Is it a scam? There seems to be some confusion on legitimate ways to publish a book. (Heavy emphasis on the word “legitimate.”)
Depending who you listen to or read as you scroll by on your social media platform of choice, you’ll find a LOT of ….
…hyperbole…
…opinions…
and, well, crap.
So much fear! Fear of being scammed, taken advantage of, ripped off. OMG, is it a scam?
So much judgement! So much misinformation.
I try pretty hard not to engage when I see posts or comments that fit into any of these categories above.
But I wanted to share with you this important message: how you choose to get published is up to you. Let me say that again:
HOW YOU CHOOSE TO PUBLISH IS UP TO YOU!
If you’re happy with the process and the experience and the result, that is what matters. You are not like the other guy; your book is not like the other guy’s; and your decision on how to get published is up to you.
With that said… it’s always helpful to hear the truth. And the facts. And that’s what I want to share with you today: the facts about the differing routes to publishing.
Is It A Scam? Heed The Warning Signs
The standard advice that “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” holds true in the publishing ecosystem, just like in the construction or any other industry. Some warning signs might include:
-
- being asked to send money before signing a contract
-
- being asked to send money without a contract
-
- being “cold called” by someone out of the blue making a pitch about publishing your book
Warning signs that someone claiming to be a publisher might not be as reputable as they claim:
-
- they have no phone number, address, or real people listed on any website
-
- they have a nonexistent or questionable presence on social media
-
- they can’t point to any other books they’ve published or reviews received
Is it a scam? Pay attention to your gut instinct, do your homework, and be true to your goals.
But please resist being swayed by the fear-mongering naysayers who say you’re not a “legitimate” author unless you are traditionally published.
REMEMBER: HOW YOU CHOOSE TO PUBLISH IS UP TO YOU!
I know I said this already, but it’s important. Today’s publishing landscape offers authors the biggest range of choices — legitimate choices — about how they choose to pursue publication.
What you need is the truth. And the facts. And that’s what I want to share with you today: the truth and the facts about the differing routes to publishing.
Traditional Publishing
Here, the author pitches their manuscript to an agent. The agent pitches to a publisher. The publisher pays for the manuscript. The author is (sometimes) paid a lump sum advance against future royalties, and once they earn out that advance they’ll get paid royalties. The publisher makes money on books that sell.
Authors with a traditional publishing deal do not typically pay anything to publish. But they will have likely invested in editing before the manuscript gets submitted to the publisher. And they will pay their agent about 15% of whatever the author makes. And they will have to do much of their own marketing.
Some publishers, mostly small and/or indie presses, accept submissions directly from an author without an agent. In these cases, the advance may be lower than with a larger traditional press (or even non-existent) but the author still doesn’t pay anything to publish and receives royalties on their work.
Hybrid Publishing
In hybrid publishing, the author and publisher partner together, each taking on some of the work load and costs of publishing. A *good* hybrid publisher will vet manuscripts, and won’t simply accept any manuscript that comes their way. (Ingenium Books, for example, just refused a manuscript on data science; our publishing program focuses on memoir, journalistic nonfiction, health & wellness, women’s fiction, and Canadiana.) A *good* hybrid publisher will help its authors market a finished book, and the royalty splits are usually between 40/60 and 50/50 which is much higher than what an author receives from a traditional publishing deal.
This higher royalty split is a part of the payoff for the fact the author has participated in investing funds for the publication and the whole point is to help the author start to earn back their investment more quickly. And the publisher is motivated to help market the book and champion the author because they offered their publishing services at lower than their cost and they too hope/expect to get paid from ongoing royalties. Publisher retains print and distribution rights; author retains other rights.
Vanity Press
NOT the same as hybrid publishing. Author pays a company to publish their book. The company takes *any* book from any author that can pay them. Work is typically subpar but comes at a high price to the author. Publisher owns the print and distribution rights, controls accounts and files and may or may not pay author a small royalty. Vanity presses are not motivated to assist with sales or marketing (unless paid to do so) because they’ve already made their money on the author. The question, “is it a scam?”, has its roots partly in the soil of the vanity press.
However, for some authors that simply want to get their book “out there,” a vanity press may be just the thing. Let’s not judge those who make this choice with their eyes wide open.
Self-Publishing
An author champions their own work and takes on all of the responsibilities of being their own publisher — this includes the cost of publishing. They will do everything on their own from writing, editing, cover design, to marketing — or they may hire out individual pieces of the project as needed. The author owns the ISBN, distribution rights, makes 100% of the royalties and they will learn all about metadata and keywords and uploading files to distributors like Amazon and Ingram, with all publishing and files set up in their own accounts.
Assisted Self-Publishing
Some authors want to fully control their work but either do not have the skills or do not wish to take the time to acquire the skills, knowledge, or time it takes to self-publish on their own. In assisted self-publishing, an author may pay a project manager or consultant to guide the work, but the author will still own everything and earn all the royalties. The important point is that the author fronts the costs but they keep all rights, publishing is done through their own accounts, and they earn 100% of the royalties from the sale of the book.
Be Informed
NONE of these options is right for every author. None of these options are any worse or better than the other. There are excellent quality books by authors who have self-published; there are poorly written, edited, and proofread books by authors traditionally published. There are authors who have purposely chosen a so-called vanity publisher because it was right for them.
Is it a scam? Be informed. Make your own choices based on your personal needs and goals.
No matter how YOU choose to publish, I hope this information helps you avoid the bickering about the “right” way to do anything — from change a tire, to anchor a boat, or to publish a book.