not all editors charge thousands of dollars. There are actually some of us who have reasonable rates because we understand the situation other writers are facing in the current marketplace. Personally I usually charge about $2 a page for copy editing, and I tell anyone who is interested we can work it out so they can pay in installments as long as the full price is paid before I release the book. Do not make the mistake of thinking you can effectively self-edit your own work and save money on editing because the truth is there are only perhaps about one percent of authors who can do that. We are too close to our work, so what we will see is what we meant to write rather than what we actually wrote.

Look at your writing as a business, and you will not think of second-guessing your work. Understand that even the “greats” hire editors or are published by a traditional publisher who provides editing. It’s important to remember traditional publishers do not do the in-depth editing they once did, and anyone who tells you otherwise needs to document that (I’ve heard from hundreds and maybe thousands of published authors with whom I have come into contact that some publishers do nothing more than proofreading). You need an editor for more than typos and grammar corrections. There are things such as continuity, fact checking, changes in POV without transition, making sure the plot is strong, checking for a believable storyline and strong characterization. The average author cannot accomplish these tasks with a self-edit alone.