Don’t sign if the numbers don’t add up.
Definitely don’t sign if you can’t validate their claims!
Part 1 of this series shared three critical issues to ask any publisher before signing with them:
- Marketing – how would the publisher get word of my book out to potential readers?
- Distribution – how would the publisher get my book into potential readers’ hands?
- Career Development – what would the publisher do to help me become a better author?
This post deals with publisher #4 how they failed on all three. Now out of business (at least no web presence), this post is about how splash can’t make up for facts.
During my headaches with publishers 1, 2, and 3, I sent out Empty Sky. Lots of interest, no contracts, until a British publisher offered to take a look.
Hoorah!, right?
Well, yeah, of course.
They asked for the full manuscript, which I emailed. Two weeks later, they wanted to Zoom meet. One person would be in their LA office, the other in their London, UK, office, so the challenge was timing.
Hey, you tell me when you want to talk, I’ll be there!
The call went well, very flattering of my work, an explanation of their plans for the book (they talked video games, movie, radio play, books, serialization,… they really had all media channels covered) plus an advanced marketing campaign which involved me flying to London to appear on a few morning talk shows, and both NYC and LA for the same.
Too good to be true, right?
Definitely!
Continue reading “A Tale of Six Publishers – Part 4”