Caveat Author

by Carl Weiss

Image courtesy of GoodBooks.Online

You've just completed your manuscript.  Congratulations!  Now comes the next step, having your book edited and possibly represented by a professional.  While that seems like a simple task to accomplish, finding a professional who is ready, willing and able to take your manuscript to the next level is a daunting task.  In fact, it can be an expensive and potentially perilous journey that can prove more of an adventure than the one presented in your book.  My blog this week cover a number of ways in which unscrupulous editors, book doctors and "agents" try to convince authors to part with their hard-earned money.

If it looks too good, it probably isn't.

My co-host of the Good Books Online Radio show sent me an email that sounded like a heck of a deal.  A company was offering a package for $695 that purported to offer everything from editing and book cover creation, to formatting and publication on amazon.com.  The advertisement itself included a toll-free number.  Calling the number led to a "consultant" that quickly made me understand that the $895 price was only valid for eBooks of 100 pages in length or less.  For more lengthy manuscripts, the prices quickly rose to 4 figures.  There were also a lot of restrictions on edits made to cover art as well.  I asked to see a contract and I am still awaiting its arrival.  I'm not holding my breath.

When it comes to proofreading, paying more than a dollar a page is excessive unless there are major holes in the plot or other serious character deficiencies.  I know this for a fact, since GoodBooks.Online provides this service for authors.   Book cover creation can be had by a skilled graphic designer for $500 or less, regardless of the number of edits.  Having your book formatted for inclusion on amazon.com or for print could also set you back a couple hundred dollors, but it's worth it to get it done right.  The trick is to make sure that the editor and/or designer will deliver the service at the price they quoted.  You should also never work with a company that asks for all the funds to be paid up front.  Especially if the company is not located in the US.  Try getting a refund from an offshore firm can be next to impossible.

Agent Smagent

Another area of concern to authors is getting an agent to represent them.  The classical interpretation of a literary agent is an emissary that will act in the author's interest in dealing with publishers as well as other entities that are interested in licensing a book.  As such, an agent will derive a commission for fees received from the book.  This includes everything from advances, as well as a percentage of royalties received from book sales, movie deals, licensing and merchandising.  A good agent can be worth their weight in gold to an author.  A bad one can be a nightmare, since agents invariably require the exclusive right to deal in the author's behalf.  If the agent misrepresents their connections, becomes incapacitated or just decides to sit on their hands, an author can be in a world of trouble.

Even worse are "agents" who insist on being paid before they deliver the goods.  A reputable agent will never ask an author for money.  They get paid a piece of the money they make by representing in essence selling the authors books.  If you find yourself speaking to an "agent" that suggests you send him or her money for reading fees, expenses, or any other reason, run do not walk to the nearest exit.  Even if an agent has a legitimate need to be compensated for such things as postage, overseas phone calls and the like, they should be willing to take these expenses out of the fees they generate for the author.

Speaking of fees, whether you are dealing with an agent, a publisher, an editor or book printer, make sure you receive an itemized contract that details the services to be performed and the rights that you as well as the other party is entitled.  That's another way for an underhanded party to dig deep into your pocket, by using bait and switch tactics.  Even worse, once you sign an agreement, you will be held accountable to it.  This could not only have a deleterious effect on your current book, but subsequent books as well.  (Always have an attorney read over any agreement given to you that concerns your books.)

Onc horror story I will share with you was from a client who had contracted a company to edit her cookbook, create the cover art and print 1,000 copies. By the time the process was finished, she had paid more than $25,000 only to realize after the fact that she now had no way of publishing her book electronically.  Even worse was the fact that the publisher held the rights to the cover art and that the contract bound her to the publisher for all subsequent printing of her cookbook.

When you consider that her cookbook retailed for $19.95, there was no way for her to even break even should she sell every single copy she had printed.  In short, the only thing that got cooked was her goose.

Image courtesy of GoodBooks.Online

Speaking of contracts, any legitimate agent will be more than happy to provide you with their terms, commissions, marketing, distribution and sales list in advance of the contract.  Any agent that tells you that all or part of this information is confidential is a sure sign that you need to look elsewhere.  Also beware of agents who actively solicit you.  Unless your previous title on amazon resulted in 6-figure sales, there is no reason that a legitimate agent will seek you out.  They don't have to since they are buried in queries and book proposals every single day.

Beware that there are businesses created around the premise of milking authors while returning little or no services of value.  Some of these agencies are well-heeled and can afford to advertise in the toniest of periodicals, as well as online.  Before you wind up getting fleeced by a predatory agency, publisher or printer, below are the top-10 questions you need answered:

1. How long has your agency been in business?
2. What are your credentials as an agent?
3. What authors do you represent?
4. Can you provide me with references. (Don't take endorsements on their page from satisfied "authors" as gospel.  It's far too easy to create these yourself.)
5. Do you charge a reading fee?
6. What other front fees do you charge?
7. What kind of expenses will you be reimbursed for and how will those expenses be handled.
8. Do you use outside resources, or is my book going to be handled in-house?  (A number of underhanded publishing businesses outsource most of their services, making them little more than a broker.)
9.   When can I see a copy of the agency agreement?
10. Has your agency ever been sued?  

Even if you receive a satisfactory response for each of these questions, do your due diligence online by checking for good and bad reviews, complaints and scam reports for both the agency and the agent.  If you find no reviews whatsoever this is a sign that the agent or agency is new, or that it changed its name due to negative reviews.  Do your research well and you will have a reasonable chance at being a successful author.  Do it poorly or not at all and you could wind up derailing your writing career before it ever gets started.

Carl Weiss is an author and president of Working the Web to Win, an online marketing company in Jacksonville, Florida.  He is also co-host of Good Books Online, a weekly  online radio show and YouTube series.