Thank you! That's where I've been seeing them too—almost exclusively on Instagram. 😊 I figured if so many of us were getting these messages, it was worth taking a closer look and sharing what I learned. Hopefully it helps other writers ask a few questions before jumping in. 🐾
You may have had the right approach all along! 😊 I used to ignore them too, but eventually my curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to understand what was behind all those "We love your content!" messages. It turns out many of them do lead to paid promotions. Thanks for sharing—it sounds like your instincts have been spot on! 🐾
I think you've probably saved yourself a lot of time—and money! 😊 The longer I've been writing, the more I've realized that legitimate opportunities usually come with transparency, not vague compliments. I don't mind someone offering a service, but I do want to know exactly who they are, what they're offering, and whether it's truly a good fit. Thanks for sharing your experience. It makes me feel like I'm definitely not the only one getting these messages! 🐾
I haven’t seen this on substack but on instagram its rife. Some handles have a huge following so I guess its working out for them but I don’t like the trickery behind trying to suck you in, the “send us your post” - as you say they have access to your post so I am instantly suspicious.
That's exactly where I'm seeing them too—Instagram, not Substack. 😊 Some of the accounts have huge followings, which is what makes it confusing at first. They certainly look legitimate. But like you, the "Send us your post" message immediately raises a red flag for me. If the post is already public, why not simply share it? That's the question I keep coming back to. Thanks for confirming I'm not the only one seeing this pattern! 🐾
I get these a few times a week. The first thing I ask is, "is this a paid service?", I know it is and of course they say yes. I bother doing it, just in case it's for real. But again, why wouldn't they just repost the piece?
Exactly! That's the question I keep coming back to. If the post is already public, why do they need me to send it to them? 😊 Like you, I usually ask whether it's a paid service right away. Most of the time, the answer is yes. Every now and then I ask a few more questions out of curiosity, but it almost always turns into a sales pitch. Thanks for sharing your experience—it makes me feel a little less alone in trying to sort through all these messages! 🐾
I stopped sharing my Substack posts elsewhere. Yes i got a lot of these inquiries. Spammers & scammers in my opinion. Almost always not in my country (US). I got even more when I self-published my book. Some of them were downright scary in terms of trying to get money and/or personal data. I just read them and delete now.
I'm sorry you went through that. It's unfortunate that so many of these messages make writers feel like they have to be on guard. I don't blame you for deleting them. I've found that there are legitimate opportunities out there, but they're usually transparent from the start about who they are and what they're offering. If someone immediately starts asking for money or personal information, that's a huge red flag. Thanks for sharing your experience. I think conversations like this help all of us become a little more informed. 🐾
This is wonderful information. I haven't reached it yet, but when I was podcasting, I got asked all the time to do more. And I was very wary of anyone with whom I had zero connection.
I know exactly what you mean. I think that's why I finally decided to write this post. At first, it's flattering when someone reaches out and says they love your work, but after a while you start noticing a pattern. 😊 I've learned that it's okay to be cautious and ask questions. The genuine opportunities don't mind transparency, and the ones that do...usually tell you everything you need to know. Thanks for sharing your experience! 🐾
What I am seeing... hearing actually, are an unending stream of phone calls from "publishers". Probably because of my self-published novelette, Gibby's Ball. Many are legitimate, but they are hybrid publishers. They publish you for a fee. They don't make money off your book--they make it off you. Hybrids are trendier these days, but maybe I'm old fashioned. I'd rather work with a traditional agent that works on commission. They don't get paid unless you do so they'll put in the work. A hybrid publisher already made their money so where is the incentive? Here's a link to an essay I posted a while ago. I got a call from a guy that wanted to connect me with Joel Silver to pitch my book as a movie.
I've gotten those calls too! 😊 Some of the people contacting me have been legitimate, but many of them ultimately wanted me to pay for publicity or publishing services. I don't think all hybrid publishers are necessarily bad, but I agree it's important to understand exactly how they make their money before signing anything. My background is in public relations, so I tend to ask a lot of questions before opening my wallet. 😄 Thanks for sharing your essay—I'll definitely give it a read. It seems like many of us authors are navigating the same maze! 🐾
I’ve also seen this, always on Instagram. Thank you for sharing more about these channels/companies.
