A Warning to Authors: Research Your Publishers!

A while back I did a post on How to Find a Reputable Publisher. Today, I'm going to talk about something very similar. Now that #PitMad and #pitchMAS is over, I'm swamped with queries, partial manuscripts, full manuscripts, and everything in between. Let me be clear: I'm not complaining. lol. But considering the nature of these contests -- both agents and small press editors making requests, I thought I should take some time to let authors know that they should make a choice based on information and not emotion.

Believe me, I know how tempting it is to sign the first contract that's offered the day it reaches your inbox, especially if it's your first contract ever! But,

DON'T DO IT!

At least not right away.

I know how crazy this sounds coming from an acquiring editor of a small press, but I want every single author I sign to Anaiah Press to do so with their eyes wide open, and a good feeling in their heart for doing so.

Whether you receive an offer of representation from an agent or a publishing contract from a small press, you have to do some research. I cannot stress how important this is!

So, where do you start? Here are the 5 steps I always follow when researching an agent/publisher for my own personal writing:

1. Visit the agents/publishers website. Look at everything. Click through every page they have available. If there are a lot of broken links then you might want to think twice about sending them your work. If there are a ton of authors who've only ever published one book with the publisher then it's a good possibility the publisher is an author mill and you want to avoid those. If the publisher has a sample contract available--READ IT! Also take some time to study the book covers. Do you like them? Would you be proud to have your name on a book with a cover similar to the ones they provide?

2. Research their reputation. Yes, this is possible. The first place I start researching is Preditors & Editors and Absolute Write. They are both free sites that offer advice and insight into various agents and publishers. I ALWAYS check these two sites. (And yes, you can feel free to go check up on Anaiah Press!)

3. Contact some authors. If you're seriously considering a specific agent or publisher, look at their client list/published authors. Randomly contact a few of them, let them know you're considering an offer, and ask what their experiences have been like. You'd be surprised just how willing and helpful they will be.

4. Ask lots and lots of questions. Seriously. Ask whatever questions come to your mind no matter how small or stupid you might think they are. If you've gotten to the point where they have sent you a contract, read it thoroughly. Have your attorney or a trusted author reader it. Then ask a ton more questions.

5. Trust your instincts. I cannot stress this enough. If you have that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach, listen to it and heed its warning.

In addition to the above steps, I always look for warning signs and red flags. Here are some of them that you should be aware of:

• Poor quality website / not up to date
• Lack of authors - Sometimes this is due to the fact that the publisher is brand new (like Anaiah) and other times it's because authors are not willing to sign with the agent/publisher in question. Be sure to check to see how long the publisher has been in business.
• Unwillingness to communicate - If the agent/editor you've been in contact with refuses to answer your questions, gives overly vague answers, or tells you that they will answer all of your questions as soon as you sign the contract is probably a person/place you don't want to deal with.
• Unwillingness to negotiate - I've never seen a contract that wasn't negotiable. If you come across an agent/publisher who isn't willing to negotiate even one clause in their contract you might want to think twice about doing business with them. 

Signing with an agent / publisher is a big commitment, and not one that should be rushed into or taken lightly. The average publishing contract is for a period of 3 years, sometimes longer. So ask yourself, are you willing to spend the next few years in a relationship with this person / publisher? 

How To Find a (Reputable) Publisher

So, you've taken the time and done the easy part: you've written your book. Okay, so the actual writing of the book isn't all that easy, but it's definitely easier than what comes next: finding someone to publish it for you.

With the recent popularity of epublishing, publishers are a dime a dozen. Good for you, right? Not necessarily. It's very easy for anyone to open a publishing house nowadays and not all of them are on the up-and-up. So, how do you find a publisher who is reputable? The answer is different for everyone, but below are the steps I use when I'm searching for a good, reputable, publisher.

1. In order to research a publisher you have to first find a publisher. The two sites I always use are Duotrope and Writers Market. These sites allow you to search for publishers in your specific genre. Make a list of those you're interested in.

