Breaking publishing news on August 27, 2010 was of Leo Hunter, a six-year old boy who received a 23 book contract after writing his first picture book, Me and My Best Friend. This publishing contract sounds amazing, and indeed it is. However, a bit of research reveals that perhaps it's not such a tremendous deal for the young author.
Huge Book Contract An Author's Dream or Publishing Scam?
The name of the agency Leo Hunter and his mother signed with is called Strategic Book Marketing. This company is one of many related publishing and book marketing businesses operating under several aliases. This company, and its affiliates had a lawsuit filed against them by the Office of the Attorney General in the State of Florida. The lawsuit alleges Strategic Book Marketing victimized aspiring authors through fraudulent practices.
According to the lawsuit, which can be read at the Florida Attorney General's website, Strategic Book Marketing specified there were no up-front fees to the writers. Authors who submitted manuscripts received an email from the company accepting their work and offering a contract. The contract included a review of the manuscript for between $50 and $99. Following the review, an author edit was suggested, at a price of between $99 and $169. Additional services provided, all for a fee, included placement in a book database, illustrations for picture books, and website building. Purportedly, after trying to sell the book unsuccessfully, the author might be recommended to pay for an aggressive agenting program. At this point, many authors realized they had been scammed.
Research Agents and Publishers Before signing a Book Contract
One important caveat to always keep in mind when searching for an agent, editor, or publisher, is that the author should not pay fees until a sale has been made. Doing a bit of research before submitting a manuscript should help writers avoid companies that prey on hopeful authors. Be especially careful of those that make glowing promises or ask for a fee for editing services. Even writers who want to self-publish a book should do careful research.
Some excellent resources for research are Publisher's Weekly, Guide to Literary Agents, and the industry watchdog, Writer Beware. When researching agents and agencies, look at the list of authors and books the agency represents. If the agent agrees, and he or she should, contact the authors to ask about their experiences with the agency. The Science Fiction Writers of America, SFWA, maintains a list of thumbs down agencies, a list on which Strategic Book Marketing and its many aliases appears. Last of all, it doesn't hurt to have an attorney familiar with publishing legalese review a contract before signing.
Although any publishing agreement may seem tempting to writers who want to get a book published, it pays to wait for legitimate, up-front literary agency representation. The author will reap the benefits, rather than being charged for many unnecessary services. If a contract sounds too good to be true, it just may be.
Suzanne Pitner - Suzanne Pitner is a teacher and published writer. A member of RWA and YARWA, she writes fiction as Suzanne Lilly.
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