Publishing Companies

Publishing predators target new and developing authors — and they're getting more sophisticated. Here are five clear warning signs that the "publisher" or "agent" in your inbox isn't legitimate, and what each scam actually looks like in practice.

Reviewing books on Goodreads and Amazon gets complicated when you're an author yourself. Learn the ethics of author book reviews, how to handle books you didn't like, when to say nothing at all, and whether to use a separate identity for your reviewing account.

Every writer has a target audience — even if you think you don't. Learn how to identify who your readers are, where they spend their time online, and how to use that knowledge to improve your manuscript, find beta readers, and position your book for publication.

Choosing the right comp titles can make or break your query letter. Learn how to find realistic, well-performing comparison titles for your book using Goodreads, Amazon, and a simple spreadsheet method — from a publishing professional with 21+ years of experience.

There's no single best publisher — but there is a best publisher for your book. Here's how to use your comp titles to build a smart, targeted query list.

Traditional publishers pay you. Vanity publishers charge you. Hybrid publishers do both. Know which one you're dealing with before you sign anything — because most of them will lie about it.

The slush pile: where manuscripts go to be ignored by everyone except the lowest-paid person in the building. If you're querying, here's what's actually happening to your submission—and five ways to make sure it never hits slush in the first place.