2. Once I have my list, the first place I start researching is Preditors & Editors and Absolute Write. They are both free sites that offer advice and insight into various publishers. I ALWAYS check these two sites BEFORE I submit anything to a publisher.

3. If your chosen publishers has a clean track record with Preditors & Editors and Absolute Write then it's time to start looking at said publishers website. Look at everything. Click through every page they have available. If there are a lot of broken links then you might want to think twice about sending them your work. If there are a ton of authors who've only ever published one book with the publisher then it's a good possibility the publisher is an author mill and you want to avoid those. If the publisher has a sample contract available--READ IT! You don't want to waste your time formatting and submitting to a publisher if their contract is one that you're not comfortable signing. Also take some time to study the book covers. Do you like them? Would you be proud to have your name on a book with a cover similar to the ones they provide?

4. Another thing I always do is look at their current published authors. I randomly pick four or five, look them up and then email them. I introduce myself, explain that I'm considering publishing with XYZ Publishing, and ask if they'd be willing to tell me about their experiences with said publisher. You'd be surprised at how helpful this can be. This is probably the best source of honest information you'll get about a publisher. A fellow author will be able to tell you things that you can't find out otherwise--things such as how it is dealing with the editing staff or if royalties are paid on time.

5. So now that you've found some publishers you like, it's time to start submitting. Be sure to read all their submission guidelines very carefully and follow them to the letter. Failing to do so will most likely result in an automatic rejection.

6. Wait for a response.

7. Wait a little bit longer.

8. Yay! You've gotten a response. It's a rejection. Yell. Scream. Call a friend and bitch until your heart is content then file it away and wait some more. Chances are you'll get several more of these. It's the nature of the business, but don't lose hope.

9. Woo hoo! Another response. Congratulations! You've been offered a contract. Take some time, jump around. Yell. Scream. Dance. Tell everyone you've ever known that you're going to be a published author. Now calm down. It's time to do some more research.

That's right. Just because you have a contract offer doesn't mean you're done. In fact, you're just beginning. Again. Believe me, I know how tempting it is to just sign that contract and send it right back, but doing so could be detrimental to you.

10. The acceptance email you just received will usually contain the contract, a pre-editing or formatting checklist, pertinent information about the publisher, a book information and/or cover art form. Take the time and read each one of them carefully.

Start with the contract. Read it line by line. If you don't understand something, ask. If there's something missing that you feel should be included, ask. If there's something included that doesn't sit well with you, ask. Ask! Ask! Ask! If you don't understand it--don't sign it! Sit down and compose an email asking every single question you have. Then send that email. Keep the contract safely in your inbox and wait for a response. If after you get answers you're still unclear, send another email asking more questions. Pay close attention to not only the answer you're given, but how long it took you to get them.

REAL LIFE EXAMPLE: I received an email stating one of my manuscripts had been accepted by a publisher (who shall remain nameless) and that I should be on the look-out for the contract in a separate email. It took a full two weeks for them to send me the contract. That alone was enough to irritate me, but when I read the contract and sent them an email full of questions, I never received a response. Ever. Needless to say, I politely declined their contract offer.

11. Time to move on to the pre-editing/formatting checklist. Most times it specifies font style, size, margins, quotations, em dashes, etc. However, many publishers have certain things they prefer--such as using "as if" instead of "like" or saying "my gaze followed her" as opposed to "my eyes followed her." Pay careful attention to how they want you to do things.

REAL LIFE EXAMPLE: I received a pre-edit checklist in which the publisher wanted me to remove all complex sentences, semi-colons, and em-dashes. I stopped reading at that point and politely declined the contract offer. I refuse to "dumb down" my work for anyone.

I'm not going to lie. It's a lot of work, but in the end when you find that publisher who's just as passionate about your work as you are, it'll all be worth it.

Do you have any tips or stories about your search for a publisher?