Thank you! That's where I've been seeing them too—almost exclusively on Instagram. 😊 I figured if so many of us were getting these messages, it was worth taking a closer look and sharing what I learned. Hopefully it helps other writers ask a few questions before jumping in. 🐾
I've always just ignored these as spam
You may have had the right approach all along! 😊 I used to ignore them too, but eventually my curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to understand what was behind all those "We love your content!" messages. It turns out many of them do lead to paid promotions. Thanks for sharing—it sounds like your instincts have been spot on! 🐾
I've gotten these letters and offers for years and have ignored every one. Just like those who offer to help improve my sites.
I think you've probably saved yourself a lot of time—and money! 😊 The longer I've been writing, the more I've realized that legitimate opportunities usually come with transparency, not vague compliments. I don't mind someone offering a service, but I do want to know exactly who they are, what they're offering, and whether it's truly a good fit. Thanks for sharing your experience. It makes me feel like I'm definitely not the only one getting these messages! 🐾
I haven’t seen this on substack but on instagram its rife. Some handles have a huge following so I guess its working out for them but I don’t like the trickery behind trying to suck you in, the “send us your post” - as you say they have access to your post so I am instantly suspicious.
That's exactly where I'm seeing them too—Instagram, not Substack. 😊 Some of the accounts have huge followings, which is what makes it confusing at first. They certainly look legitimate. But like you, the "Send us your post" message immediately raises a red flag for me. If the post is already public, why not simply share it? That's the question I keep coming back to. Thanks for confirming I'm not the only one seeing this pattern! 🐾
I get these a few times a week. The first thing I ask is, "is this a paid service?", I know it is and of course they say yes. I bother doing it, just in case it's for real. But again, why wouldn't they just repost the piece?
Exactly! That's the question I keep coming back to. If the post is already public, why do they need me to send it to them? 😊 Like you, I usually ask whether it's a paid service right away. Most of the time, the answer is yes. Every now and then I ask a few more questions out of curiosity, but it almost always turns into a sales pitch. Thanks for sharing your experience—it makes me feel a little less alone in trying to sort through all these messages! 🐾
I stopped sharing my Substack posts elsewhere. Yes i got a lot of these inquiries. Spammers & scammers in my opinion. Almost always not in my country (US). I got even more when I self-published my book. Some of them were downright scary in terms of trying to get money and/or personal data. I just read them and delete now.
I'm sorry you went through that. It's unfortunate that so many of these messages make writers feel like they have to be on guard. I don't blame you for deleting them. I've found that there are legitimate opportunities out there, but they're usually transparent from the start about who they are and what they're offering. If someone immediately starts asking for money or personal information, that's a huge red flag. Thanks for sharing your experience. I think conversations like this help all of us become a little more informed. 🐾
This is wonderful information. I haven't reached it yet, but when I was podcasting, I got asked all the time to do more. And I was very wary of anyone with whom I had zero connection.
I know exactly what you mean. I think that's why I finally decided to write this post. At first, it's flattering when someone reaches out and says they love your work, but after a while you start noticing a pattern. 😊 I've learned that it's okay to be cautious and ask questions. The genuine opportunities don't mind transparency, and the ones that do...usually tell you everything you need to know. Thanks for sharing your experience! 🐾
What I am seeing... hearing actually, are an unending stream of phone calls from "publishers". Probably because of my self-published novelette, Gibby's Ball. Many are legitimate, but they are hybrid publishers. They publish you for a fee. They don't make money off your book--they make it off you. Hybrids are trendier these days, but maybe I'm old fashioned. I'd rather work with a traditional agent that works on commission. They don't get paid unless you do so they'll put in the work. A hybrid publisher already made their money so where is the incentive? Here's a link to an essay I posted a while ago. I got a call from a guy that wanted to connect me with Joel Silver to pitch my book as a movie.
https://konradknoeferl.substack.com/p/joel-silver-wants-to-meet-you?r=4azlx6
I've gotten those calls too! 😊 Some of the people contacting me have been legitimate, but many of them ultimately wanted me to pay for publicity or publishing services. I don't think all hybrid publishers are necessarily bad, but I agree it's important to understand exactly how they make their money before signing anything. My background is in public relations, so I tend to ask a lot of questions before opening my wallet. 😄 Thanks for sharing your essay—I'll definitely give it a read. It seems like many of us authors are navigating the same maze! 🐾