It’s heartbreaking. You go to a local fair, and there, at the author’s table, is a line of smiling applicants, eager to sell their books. Some are beautiful books, either self-published or produced by traditional publishers. But many are poorly written, poorly produced, with amateurish covers and cheap bindings. The author’s smiles are fading as they realize the world isn’t flocking to buy their books, and they’re just beginning to wonder if there’s something wrong with this image.

Mark another for dresser presses. Poor authors, unaware of the business purpose of publishing, have lost hundreds or even thousands of dollars and now have boxes of unsaleable books serving as expensive doorstops.

In these days of POD (publishing on demand) technology, vanity printers can promise to ship the books when requested, which at least frees the author from having to store the books. But the vanities still command large sums of money and the author is still left with an empty bank account and shattered dreams.

Or worse. Some scammers take money from hopeful authors and deliver nothing at all.

The good news is that with a little knowledge, it is not very difficult to spot a scam. Here are some obvious red flags to look for:

Red Flag #1: “We’ll publish your book for ONLY $595!”

Remember this rule above all else: legitimate publishers pay YOU for the publishing rights to your book. You should never have to pay someone to publish your work. unless choose self-publish.

To publish a book, you have to write the best book you can. You should study the market and use a current market guide to select the most suitable publisher. You submit your manuscript using a standard manuscript format, which is described in most good books on writing and publishing. While you wait for an answer, you get to work on your next project. If a publisher is interested, a publisher will contact you and make you an offer. The publisher will pay you an advance against royalties, and once the advance is recouped, you’ll earn royalties on subsequent sales. You or your agent may also sell other subsidiary rights, such as foreign translation rights or movie rights. However, the chances are high that your manuscript will be rejected. If that happens, select the next publisher on your list and submit the manuscript there, then get back to work on your next project.

If you want to self-publish, the best way to do it is to create your own small publishing house. You give your company a name, choose a good printing service, buy the ISBN number, and apply for copyright. If you pay for “publishing” but the book is stamped by another publisher, that company is a vain publisher. A good printing service will encourage you to use your own printing. You have a much better chance of getting a dealer to carry your books if you use your own imprint. Most distributors stay away from vain publishers.

If you only want a few copies, as a memoir meant just for the family, find a good bookbinding service.

Red Flag #2: “Authors wanted by a major publisher!”

No legitimate publisher has to advertise for authors. Every major publisher has gigantic slush piles stacked with far more manuscripts than they will ever be able to use, most of which are of poor quality. If you see an ad on the back cover of a magazine offering to “publish” your book, or suggesting they “need” authors, it’s most likely a vanity press.

Red Flag #3: “We know the secret to instant success!”

There is no such thing as “instant success” in the publishing world. The most famous authors worked hard for years to become an “overnight success.” Sometimes a lucky break will propel a new author to the top of the bestseller list, but remember, his story is just one of millions. Most authors never get that kind of fame. If the front page of the site talks about how your book could become a bestseller, beware. Real publishers don’t make those kinds of promises, because they know the reality of the publishing business.

Red Flag #4: “Traditional publishing is dead/a scam/not worth it.”

A publisher that disparages traditional publishing is almost certainly a vain publisher or an outright scam. What they look down on are long-established, honest companies that carefully select the manuscripts that are most likely to sell and pay authors for the publishing rights to these works.

Red Flag #5: “We’ll list your books on Amazon.com!”

Listing your book on Amazon.com is as easy as going online and filling out a form. Anyone can do it. And an Amazon listing is not a guaranteed path to success. Even in today’s online commerce, just under 10% of all books sold are sold online. The vast majority of books are sold through traditional bookstores. While you may be able to convince local bookstores to sell your self-published book, the only way to get it to bookstores across the country is to have a distributor sell it. That can be expensive (which is one reason vanities don’t bother with distribution), and distributors won’t touch vanity books (which is the other reason). Distributors and bookstores also don’t like POD (publishing on demand) books, because they can’t be returned if they don’t sell. Booksellers, unlike most businesses, expect to be able to return or destroy unsold books and get their money back. It sounds crazy to other companies, but it is. If the publisher cannot offer distribution services to get your book to bookstores, it is not a publisher that will serve you well.

Red Flag #6: Bad Review on Predictors and Publishers and Writer Beware

Yes, it really is written that way, for alliterative purposes. Preditors and Editors is a website packed with scam warnings and sage advice for writers. Writer Beware, on the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America website, has a list of current scam alerts. Both are useful when searching for a potential publisher. If any publisher goes missing on any of these sites, watch out!

If you can spot these red flags, you can avoid most posting scams. However, the best way to protect yourself is to educate yourself about the publishing industry. Read as many books on writing and publishing as you can. Find out how the industry works and find out how to market your work in the genre you are writing for. Stay on top of industry trends by reading Publisher’s Weekly or visiting their website. With a little education, you can help put scammers out of business.