Red Flags, Real Costs, and the ROI Nobody Wants to Talk About — Joel Pitney of Launch My Book {ep. 226}
July 1, 2026
Joel Pitney, founder of Launch My Book, pulls back the curtain on the self-publishing assist model — what it is, who it's for, and how to tell the good companies from the sharks. He shares red flags to watch for, the real cost of publishing well, and why you probably won't make your money back on Book One.
Join us at our next Bootcamp!
If you've ever wondered whether it's worth hiring a company to help you publish your book — or how on earth you'd tell a legitimate one from a predatory one — this episode is your honest, no-hype guide. Joel Pitney, founder and president of Launch My Book, Inc., joins Alexa for a frank conversation about the self-publishing landscape, the spectrum of options available to independent authors, and the questions every writer should ask before signing anything. Joel and Alexa dig into the red flags of predatory publishing companies, the real math behind book ROI, why there's no such thing as a cheap-but-good publishing package, and how to know whether you should hire a company, assemble your own team, or run the other direction entirely. Whether you're publishing your first book or your fifth, this conversation will leave you better equipped to make a decision that serves both your book and your bottom line.
If you've ever wondered whether it's worth hiring a company to help you publish your book — or how on earth you'd tell a legitimate one from a predatory one — this episode is your honest, no-hype guide. Joel Pitney, founder and president of Launch My Book, Inc., joins Alexa for a frank conversation about the self-publishing landscape, the spectrum of options available to independent authors, and the questions every writer should ask before signing anything. Joel and Alexa dig into the red flags of predatory publishing companies, the real math behind book ROI, why there's no such thing as a cheap-but-good publishing package, and how to know whether you should hire a company, assemble your own team, or run the other direction entirely. Whether you're publishing your first book or your fifth, this conversation will leave you better equipped to make a decision that serves both your book and your bottom line.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE
- Hypiness is your number one red flag. Any company using language like "bestseller guarantee" or "sign up today for a discount" before they've even read your book is preying on your hopes — not investing in your success.
- Legitimate industry organizations matter. Look for companies that belong to the Independent Book Publishers of America (IBPA) or have been vetted by the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), which maintains a Writer Beware list.
- There is no cheap way to publish well. Discount pricing, overnight timelines, and too-good-to-be-true packages are warning signs, not bargains. Quality publishing costs real money.
- Hiring a company versus assembling your own team comes down to volume and bandwidth. Authors planning multiple books may save money building their own freelance team over time — but that requires becoming your own project manager and self-publishing expert. First-time authors, or those with one book, are often better served by a trusted company.
- Genre and format complexity matter. A straight novel is the simplest book to produce. Nonfiction with pull quotes, charts, and exercises is more complex. Children's picture books and cookbooks are the most demanding — and the most likely to go wrong without professional help.
- You will not make your money back on Book One. Even 80% of traditionally published books don't earn back their advance. Indie authors need to enter the publishing process with realistic expectations — or a plan to monetize their expertise beyond royalties alone.
- Fiction authors need multiple books; nonfiction authors need a business ecosystem. The formula for financial sustainability in indie publishing almost always involves either a deep backlist (fiction) or additional revenue streams like speaking, consulting, or courses (nonfiction).
- Building a writing career is like building a business. It takes investment, time, and patience — not a viral moment, not a lucky launch, and certainly not a $1,700 everything-package.
REFERENCES AND LINKS MENTIONED
- Launch My Book — Joel's book production and promotion company: launchmybook.com
- "7 Red Flags" article by Joel Pitney — Published on Jane Friedman's website; search "Joel Pitney red flags publishing company" or visit janefriendman.com
- Joel's Self-Publishing Decision Tree article — Written after the San Francisco Writers Conference; available on launchmybook.com blog
- Independent Book Publishers of America (IBPA) — ibpa-online.org
- Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) — Includes a Writer Beware resource: allianceindependentauthors.org
- Women in Publishing Summit — womeninpublishingsummit.com
- WIP Business Bootcamp, August 21–22, 2026 — mywipsociety.com
- Previous episode with Joel Pitney — "Myths of Self-Publishing" (link to that episode in show notes)
Joel Pitney is the founder and president of Launch My Book, Inc., a book production and promotion company he established in 2013. In that role, Joel has run marketing campaigns for nonfiction books spanning business, self-help, spiritual, and other genres — including multiple New York Times bestsellers. Launch My Book also operates as a full-service self-publishing assist company, guiding authors of all genres through the production and publishing process. Joel is also a ghostwriter specializing in nonfiction and a frequent contributor to publishing industry conversations, including a widely shared article on Jane Friedman's website outlining red flags to watch for when hiring a publishing company. He is committed to honest, expectations-grounded partnerships with authors — and has been known to talk people out of working with him if another path better serves their goals. Learn more and book a call at launchmybook.com.
Publishing and book marketing advice.