I’m blogging over at Writer Unboxed today.
Writers often ask me why, with all of Writer Beware’s warnings about bad actors in the publishing world, we don’t also provide recommendations or endorsements of the good guys. “You’ve got this gigantic list of scammers on your blog; wouldn’t it also be helpful to recommend reputable agents and publishers?”
There are several reasons why we don’t do this.
Writer Beware has a very specific purpose: to document and expose schemes, scams, and pitfalls that target writers, and to educate authors on how to recognize and avoid them. As far as we know, we’re the only organization with this exclusive mission. In other words, we aren’t a general-purpose resource: we are quite narrowly focused. We are also a small, all-volunteer team, with limited time and resources.
Also, one size does not fit all. Agents, publishers, etc. have widely varying areas of interest and expertise, and the best agent or publisher or freelance editor or cover designer for one writer might be the worst choice for another. Lists of “good guys” won’t necessarily be very useful, depending on what you write and what your publishing goals are (not to mention, they are incredibly time-consuming and research-intensive to compile and maintain; did I mention that Writer Beware is a small team?). It really is better for writers to do their own research and vetting, armed against scams and bad practice with the tools and knowledge Writer Beware provides.
Finally, recommending or endorsing any particular publishers, agents, etc. risks raising questions of conflict of interest. How do you know, one of Writer Beware’s many haters might inquire, that the agents on that “good guy” list didn’t pay to be there? Of course this would not be true—Writer Beware doesn’t even accept charitable donations—but we want to avoid all possibility of such questions arising. (This is why, when scammers want to discredit us, they have to make stuff up—such as that I own my own publishing company and am badmouthing competitors).
So I can’t suggest which agents to query, which publishers to approach, which self-publishing platforms to consider. What I can do is try to cut through some of the fog and noise of the internet by recommending reliable resources to help with your publication journey. The internet is a goldmine of information for authors, but it is also a swamp of fake facts, bad advice, and scams—and it can be very difficult to figure out which websites are reliable and which experts are actually experts.
Following are some of my favorite online resources. Some you’ll no doubt already be familiar with, but hopefully you’ll also discover something new. Most of the resources are free, but some require subscription or a membership fee. Writer Beware receives no consideration or compensation for mentioning them.
The fees this outfit charges are eye watering. Up to $24,999!
I see things a bit differently.
While it’s super important to expose scams, we also need to highlight reputable agents and publishers. This balanced approach can really empower us as writers, helping us avoid pitfalls and find trustworthy partners along our publishing journeys.
This website presents itself as the “good guys” by sharing a list of scams, but it risks coming off as a bit one-sided. Many new authors, like myself, can’t just waltz up to major publishers and expect them to accept our submissions or offer us big advances. That’s why self-publishing often becomes our best option, and sometimes these self-publishing companies help us promote our work in ways we can’t manage alone. If it were really that easy to land a deal with a big publisher, Victoria herself wouldn’t need to self-publish, right?
I get that some marketing services out there may not deliver, but there are also plenty that can be effective. Just like when you pay a plumber or a hairdresser for their services, paying for services in publishing shouldn’t be seen as a red flag.
Yes, some companies on that scam list are indeed fraudulent, especially those making wild promises about guaranteed book deals for a fee. But there are also companies on that list with little to no feedback from authors, which makes it hard to judge their credibility.
So, I urge my fellow writers not to rely solely on this website. It’s important to do some additional research and consult other sources before making any decisions. This site can be a useful tool, but it shouldn’t be our only resource. Let’s empower ourselves by exploring all our options!
Hi, Olivia Mendez (I can see your email address). This you?
Funny! If you can really see my email address (which I’m sure you do), you know that’s not me.
Also, by publicizing my surname, you’re putting my privacy at risk. How dare you!
Excellent. Very sound reasoning. Thank you, Victoria Strauss
Eugénie de Rosier
Makes perfect sense to me and provides us with a much needed resource.
Completely endorse your rationale for focusing on bad eggs.