Enlisting others to help you navigate the self-publishing process is often a very wise strategy. You still run the show, but delegating some of the tasks to trusted experts can keep the project from becoming overwhelming. But at Self-Publishing Relief, we know that there are some companies making big promises they cannot possibly keep in the hopes of dazzling you and getting you to part with your cash. If a self-publishing company is giving you the hard sell and making any of these dangerous promises, consider holding tight to your wallet and saying, “No thanks!”
Beware These 4 Dicey Promises Made By Money-Hungry Self-Publishing Companies
Fame and Fortune!
A few authors such as Hugh Howey and Lisa Genova famously made it big with their self-published books, and of course it’s possible you will too! But fame and fortune are never guaranteed—even for traditionally published authors—so if a company promises otherwise, be on guard.
Marketing Packages Guaranteed To Make Your Book A Best Seller!
Some self-publishing companies promise marketing support that will land your book on best-seller lists. All you’ll have to do is sit back and let the sales roll in! And it may seem logical that the more support you buy, the better your sales will be. However, the reality is that even with marketing help, authors—self-published and traditionally published—still need to work at promoting their books themselves. And even with a lot of hard promotional work, there is never a guarantee that a book will become a best seller. Marketing tools such as book trailers and author websites can help you spread the word about your new book, but keep in mind that you will have to actively use and promote these tools if you want to sell books.
Widespread Distribution Of Your Book Trailer!
Book trailers are a great way to leverage the enormous popularity and marketing power of online video. Having a well-produced, effective trailer can help generate buzz about your book. But if a self-publishing company promises wide distribution of your trailer and tons of views, make sure they are targeting suitable sites that your potential readers actually visit.
A Film Deal!
While it’s true that some self-published books have been made into movies, no self-publishing company can guarantee film agent representation or a contract with a movie producer. Such pie-in-the-sky promises can also distract from what’s most important: the production of a book you will be proud to put your name on.
The success of your self-publishing project ultimately depends on you and your work, as well as the choices you make in delegating tasks. If you’re considering hiring a company to help with the process, be sure to review their terms and conditions very carefully. If preliminary dealings with a particular firm make you uneasy, don’t sign that contract. Move on to self-publishing experts who treat you with respect and give honest answers instead of empty promises and fuzzy math.
At Self-Publishing Relief, our only goal is to help you successfully navigate the self-publishing process. We don’t take a cut of your royalties. We don’t make commission on selling services you really don’t need. We don’t make unrealistic promises. Schedule a free consultation with our experts today!
Question: What other empty self-publishing promises should authors beware?
Thanks for this straightforward assessment of self-publishing. I self published in 2014. Probably, if I realized how little support there is in the industry for authors who self-publish I might have given up. It has been a continuous learning curve. You learn that the main publishing houses buy the best seller position and they position one of their authors at number one, two, three etc…that’s how it works! Also main stream journalists are paid to write good reviews. It is in their interest to be supportive of the publisher paying them. Cynical, the uninformed will say, but true. For a self-published author when you get sales from reviews, they are deserved, but bookshops order from suppliers, who invariably do not stock self-published authors. You do need to be proactive, as a self-published author. Social media is ephemeral, but reviews in magazines are most likely to target readers rather than social media browsers. This is my finding. Four years on from my first published novel sales are being obtained following on from reviews. Book market stalls are invaluable and even if you make only a few sales-you as an author and publisher get to meet a potential reader market. It is daunting when you lack powerful promotional backing, but time away from novel and story writing has to be allocated to achieve meaningful sales.