How to Protect Your Book, Your Money, and Your Rights
Smart, successful people get taken advantage of by publishing companies every year.
It is not because they are careless or did not do their homework. Publishing can simply be a confusing industry to navigate, especially when you are doing it for the first time. There are unfamiliar terms, different publishing models, complicated contracts, and companies promising everything from bestseller status to national media exposure.
Unfortunately, there are also companies that know exactly how to use that confusion to their advantage.
If you are thinking about publishing a book, knowing what to look for before you sign a contract can save you money, frustration, and potentially even the rights to your own work.
Pay Attention to Who Made the First Move
Be cautious when a publishing company contacts you out of nowhere with enthusiastic praise for your book, especially if you have never spoken to them before.
Legitimate publishing and professional publishing-service companies should be able to explain exactly why they believe they are a good fit for you. Praise alone is not a publishing strategy.
The more important question is what happens after they get your attention.
Are they asking thoughtful questions about your goals? Are they explaining their process? Can they show you books and authors they have actually worked with?
Or are they simply trying to get you to sign?
Know Exactly Who Owns Your Book
One of the most important things you can do before signing a publishing agreement is understand what happens to your intellectual property.
Read the contract carefully and ask direct questions about your manuscript, cover design, ISBN, royalties, and publishing rights.
At Elite Online Publishing, we believe authors should keep their rights and their royalties. Your book represents your ideas, experience, reputation, and often decades of work. You should understand exactly what you own before entering any publishing relationship.
If the answer is unclear, keep asking questions until it isn’t.
Don’t Settle for Vague Deliverables
A phrase like “complete publishing package” or “full marketing campaign” sounds impressive, but what does it actually mean?
Ask for specifics.
How many rounds of editing are included? Who is doing the editing? Is the cover custom designed? Where will the book be distributed? What happens during launch week? What marketing happens before and after the book is released?
A professional publisher should be able to walk you through the process and explain what you are paying for.
You should also understand the complete investment before getting started. Editing, design, formatting, distribution setup, ISBNs, copyright registration, marketing, and other services should not suddenly appear as surprise expenses halfway through the process.
Be Careful With Guarantees That Depend on Someone Else
Publishing involves many things that can be planned and executed strategically. But there are also outcomes that no publisher controls.
Nobody can guarantee that a national television producer will book you, that a particular journalist will cover your story, or that readers will purchase a specific number of books.
When someone guarantees an outcome that ultimately depends on a third party, ask how that guarantee actually works.
The same applies to high-pressure sales tactics. Publishing a book is an important business and personal decision. You should have enough time to understand what you are buying, ask questions, and decide whether the partnership is right for you.
Look at the Books They’ve Already Published
One of the easiest ways to evaluate a publishing company is to look at its work.
Ask to see books they have published. Look at the covers. Read the descriptions and sample pages. Search for the authors online. Look at how the books are positioned and marketed.
You can also ask whether you can speak with current or previous authors.
Good publishing work is visible. You should not have to rely entirely on what a salesperson tells you.
The Best Protection Is Clarity
One of the biggest advantages you can have before approaching a publisher is knowing what you want your book to accomplish.
Who is the book for? What problem does it solve? What do you want readers to do after reading it? How does the book fit into your business, career, speaking, consulting, or larger brand?
When you know the answers to those questions, it becomes much easier to evaluate whether a publishing company is actually offering what you need.
Our free Write Your Book in a Weekend guide can help you begin organizing your ideas, identifying your reader, and building the framework for your book before you start making publishing decisions.
Clarity gives you leverage.
What Does a Good Publishing Partner Look Like?
A good publishing relationship should not leave you wondering what happens next.
You should understand the scope, pricing, timeline, team, and strategy. You should be able to see examples of published books and authors. Most importantly, you should know what happens to your rights and royalties.
There should also be a strategy that goes beyond simply uploading your book and calling the project finished.
Because publishing the book is only the beginning.
A book can help build authority, open doors to speaking and media opportunities, generate leads, support your sales process, and position you as an expert. But that only happens when people can actually find it.
Ask the hard questions before you sign. A good publishing partner will expect them and be happy to answer them.
Your name is going on the cover. Make sure you know exactly who you are trusting to help put it there.
Questions Authors Ask
Is paying to publish always a scam?
No. Paying professionals for editing, design, formatting, publishing, and marketing services can be a smart investment, particularly for entrepreneurs and experts who want more control over their book. The important thing is understanding exactly what you are paying for and what rights you retain.
What should I check before signing anything?
Look closely at rights ownership, royalties, total cost, deliverables, timelines, editing, distribution, marketing, and how the agreement can be terminated. For a significant investment, having an attorney review the agreement can also be worthwhile.
How can I tell whether a publisher is legitimate?
Research the books they have published. Read sample pages, look at the quality of the covers, research their authors, read reviews, and ask questions about their process. You can also ask to speak with authors who have worked with them.
What if I already signed a publishing contract I’m uncomfortable with?
Have the agreement reviewed by an intellectual property attorney who can explain your rights and options. The sooner you understand what the contract actually says, the better.
At Elite Online Publishing, our authors keep their rights and their royalties.
Learn more about Elite Online Publishing and follow our blog for more strategies on publishing, marketing, and building authority with your book.
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