Have you ever had a bad experience with a publisher? Maybe they didn't do what they said they would, or maybe they didn't pay you what you were owed. Unfortunately, these things happen all too often in the publishing world. But what can authors do to protect themselves from these types of publishers and scammers? In this post, we'll discuss some tips on how to find reputable publishers and avoid being taken advantage of. So, whether you're just starting out as an author or have been published before, be sure to read on for some valuable information.
Before diving into the ways you can protect yourself from publishing scammers, you first need to learn about the types of scams.
Types of Scams in Publishing
Advance Fee
There are a few different types of scams that authors need to be aware of when publishing their work. The first is the advance fee scam. In this scam, the publisher asks for an upfront fee in order to publish the author's work. However, the publisher never actually publishes the book, and the author never receives any money.
Copyright Scam
Another common scam is the copyright scam. In this scam, the publisher tries to convince the author to give them exclusive copyright over their work in order to publish it. However, the publisher never actually publishes the book and instead uses the copyright to sell other products or services; for example, the publisher might sell the copyright to another company that then uses it without the author's permission.
Royalty Scam
The third type of scam is the royalty scam. In this scam, the publisher promises to pay the author a certain amount of royalties for each book sold. However, they rarely ever pay these royalties and instead keep the money for themselves.
The Scammer offers a Handshake Agreement
As per the handshake agreement, the scammer offers some form of representation without a written contract to formalize the arrangement. They promise the world to the author in terms of marketing, book sales, and other forms of support that will be given to help sell the book. However, the agent will not offer any written contract.
Warning signs of bad Publishers and scammers
Asking for an Upfront Fee
Awareness is one thing, and being able to identify the scammer right there, then is another thing. You need to be mindful and aware of the signs of a bad publisher. One of the red flags of a bad publisher would be asking for an upfront fee. A good publisher would never ask for an upfront fee as they are confident in their own abilities to sell your book and make a return on their investment.
Scammer tries to get Exclusive Copyright over the Author's Work
As mentioned before, another warning sign of a scammer is if they try to get exclusive copyright over your work. They might say that they need this in order to publish your book, but this is not true. A good publisher will never ask for exclusive copyright and will instead only ask for non-exclusive copyright.
Not Paying Royalties
Another sign that a publisher might be a scammer is if they don't pay royalties. As mentioned before, in the royalty scam, the publisher will promise to pay the author a certain amount of royalties for each book sold. However, they will rarely ever actually pay these royalties. If a publisher is not paying royalties, it is a red flag that they might be a scammer.
Making Handshake Agreements
As mentioned before, another warning sign of a scammer is if they try to make a handshake agreement. This is where they offer some form of representation without a written contract. A good publisher or agent will always have a written contract that formalizes the agreement.
Best Practices to Protect Yourself
So how can you protect yourself from these types of scams? Here are a few tips:
By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from publishing scammers and ensure that you're working with a reputable publisher.
Do your research! Make sure you research any potential publishers before signing any contracts with them. Look for reviews online and see if other authors have had good experiences with them.
Ask for references! If a publisher can't provide you with any references or testimonials from previous authors, it's probably best to avoid them.
Get everything in writing! Make sure you have a solid contract in place with any publisher you work with and that all terms are clear and agreed upon by both parties.
Watch out for red flags! If a publisher seems too good to be true, there's probably a reason for that. Be wary of any publishers who ask for too much money upfront or who make unrealistic promises about royalties.
Know your rights! Copyright law protects your work, so make sure you know your rights as an author before signing any contracts.
Trust your gut! If something feels off about a potential publisher, it's probably best to avoid them. Go with your gut, and you'll usually be right. This might not be the most practical advice, but it works 90% of the time!
By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from publishing scammers and ensure that you're working with a reputable publisher.
Self-Publish Plagiarism
Scamming does not end at publishing. Even if you go for self-publishing, there is still the possibility that someone will copy your work and use it to publish their book, be it a technical handbook or a novel.
Self-publishing is a great way to get your work out there, but it's important to take some steps to protect your book from plagiarism. The best way to do this is to copyright your work. You can do this by registering your book with the U.S. Copyright Office. This will give you legal protection in the event that someone tries to steal your work. You can also include a copyright notice in your book itself. This is not required, but it's a good way to deter would-be plagiarists. Finally, be sure to keep track of where you've published your book and who has access to it. This will help you quickly identify any unauthorized uses of your work. By taking these precautions, you can help ensure that your self-published book remains protected from plagiarism.
That’s All
I hope these recommendations can help you while moving forward with your writing career. If you have a suggetion or two, feel free to please a comment here for others to read and remember as they go forward as well.
Until then, be safe and be gravy.