~~~ Notes from Minnesota ~~~

Hey Freelancer!

My head is spinning.

I recently ordered four books from Amazon. When they arrived, I realized every single one of them was printed using POD technology. To make things more exciting, one of the titles was a full color cookbook! Amazing.

Wow. Mind blown.

I remember the crazy days when POD was a novelty… one tier “lower” than self publishing. I also recall thinking that label was pretty unjust.

While my sample pool may be a bit skewed, I found my little discovery pretty astounding. Thrilling, really.

We live in exciting times. Never before has information been more democratized. So, get writing. Share your dream. Write your book and avoid the pitfalls I outline in today’s article. (Ha… awesome transition, eh?)

Onward and upward,

Beth 🙂

P.S. My latest novel, Reclaimed Wonderland debuted at .99. The price goes up on February1. Just click here.

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How will you harness the power of new technology to grow your creative empire?

Thanks to technology, getting your work published is easier than ever… or is it?

Writing and publishing a book is one of the most powerful marketing strategies any creative entrepreneur can undertake. Although the Internet has created new publishing opportunities galore, it’s also created a new breed of publisher that may (or may not) make it easier to make a living (or have a profitable hobby) as a creative entrepreneur.

This handbook explores various options to get your work published. You’ll also discover tips to give you the edge when you evaluate publishing opportunities, how to easily spot scams, little known (but profitable) markets that will augment your income, and much more.

Armed with a little industry savvy, creative entrepreneurs can not only make a good living, they can save hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars by avoiding scams, hooks, lines, and sinkers lurking in the current publishing environment.

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Avoid These “Publishers”

Beth Ann Erickson

You’ve worked hard on your manuscript. Give it the treatment it deserves by not settling for less than what your work merits. If you see any of these red flags in a publishing house you’re considering, run… don’t walk… away from them.

Paying for publishing:

Any time a publisher, agent, or editor asks you for money, politely decline. These people are (in all likelihood) scam artists who prey on writer’s dreams. Legit publishers will not ask you to pony up dough for any reason.

Purchasing books as a part of your publishing agreement:

If you have to buy a set number of books and sell them yourself, this isn’t a legitimate publishing company.

Paying for edits:

If a publishing house or agent “just happens” to be affiliated with an editing company that will take care of your manuscript for a fee, decline to work with them. Legit publishers and agents will edit your manuscript free of charge.

Setup Fees:

Unless you specifically want to self-publish, there’s no reason to pay setup fees… ever. A legitimate publisher does not charge “setup fees.”

Reading Fees:

A literary agent I once contacted wrote this: “With the inundation of quality manuscripts, I feel I must charge you for my time to review yours.” Bull-doggie. Forget it. Any publisher or agent who charges a reading fee is a scam artist and isn’t worth your time.