Author Richard White

March of the Writers Day 24 – Writer’s Beware

The indie author world is a fantastic place, filled with creativity, camaraderie, and limitless potential—but lurking in the shadows are those who prey on eager writers looking to share their work with the world. Vanity presses, shady marketing services, and too-good-to-be-true publishing deals are just some of the dangers indie authors face.

Vanity Presses: The Wolves in Publisher’s Clothing

A vanity press will promise to publish your book, but instead of paying you, you pay them—thousands of dollars—for “services” that often result in overpriced, low-quality books with zero marketing support. They thrive on preying on hopeful authors, offering “traditional publishing” contracts that are anything but. Real publishers don’t ask you to pay for your own publication. If they do? 🚩🚩🚩

Fake Marketing and Promo Services

Another big scam? Bogus book promotion services. If someone promises you thousands of reviews or instant bestseller status for a fee, be skeptical. Organic growth takes time—real readers, not bots, make a book successful.

The “We Love Your Manuscript” Trap

Got an email from a publisher who “randomly found” your book and wants to publish it? Be cautious. Real publishers have a submissions process, and they don’t hunt you down on social media out of nowhere. Always research, ask for reviews, and check Writer Beware & Absolute Write before signing anything.

✅ Red Flags to Watch For:

• You have to pay them instead of them paying you.

• They promise to make you a bestseller overnight.

• Their contract is vague, full of hidden fees, or demands lifetime rights to your work.

• They reach out to you first, without you submitting.

• No verifiable reviews or proof of previous work.

🚨 Writers, have you encountered scams or shady deals? Share your experiences so we can protect each other! Comment below, and join the conversation with me. Share your experiences, and links that will help writers and authors.

March of the Writers – Day 23: Bookmark Palooza

 Wait a minute… there’s a whole bookmark culture out there, and nobody told me?! Apparently, while I was lost in my world of words, everyone else was out here collecting tiny, artistic page-holders like trophies. And here I am with just one—a digital bookmark from the amazing Angela B. Chrysler. I suddenly feel like the kid who showed up to the card-trading party with just a single, well-loved baseball card.

But when it comes to swag, I have dabbled. For my book Shattered Glass, I created a special swag bag—something that wasn’t just cool but meaningful. Inside was a compass, held a passage from my poem My Compass, meant to remind readers to find their way even in the darkest moments. The bag also included a book-themed bookmark (because hey, I do have one!) and a Warrior bracelet—stylized as Warr;or with a semicolon, a tribute to suicide awareness and survival.

I may not have a bookmark empire (yet), but I do have pieces of my heart woven into every item I create. And maybe, just maybe, it’s time to step up my game and join the bookmark-collecting elite.

Read more of my #March of the Writers Posts.

Excerpt from Shattered Glass by Richard White:

Shattered Into Shards

You judge me by my scars,
taunt me for the pain I feel.
But what you don’t see—
each time you do,
you shatter me into shards,
scraps of myself, with no time to heal.

I’m left in a pile of pieces,
anger and hate my only releases.
You call me a friend,
but it seems you only pretend.

No remorse, no second thought—
tearing me down is all you’ve sought,
shattering my hopes and dreams
like it’s nothing more than sport.

Empty inside, I wonder why—
what did I do to make you decide
it was okay to smash my pride
and leave me in ruins behind?

 

March of the Writers – Day 22: Competitive Drive

I’ve never been one for the high-stakes, cutthroat world of writing competitions. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the craft or the skill involved—I do. But for me, writing has always been about something deeper, something more personal.

There’s a certain magic in putting words to paper (or screen) without the looming specter of judgment breathing down my neck. I thrive in the quiet spaces where stories unfold naturally, free from the constraints of rankings, deadlines, and the ever-watchful eyes of a judging panel. My words aren’t meant to race to a finish line—they’re meant to wander, explore, and find their own way.

That said, I admire those who enter the fray. The writers who sharpen their quills and go to battle, pouring their souls into carefully crafted pieces, knowing they’ll be weighed, dissected, and held up to scrutiny. It takes courage. It takes resilience. And perhaps, one day, I’ll dip my toes into that arena. But for now, I’ll keep telling my stories at my own pace, unshackled by competition, driven only by the need to create.

After all, the only real rival I face is myself—the writer I was yesterday.

Read more of my #March of the Writers Posts.