5 Self Publishing Scams to Avoid AARP The Magazine
5 Self-Publishing Scams to Avoid - AARP The Magazine Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Close
When a self-publisher says, “We’ll get your book into every bookstore,” you might imagine your novel gracing the shelves of every Barnes & Noble and Borders in America. But in reality, this means your book will be merely listed in every bookstore’s computer database, available for order if a customer requests it. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > 4. Convoluted contracts Self-publishing contracts are filled with enough gobbledygook to make your head spin. Terms like “author profit,” “royalty” and “net payment” can be interpreted in many ways. Before you sign anything, ask questions and have an attorney take a look. How will you get paid? How often? How much? And when? Will you be paid based on the book’s cover price? Are returns (unsold books) taken into account? Get answers in writing and added to your contract to avoid disputes later on. 5. Copyright tricks Here’s another game some publishers like to play: They tell you how difficult and expensive it is to obtain an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and/or a copyright, then offer to “help you” with those piddly details. But an ISBN, which identifies a title for tracking and sales, actually is easy to obtain. You can purchase your own for $125 from the . And in the United States, an author automatically owns the copyright to his or her work. Never sign yours away. Protect your copyright by registering your work online with the for $35.
AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS
5 Self-Publishing Scams to Avoid
What to watch out for when seeking author services
Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. 1. Excessive flattery Unscrupulous publishers will play on your emotional heartstrings. Consider sweet talk — “You deserve to be published” or “You have worked so hard, and we intend to share your voice with the world” — a red flag. Reliable publishers don’t butter you up to gain your business. 2. Promises of grandeurWhen a self-publisher says, “We’ll get your book into every bookstore,” you might imagine your novel gracing the shelves of every Barnes & Noble and Borders in America. But in reality, this means your book will be merely listed in every bookstore’s computer database, available for order if a customer requests it. Entertainment $3 off popcorn and soft drink combos See more Entertainment offers > 4. Convoluted contracts Self-publishing contracts are filled with enough gobbledygook to make your head spin. Terms like “author profit,” “royalty” and “net payment” can be interpreted in many ways. Before you sign anything, ask questions and have an attorney take a look. How will you get paid? How often? How much? And when? Will you be paid based on the book’s cover price? Are returns (unsold books) taken into account? Get answers in writing and added to your contract to avoid disputes later on. 5. Copyright tricks Here’s another game some publishers like to play: They tell you how difficult and expensive it is to obtain an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and/or a copyright, then offer to “help you” with those piddly details. But an ISBN, which identifies a title for tracking and sales, actually is easy to obtain. You can purchase your own for $125 from the . And in the United States, an author automatically owns the copyright to his or her work. Never sign yours away. Protect your copyright by registering your work online with the for $35.
AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS