“Let the buyer beware” is a phrase often associated with used cars and promotional deals that sound too good to be true. We don’t think of this expression in association with the august profession of writer, but we should. Today’s writer, who considers self publishing as a viable publication option, is wise to invest time and effort into researching a publishing services company before purchasing their services.

The market motive for a publishing services company is to sell to writers their services, such as editorial, marketing, social media, packaging, production, and distribution. The selling process begins with a writer’s query for general information about self publishing. In exchange for the writer providing basic personal information on the company’s website, the writer receives the company’s self-publishing guide. Within 24 to 48 hours, a telemarketer contacts the writer. In most instances, the telemarketers are called publishing consultants or publishing specialists.

Like all telemarketers, these salespeople are trained to identify the customer’s unmet need. For writer’s the unmet need is to be a published author with a book. By reinforcing the writer’s frustration about endless rejections by commercial publishers, the telemarketer directs the conversation through three-levels of service offerings. Following the model of  good, better, best, a writer can expect to pay anywhere from $199 to over $5,000 for a publication package.

A publishing services company mimics all of the business functions of a commercial publisher. However, it is the writer that is paying for the end result--a finished book. That’s fine if the writer is managing his/her expectations about the book’s purpose and its potential for sales.

What I find is that writers lose sight of a key distinction: spending the money to have a book published is not the same thing as having the business skills to parlay the book into a career-building or profitable venture.

Buyer beware. A self-published book sells, on average, 150 copies. So, who is guaranteed to make money in this scenario? I guarantee to you it is not the writer. This is why I say writers represent a consumer market that must be educated about the services they purchase in the context of their goals and expectations.

Before choosing a publishing services company, take an inventory of your business skills. You will need to make many decisions along the way to a finished book. Don’t let someone else, whose motivation is to sell you as many services as you are willing to purchase, make decisions for you. Ask questions.

Start by asking yourself the following questions.

Is the book really the right first product for you? Have you considered a blog, conducting workshops, writing short articles or stories? A book might serve you better as the culmination of small steps that lead you to build an audience.

What do you want from the book? How does the book serve your career strategy? What is next for you after the book is published?

What is the relationship you want with your target audience? How will you cultivate it?

If you do not have business experience, who are your trusted advisors?

What’s your budget? How much money are you prepared to risk for marketing and publication?


There is no magic formula to quality publishing. Writers who are educated consumers, who are willing to learn new skills, and possess the commitment to see decisions through to completion, are the ones most likely to succeed. Strive to be one of these writers and be awe-inspired by the adventure.