As a coach I am hearing this more and more these days, self-published authors feeling as though they have been ripped off, or taken advantage of. The blame seems to fall back on the publisher, what they didn’t tell the author and what the author assumed.

Let’s look at why an author might feel ripped off: the author thought they were going to sell a million copies just because they were on the internet, with worldwide access. Don’t feel ripped off, instead call it for what it is, you didn’t do your homework and you were in a hurry to get to first base because of what you imagined was waiting there just for you.

That feeling you are having is not the publishers fault. It doesn’t feel good. As a matter of fact it feels like you have been punched in the face. You probably got caught up in the glamour of publishing, ignoring the realities of what you got yourself into, with your eyes focused on other people’s successes, blinding you to the facts. I did. I did not know there was this much work involved; after all, how hard could it be to write and publish a book?  

These are some of the biggest mistakes first time authors make:

Mistake 1 – No one knows you and you think that will sell you a million copies. You are a minnow in the ocean. Even when you go on a new job someone has to show you the ropes, and you expected this to be different.

Mistake 2 – Never published anything and your first publication is a book. Get Real.

Mistake 3 -  You did it your way and ignored the advice of others because of your inflated ego, even refused to seek help

Mistake 4 – Your writing skill is not where it needs to be and you didn’t think you needed an editor

Mistake 5 – You wanted to be in the big leagues without doing the work

Mistake 6 – Thinking the Publisher is responsible for setting up the marketing plan

Mistake 7 – Believing everyone is your target audience

Now that you know you are not who you thought you were, are you ready to turn your disappointment into a victory? You made a mistake but it’s not too late to make it work for you. I blew it too in the beginning with wrong thinking, but I recovered, didn’t wallow in my errors. I had the wind let out of my balloon too.

Take a moment and reflect on who you were starting the race. You’re not innocent any longer. Your experience has either made you bitter or better. Once a book is published it defines who you are. This is the turning point, where you are either in or out. If you’re stuck on the rip off mantra, you are out of the game.

Look at the hand you are using to point at your publisher, one finger at them and the other three pointing back at you. They are in business. They found a need and filled it. They did their job.

Tips on How to Move On After A Rip Off at www.ibookpublishers.blogspot.com