Do Authors Weigh Offers That Could Be Fake?

 

Almost every day, authors will forward to me emails that they receive, wanting to know if it’s a good idea to engage in. Almost all of the time the answer is unequivocally NO.  

I started to realize authors have trouble between distinguishing a legitimate offer from a fraudulent one. They have trouble discerning if something will be helpful to them or if it what was offered would actually take place.   

As one who solicits writers to peddle my professional services in book marketing and publicity, I realize that many writers are wary of people who contact them. Part of the reason is that the Internet is a vibrant playground for scammers, hoaxers, and liars. The other reason is that authors just don’t fully understand what they need or what’s achievable when it comes to marketing their books or getting publishing and film deals.  

The first step when receiving a solicitation, is to see if it has red flags. For instance, the English in the missive is not crisp, suggesting an overseas scam. Perhaps they misspell words, mis-capitalize certain letters, or lack clean syntax.  

Second, does it seem personal, like it was really directed to you? Do they reference your name, your book, or anything about you?  

Third, quickly do a google search for the company name and person who sent the letter. Not only should you look up what they want you to see - you should seek out what they don’t want you to know. Google the person’s name, say John Doe, and add words to it like: John Doe arrested, John doe lawsuit, john Doe liar, John Doe court, and John Doe scam. You’d be amazed at what you dig up.   

Then do the same with the company and add words like bankruptcy, scam, crooks, lawsuit, complaint, violation, or fraud.  

The problem here is that authors have egos and when they hear someone is interested in them, they are fearful of losing an opportunity. They tend to lean towards wanting to believe in people who praise them or show an interest in their book. They lose sight of being rational and sane, and just hear that their book will be on a big screen, or published by a publisher, or promoted in some way that will instantly bring fame and glory.   

A lot of times, it’s bullshit. 

The best way to protect yourself is to:

 

1. Dismiss the email if it fails any of the above tests. 

2. Email them back asking for references and samples of success. 

3. Ask them if any money is needed to pursue their offer, and if so, how much and for what? 

If they still intrigue you, speak with them. Give no personal information - and no financial details. Let them explain how they work. Ask questions. Commit to nothing on the phone. 

Reflect. Think on it. Talk to trusted family and friends to make sure you didn’t miss something. Finally, you must trust your gut. Be willing to take a chance - but only as long as you understand what you are investing in and you identify what any of the risks/rewards may be.  

Most offers will turn out to be bad deals - but not all. Weed out and vet these offers, and you may just find a gem. 

Need Book Marketing Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.