How to Spot a Vanity Press Before You Sign

A vanity press makes its money from authors rather than from selling books. Paying for publishing help isn't the problem; editors, designers and formatters are legitimately paid for their work. The problem is opaque prices, pressure, promises no one can keep, and contracts that take your rights or your accounts.

Vanity press, author-services company, or traditional publisher?

10 red flags

1. They contacted you first. Legitimate publishers and agents rarely reach out unprompted, especially by phone or text.
2. Pressure to decide fast. "This price ends Friday" or daily follow-up calls.
3. Praise without specifics. Messages that don't mention your book's title or anything in it.
4. Guaranteed results. No one can guarantee a bestseller, sales numbers or reviews.
5. Film or TV deal offers for a fee. Paying for a "Hollywood pitch" almost never leads anywhere.
6. Charging for free things. Uploading to KDP is free. Copyright exists the moment you write. ISBNs can be bought directly from the official agency (Bowker in the US) or taken free from KDP.
7. Packages instead of a written scope. You can't see what each service costs or what's included.
8. Your book in their accounts. The press publishes under its own KDP or retailer account, so it controls the listing and collects royalties first.
9. Rights clauses. The contract licenses your rights for years or makes it costly to leave.
10. No verifiable track record. No named team, no links to real books, and reviews you can only see on their own site.

Questions to ask before you pay anyone

• Will my book be published in my own KDP and IngramSpark accounts?
• Do I keep 100% of my rights and royalties, in writing?
• Can I get an itemized quote before I commit?
• Can I see three books you've worked on, with links to where they're sold?
• Who will edit and design my book, and what are their names?
• What happens if I want to stop partway through?
• Is the ISBN registered with me as the publisher?

How to check a company

• Read reviews where the company can't curate them. Go to Trustpilot or the Better Business Bureau directly, not through links on the company's site.
• Check the email domain matches the company's website. Scammers copy real publishers' names and logos.
• Look up the books in their portfolio on Amazon and confirm the publisher listed.
• Search the company name with "scam", "complaint" and "contract".
• Check watchdog resources: Writer Beware and the Alliance of Independent Authors' service ratings.
• Never send money or bank details to someone who contacted you out of the blue.

If you've already signed with a vanity press

1. Read the contract for the term, termination clause and any fees to leave.
2. Request your final files (interior PDF, cover, source files) in writing.
3. Ask whether the ISBN can move with you. If not, plan to republish with a new one.
4. Once released, republish in your own accounts.

For a contract dispute, talk to a lawyer; this guide isn't legal advice.