In light of recent events in the author community, particularly relating to anthologies, author services, publishing, and collaborations, Passionate Ink would like to caution all members to do their research before working with any company. Questions like:
Have they been identified by Writer Beware as a high-risk business?
Do they have a website?
Do they have a physical address?
What state/country is the business organized in?
Do they offer a written contract?
What is my recourse if services aren’t supplied or projects don’t come to fruition?
And of course, get first hand reviews if possible.
There are a ton of organizations looking to provide services to authors, and more pop up every day. Authors, understandably, want to actively pursue marketing opportunities. And when everything seems to be going well, a business can appear to be a worthwhile and resilient investment.
But a million things can happen to a business, including life threatening illnesses of the principals. Before you spend your hard-earned money, know who you’re doing business with and how that business is set up to withstand unexpected circumstances.