8 Signs Your Self-Publishing Company Will Treat You Right | Self-Publishing Relief

by | Self-Publishing | 5 comments

Updated October 2023

By the time you put your signature onto a contract with a self-publishing company, you should be very, very confident you and your book are going to be in good hands. So before you take that final step, Self-Publishing Relief lets you in on the signs that reveal if your publisher treats writers with genuine respect and great customer service.

How To Know If Your Self-Publishing Company Will Provide Great Service

Calls and emails are returned promptly. If a self-publisher’s representatives aren’t courteous and proactive, then it’s probably likely the company is more interested in your money and less interested in providing good customer service. Representatives should be knowledgeable and straightforward, even when you ask tough questions. And they should answer the questions you didn’t know you should ask about pricing, royalties, and more.

No sketchy promises. Some self-publishers will promise you anything to get your business—but fail to deliver. A spot in every bookstore in the country? Of course! Record-breaking sales? You got it! Here are some things a less scrupulous self-publisher might hard sell but you don’t really need.

Good reviews/recommendations/referrals from clients. A little bit of Internet archaeology should unearth lots of positive feedback. Your self-publisher may not have a perfect record (alas, trolls do exist!), but overall, most clients should appear satisfied.

Comments and questions about the contract are welcome. When it comes time to talk serious logistics, your potential self-publisher shouldn’t be cagey about handing over a contract for your review. And representatives should take your concerns seriously. In fact, they should even be willing to help you understand what to watch out for in self-publishing book company contracts.

 
No attempts to monopolize your rights indefinitely. One of the best things about being an indie writer is having complete control over your publications. Be sure to hang on to your rights. If your self-publishing company makes a claim on your book royalties, be sure you fully understand all the ramifications of your agreement.

Good book cover designs. Self-publishing companies should be proud of their cover design artwork—not hiding it. You should be able to see cover art samples! But bear in mind that a cover art designer is beholden to the client—so choices reflect client preferences, not the publisher’s.

Personalized attention. Some self-publishers are book factories. They squeeze their authors into a cookie-cutter mold. Talking with representatives and asking questions should give you a sense of how flexible and responsive your potential self-publisher will be when it comes to your unique needs.

Availability of a sample print book produced by your potential self-publisher. Sometimes, photos of print books look better than the actual print books. By ordering a print sample—even one that you might have to pay for—you can get a better sense of your publisher’s print quality. That said, keep in mind that some printing packages may vary (from basic to fancy).

What About Marketing And Promotional Packages From Self-Publishers?

Many self-publishing companies offer promotional assistance for their self-published writers. Authors do stand to benefit from investment in a book launch—with help on press releases, marketing support pieces (bookmarks, posters), and social media! But always be sure your publisher isn’t promising things beyond anyone’s control (like making best-seller lists, guaranteed followers, etc.).

At Self-Publishing Relief, we focus on providing exceptional customer service. We don’t sell our clients services they don’t need, and we don’t make promises we can’t keep—no hard-sell sales pitches, ever! One of the greatest advantages of being an indie author is being able to have creative control over every aspect of your book(s). And we want you to have that. We’re not interested in monopolizing your rights or profiting from your royalties. Our main goal is to provide you with the personalized attention you deserve to become a successful self-published author. We have a variety of packages in a range of prices designed to cater to individual publishing needs. Excited to get started? Schedule a free consultation and find out what we can do for you.

Question: What is the #1 most important element of good customer service to you?

5 Comments

  1. Colin

    All good points that need addressing. A good critique and well prepared manuscript are obvious main ingredients. Cover design can sell a book. Basically the browser and potentially buyer needs to be attracted by the front cover and back cover blurb. This applies to e-book online as much as to book shop on shelf. Are you totally happy with the final design layout and edit? The pressure of finalizing the manuscript with re-writes and a forward to be written just before publication is not to be recommended. it’s easy to under estimate how much extra preparation is needed near to final manuscript. These are your decisions and inevitably with the experience of several self-published novels, as an author, who self publishes you will have that experience which you would have liked to have possessed at the time of that daring first novel publication. Promotion, publicity, advertising you have to be front of stage. Amazon is a platform for advertisement,and e-mail lists of reader followers are recommended. Messaging to interested genre sites can bring results, but invariably on writers online sites you are vying with perhaps hundreds of other writers trying to get noticed. The author and writer in you can be restricted, when too much attention is given to advertising and promotional work. It can be a demanding balance to obtain freedom from over involvement with the necessary promotional investment in your latest novel. Sam Grant, author name.

    Reply
  2. Felix Bongjoh

    I have two published books of poetry to my credit and look to self-publishing 4 others (already in the pipeline) with the same company. However, the publishing company is exerting too much financial pressure on me, as I have to pay for everything. I am looking forward to publishing at least 4 more books (making it altogether 10 books) before the end of this year. I have already paid for 6 books to the company I am currently doing business with.

    I am seeking a publishing company with which I intend to work for the publication of my 4 subsequent books. I prefer a company that will help me market my books on better terms. May I know what your terms would be for the next 4 books of poetry and many, many more?

    Many thanks and kind regards,

    Felix Bongjoh
    5679 Kingsmill Drive
    Salisbury, MD 21801
    Phone: 443 630 8025
    E-mail: fnbongjoh@yahoo.com

    Reply
    • Blog Editor

      Hi Felix,
      Just to be clear, we are not a publishing company. We assist you in self-publishing so you are actually the publisher of your own work. Check out this link for more information on what we do and thanks for your interest. https://selfpublishingrelief.com/frequently-asked-questions/

      Reply
  3. Dianne Bates

    Hi there! I am writing to ask permission to reprint your article in my online magazine Buzz Words, for those in the Australian children’s book industry. If you kindly grant permission, I am only too happy to add a bio and/or link at the foot of the article which would go into my magazine in 2019. I can send you a magazine, if you email me. There is also a blog for book reviews http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.com

    Thanks! Di

    Reply
    • Blog Editor

      Sure Di! That would be great. Thank you for your support!

      Reply

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