Charmain Kading

Welcome back to Fantasy Footnotes. I'm Charmain Kading, writing as C.S. Kading, co-founder of SandDancer Publications.

Charmain Kading

Today's footnote is a shorter one, but it's an important one: how to spot a vanity publisher before they spot you. This is a topic that could save you thousands of dollars and a lot of heartache, and honestly, I wish someone had sat me down and walked me through it when I was starting out. So let's start simple. What exactly is a vanity publisher, and why should you be concerned?

Charmain Kading

A vanity publisher is essentially a company that charges authors upfront fees to publish their books, but dresses it up to look like traditional publishing.

Charmain Kading

Here's the key difference: legitimate publishers invest in your book because they believe it will make money. Vanity publishers make their money from you, not from selling your book. So what are the red flags? There are several.

Charmain Kading

First, if they contact you out of the blue saying they "discovered" your work — that's a huge red flag. Real publishers don't cold-call authors. Second, if they ask for any money upfront, whether they call it a "marketing fee," an "editing package," or a "publishing investment" — run the other way. They prey on our dreams, honestly. They'll say things like "we only accept two percent of submissions" or "you have bestseller potential." They make you feel special and chosen. I almost fell for it myself when I got a letter saying my manuscript was "exceptional" — for a book I'd never even submitted to them.

Charmain Kading

So how do you do your homework before signing anything?

Charmain Kading

Research is everything. Google the company name plus "complaints" or "scam." Check sites like Writer Beware. Look at their actual published books — can you find them in bookstores? Are the authors selling well? And here's a big one: legitimate publishers have submission guidelines, and for fiction, they typically only work through agents.

Charmain Kading

What about the contracts? If it's heavily weighted in their favor, if you're paying them instead of them paying you, or if they want exclusive rights forever — those are all red flags.

Charmain Kading

A good rule of thumb: money should flow to the author, not from the author.

Charmain Kading

So what's the alternative? What should new authors do instead? You've got great options. For traditional publishing, research agents and publishers in your genre and follow submission guidelines to the letter. For indie publishing, you can self-publish through platforms like Amazon KDP, and Draft2Digital, or work with legitimate service providers who charge flat fees for specific services like editing or cover design — but you keep all the rights and control.

Charmain Kading

Trust your instincts. If something feels too good to be true, or too pushy, it probably is. Take your time, do your research, join author communities, and ask questions. The indie author community is incredibly supportive — we want to see each other succeed, not get scammed.

Charmain Kading

Your book deserves better than a company that just wants your money upfront.

Charmain Kading

That's it for this footnote. If you've run into a publisher that raised red flags for you, I'd genuinely love to hear about it — it helps other writers spot the pattern too. Find SandDancer Publications wherever you get your books, and come back next time for another Fantasy Footnote. Until then — keep writing with intention.