Self-Publishing: Scams, Scams, and More Scams

Scams are all over the place and touch on almost every facet of life.

From paying off you student loans, to your car maintenance insurance is about to lapse, to calls that your Amazon account has been hacked.

Well, authors aren’t exempt.

There are a number of scams going around for self-publishing authors.

These scams range from online services that will publish your book, edit and proof your manuscript, create your illustrations (if you’re a children’s author), market your book, and even create a website for you.

Dealing with so many ghostwriting clients (around 350), I’ve heard and even seen some of the horror stories.

One client hired a self-publishing company, a subsidiary of a major publishing company, to do the illustrations for a book I wrote for him.

The client thought that because there was a major publisher somewhere in the background would ensure quality work, so he went with them.

The illustrations were poorly done and it cost him upwards of $10,000.

Another client decided to use one of these self-publishing services to market his book and create an author website.

He gave me the link to the website and again, another unprofessional job. The web copy was weak and full of errors.

Yet another client hired a marketing firm to handle her children’s book marketing. They subbed the work to ‘who knows who’ to create the website.

The subbed service had no idea how to write copy for a children’s site. They didn’t even know what webpages to create. The client hired me to oversee the website project.

Most of these services use ineffective marketing strategies. So basically, the author is paying for nothing. Probably eight out of ten of the services don’t’ know what they’re doing. And, they don’t care.

The scam stories go on and on and on. It’s horrible. Authors spend thousands and thousands for noticeably unprofessional work.

In regard to editing, proofing, and even ghostwriting, these services hire non-English speaking writers and most often they’re not professional writers. And, they charge top dollar for the work. I’ve even seen manuscripts where it’s evident that the writers didn’t know how to write for children.

I’ve had a couple of clients who decided to allow the self-publishing service they hired to publish the book edit the manuscript also.

AAGGGGHHHHH.

The reason I know this happened is because they came back to me to revise what the service had done.

This is a main reason I’d never allow a client to use my name in their book. I have no idea what they do with the story once I hand it over.

A New Scam

Now, there’s a new scam in town. At least it’s one I haven’t heard of before.

This one aims at a book that’s already self-published.

According to Writer Beware, “scores of publishing/marketing/fake literary agency scams that are super-aggressively soliciting self-published and small press writers these days with an offer to re-publish or “re-brand” your book.” (1)

You should read this article as these services are worse than the self-publishing companies.

You can read it here:
(1) Say NO to That Offer to Re-Publish Your Self-Pubbed Book

Another article to check out is:
3 Ways to Identify a Publishing Scam

If these articles can stop one author from jumping in blindly, they’re worth their weight in gold.

As someone who has been in this business for a while, it’s so sad to see authors taken advantage of by unscrupulous scammers… thieves.

So, please beware, and remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Whether you need help with ghostwriting, editing, or coaching, let me take a look at your children’s story. Just send me an email at: kcioffiventrice@gmail.com. Please put “Children’s Writing” in the Subject box. Or, give me a call at 347—834—6700.

Let’s get your idea off the launch pad or your outline into a publishable and marketable story today!

Or, if you’d rather give it a shot and do-it-yourself, check out my book, HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN’S FICTION BOOK.

NEED HELP SELF-PUBLISHING YOUR BOOK?

Do you have your children’s manuscript already done and need help self-publishing? Click the link to find out how Writers on the Move Press can help you.