| How to get a book deal without being scammed is a | | | | for the next season is full but they would dearly love |
| hurdle for any writers. Publishers Are Not Exempt | | | | to publish your book. You just need to share the risk |
| From Questionable Practices. | | | | with them by giving them some money. |
| Keep These Warning Signs in Mind | | | | A new twist is to tell the author that their project has |
| Charges a fee to read your manuscript. | | | | merit but the author will have to find an investor to |
| You are providing the product for them to sell. Why | | | | sponsor their title. The publisher isn't asking the author |
| should you have to pay to see if they are interested in | | | | directly for any funds but many authors shell out the |
| your work? | | | | necessary dollars rather than try and find an 'investor.' |
| Offers subsidy contracts | | | | Rebates |
| (you pay them to have your book published) when | | | | The publisher says that any fees you pay them will be |
| they promote themselves as commercial publishers. | | | | completely refunded once your book reaches a |
| Are POD (publish-on-demand) publishers, such as | | | | certain sales level, usually in the thousands. Or that |
| authorshouse, IUniverse, and Xlibris, legitimate | | | | they will provide a comparable number of 'free' copies |
| publishers? Yes as long as the author realizes the | | | | when the magic sales level has been reached. |
| costs and the limitations of POD publishing. Publish On | | | | A twist on rebates is that the publisher will match your |
| Demand books are rarely stocked in bookstores. | | | | monetary contribution in marketing efforts for your title. |
| Bait and Switch | | | | Publishers are supposed to market their own titles. The |
| There are some publishers who hide behind the mask | | | | match most likely will not be in advertising dollars, |
| of respectability and call themselves 'traditional' when in | | | | review copies sent, or book tour expenses but the |
| fact they are a vanity press. How can you tell? Look | | | | efforts of the in house staff. Efforts that probably |
| at their websites, if the focus is on recruiting writers | | | | won't be focused specifically on your title. |
| rather than promoting the books they publish, it's a | | | | How to get a book deal without getting scammed is |
| huge red flag. | | | | possible for any author. Just keep these warning signs |
| Other publishers 'will accept' your manuscript and then | | | | in mind. |
| come back a few weeks later and say that their list | | | | |