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Laura has just finished her book manuscript. She contacts a publishing company to see whether it may be interested in publishing her book. She talks with Mark, an executive at the company. He's responsible for evaluating book proposals.

During their first phone conversation, Mark tells Laura that just by the sound of her voice he can tell she's a female Shakespeare and that her book is probably a genuine masterpiece. Mark has not even seen the book.

Mark explains that he will put together a contract ensuring that in the end, the company will pay for the editing, marketing, advertising, printing and distribution of Laura's book. He never explains what he means by "in the end."

Mark says to Laura that he would have to charge her for reading and evaluating her manuscript. When Laura asks why, Mark simply responds, "It's company policy." Laura does not press him on the matter. But Mark presses Laura to let him email the contract so she can electronically sign it and return it to him. Laura finally says "Fine."

After receiving the contract, Laura scans it but does not note or understand all the fine print. In a hurry to get her book published, she signs the contract and emails it back to Mark.

Several weeks later Laura receives a bill from the publishing company charging her for phone calls, copies of her manuscript and other paper work, postage, and traveling and courier fees the publishing company incurred while working on her behalf. Laura's head bursts with headaches. She calls Mark, but now his number yields only a tape-recorded message. She emails him, but her emails go unanswered.

Laura has been swindled. From the first time Mark smooth talks her like a playboy about being a writing giant to rushing her into signing a contract to charging her different kinds of fees, Laura's eyes were blind to the signs of a scam and her ears were clogged so she could not hear the sound of a con. She did not follow the first rule writers should consider when seeking a publisher for their work: Avoid the smile of a hustler.

Learn from Laura's mistakes. Don't let emotions or the lure of seeing your book displayed in the window of a bookstore or advertised on Amazon.com prevent you from investigating the claims of a publisher. Don't become the victim of a publishing scam.

Learn more about this author, James Strong.
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