Don't Disrepect Your Publisher - Publishing Companies in Alabama

Don’t Disrespect Your Publisher

Nate Fortner

 

     When I published my first book “Teaching Christians to Pray the Bible Way,” I had published with a well-known publisher. It was such an exciting experience and I felt a great sense of accomplishment. I had accomplished at 24 years old, what many only achieve after a lifetime. After just a few short months, I was very unhappy with the results I had gotten. I called my publisher and asked that they remove me from their database as an author. I decided I was going to start my own company and help authors to keep from going through what I did. Needless to say, I did start my own company, and I’ve just hit my three year anniversary. I will tell you, I have dealt with some crazy people. One particular author, who I won’t name, would constantly text and call my phone harassing me, wanting to know why her book wasn’t selling. She would text hateful messages to my phone wanting to know when she would be receiving her royalty check. “I know my book’s good, and people will buy it if you’d just promote it like you’re supposed to do!” she demanded. Can you guess why she didn’t receive a royalty check? The answer is simple! Her book was still in the editing process! The book wasn’t even close to being finished yet, and this woman was harassing me and my Editor like crazy. Later, I found out that she had befriended my Editor, and my Editor, out of the kindness of her heart, paid money over the phone to a Drug Store to pay for this woman’s prescription medication! My Editor is an amazing woman, but I didn’t know she had done this until after the fact. Then the old woman still bit the hand that fed her. What a dog!

Once her book was published, I scheduled her for a couple book signings here in town, and afterward, the bookstore owners begged me not to bring her back for another event. At one point, this author called my Editor and told her that if I would focus my attention on promoting her book instead of my own and the other authors, she could make some money. Let me just tell you, if this is the attitude you have toward your publisher, be prepared to get dropped! Once I completed her book, I put it out into the market place, and believe it or not, it was starting to pick up momentum. She was even getting some really awesome reviews, and she was excited. I was so happy knowing that maybe now we would work together peaceably. I was so terribly wrong! Just a few days later, my Editor called me, and I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was not very happy! This author had begun texting and harassing her again. Now, it had just went too far, because stores around town were calling and asking if I was still representing her. She had started going to stores around town slandering me and my company.

The moral of the story is NEVER publicly harass your publisher simply because he/she isn’t moving fast as you think he/she should. This work typically takes 18 months, and we do it in 8. We work very hard to make our authors look great! I ended up dropping her, and cut all ties. She was too much to handle. What makes this even worse, is I never even charged this ungrateful woman the first dollar. I invested $1,500.00 of my own money into her book! I believe in helping people, and this woman simply had no money, but my Editor believed so strongly that her book would become a Best Seller. This woman was such a great writer that my Editor had me so excited to invest my own $1,500.00 into someone else’s work.

About a year later, I received a call from another publisher asking if I knew about a very hateful old woman who evidently I had published at some point. I said, “Let me guess, her name was ******* *******?” “Yep, that’s her!” he said. She had entered his office harassing me and my company saying how badly we treated her. I told him to stay away from the woman because she’s trouble. He told me that he had no intention of publishing her writing simply because she came in speaking so badly of me and my company.

Obviously, I’m sure there may be some bad publishers out there, but I’ve not met one yet. Make sure before you publish with any publisher that you completely understand the contract. All publishers don’t offer the same services. Your publisher can’t make people buy your book, and your publisher probably won’t promote your title. They’re also not going to serve as your agent! If you have a poor attitude, you won’t get anywhere!

 

The main point is this!

Don’t disrespect your Publisher, we speak among ourselves and you’ll never get published!

 

BUY THE TWO KINDLE BOOKS BELOW FOR MORE FROM NATE!

Nate Fortner, Author of, “Book Marketing in the 21^st Century,” and “How To Be A Successful Writer Overnight.”


Whosoever Press - Publishing Companies in Alabama
P.O. Box 1513
Boaz, AL. 35957
256-706-3315
Nate@WhosoeverPress.com