Red Flags to Watch For When Choosing a Publisher

Author Advice
Written By Mikael Carlson

Authors who find the notion of publishing independently daunting will check for alternatives. There are plenty out there, and finding the right one is crucial for a successful experience. While there are good actors willing to work with new authors, there are scoundrels in the marketplace as well. Be vigilant for some of the red flags below during your search. This post is meant as guidance, but we absolutely encourage you to do thorough research, review any contracts prior to signing, and seek professional advice if you can.

Up-front Costs

You should never, ever pay money up-front to have a book published by a publisher. Be wary of anyone who even asks what your budget is. A publishing contract is just that - a contract. Contracts, by their nature, need to be mutually beneficial for the parties who enter into it. Any publisher charging fees to publish your works needs to be looked at warily. Don’t get me wrong - whether you independently (self) publish or opt to sign with a small press, there are associated costs that include, but are not limited to, book cover design, editing, and proofreading. Reputable publishers are investing in you as an author.

Fees

I’m not certain why any publisher would ever charge their authors fees. I can imagine negotiations over joint marketing campaigns, or something to that effect, but no author should pay fees to a publisher. Ever. If a contract states that fees are applicable, don’t walk away. Run. You don’t want to do business with them.

Unrealistic Promises

You’ve heard the saying, “If it sounds too good to be true,thr it probably is.” That is definitely applicable here. Any publisher who guarantees you will sell a ton of books or be a bestseller is probably selling you a bridge in Brooklyn. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. There are authors out there who have seen extraordinary success with a debut novel. Just understand that it’s the exception, not the rule, and no result can be guaranteed.

Unsolicited Outreach

This one comes from personal experience. I had a small press reach out to me, saying they were interested in publishing one of my novels. I had seven at the time and asked about including them in the offer. They claimed they would publish ALL of them. Cool, except for one small detail: they didn’t read any of the books. How do they know if the novels are any good? How did they not know that the book they inquired about was the lead in a four-book series? They were interested only in signing authors, not working with them to help make them successful. Unsolicited emails aren’t inherently bad but do be wary of any publisher who contacts you out of the blue with such an immediate and “too good to be true” offer.

Publishers Who Decry Independent Publishing

The self—publishing boom that Amazon helped usher in removed many of the barriers to entry for authors. It’s not to say that self-publishing is simple or doesn’t require a lot of time. There is a learning curve and it’s not quite as easy as snapping your fingers. However, it is a very viable option for authors who want to go that route and are willing to put in the work. Be wary of any publisher who says it cannot be done. It can, it has, and it will continue to be.

Complaints / Bad Reviews

I include this here because you should always do some research, but take bad reviews and what is said on discussion boards with a grain of salt. No business ever to open their doors has pleased all their customers or clients. Sometimes, things don’t work out, and people will go to these forums to express their displeasure. However, there is truth in numbers, and naysayers shouldn’t be completely ignored. A lot of negative reviews or comments mean you should take a deeper look at the publisher’s business practices.

Lack of Contact Information or Slow Response

We at Warrington are guilty of this, to a degree. Our staff is still very small and we do not accept unsolicited phone calls. However, we will try to respond to emails quickly. We will also set up calls with authors who provide submissions. Even if one is not accepted, we want the author to know the reasons. Maybe that leads to a rewrite. They may look for a better fit. Either way, we want them to know. Authors we are interested in signing absolutely will have all our contact information, and we can communicate over MS Teams, Zoom, phone, email, SMS…everything except carrier pidgins because they are afraid of the owner’s cats.

Poor Quality

The measure of any business is the work it produces. Many small presses are good. Others are not. We encourage all authors to check retail sites to see the books any publisher is producing. Check the covers. Are they professional, or do they look like they were done with the 1990s version of MS Paint? Check for “look inside,” and read the first chapter or two. Do you see errors? Is there anything that leads you to believe that the work suffers from bad editing? Finally, check internet message boards. See what other authors are saying, especially ones who had a deal with that publisher. What was their experience? Were they happy with the quality of their books? Was there value in their services?

Small press publishing is a viable option for authors who do not want to do it themselves. There are pros and cons, as with everything in life. The key is to make your decision wisely, and that means understanding what you are signing on to. I’m sure there are more red flags than those listed here, but these are the important ones, in my opinion.

Our Vision

Modern technology has never made publishing a novel easier. But that doesn’t mean the process is easy. New authors who independently publish quickly learn that writing the novel was the easiest part of their journey. Then comes book cover design, finding a good editor, formatting for digital and print, and marketing to prospective readers. It’s a lot of long hours, trial and error, and a steep learning curve. Some authors accept that challenge. Others begin wondering if there is a better way.

Mikael Carlson
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