In this article, I’m going to explore everything I’ve learned about Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors, and why I believe most Authors should avoid them.
Spoiler: You Don’t Get To Eat The Carrot!
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: The Alluring Face of FMFA’s (Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors)
2. What Is an FMFA, Really?
3. Why Authors Need to Think Twice
4. Behind the Curtain: How FMFA’s Work
5. The Financial Maze – What You Pay to Play
6. The Reality of FMFA Reviews
7. Alternatives for Authors
8. The Big Questions
9. My Conclusion
1. Introduction: The Alluring Face of FMFA’s (Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors)
When you land on an FMFA website, it looks promising: a sleek interface, enticing talk about helping authors achieve their dreams, and a network of freelancers claiming to be “top industry professionals.” But beneath that glossy surface, it’s a different story. Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors are, at their core, service aggregation businesses—and not cheap ones.
Here’s the bottom line: Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors aren’t here to help authors publish; they’re here to charge them, heavily, for a series of freelance services, while taking a sizeable cut along the way.
2. What Is an FMFA, Really?
Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors (FMFA’s) are freelancer marketplaces dressed as author support hubs. They’re not publishing houses. They’re not literary agencies. They don’t even guarantee you’ll come out with a quality book. What Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors do is provide access to a collection of editors, designers, publicists, ghostwriters, and other freelancers who are essentially paying the FMFA to reach you, the author.
FMFA’s are brokers, middlemen, taking a commission and leaving you to bear the entire risk of whether the services you paid for will get you anywhere. It’s as if they’re saying, “We’ll introduce you to the players, but you’re still on your own.”
3. Why Authors Need to Think Twice
For many authors, FMFA services may sound like a dream come true. But the deeper truth is, the platform is built to benefit the FMFA first, the freelancer second, and the author last. Here’s why:
- High Cost of Entry: Want to play the FMFA game? Get ready to sign up for free and then pay. FMFA’s aren’t free, the services offered come at premium prices.
- Disconnection from Success: FMFA’s broker your deal with a freelancer, then leave you to navigate the aftermath alone. The finish product you end up with could be a best seller, or a paper weight, that’s up to you. You can pay more for marketing and promotion, solicited reviews from more service providers on the platform, or publish to Amazon and hope for the best.
- Poor Visibility for Books: Even if you manage to finish your book with an FMFA’s help, finding your book on their platform is nearly impossible. Links are buried beneath length sales pitches for their freelance services. Unless you find a direct link to a title through a service provider, it’s almost impossible to find a library of author titles amongst the endless pages of freelancer ads.
4. Behind the Curtain: How Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors Work
The FMFA business model hinges on the following elements:
- Service Aggregation: FMFA’s collect freelancers—editors, designers, reviewers, and more. These professionals apply for a spot on the FMFA platform to be visible to you, the author. Meanwhile, you can use their shiny toys to self-publish your book, hiring the services of of a freelancer when you inevitably hit a dead end.
- Taking a Cut: For every service contract you set up on an FMFA, the platform takes a chunk—whether it’s £4,000 or 20% of the service fee, whichever is greater. This “cut” is the Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors true interest, the success of your book is almost irrelevant. Sure, they want to put successful titles at the forefront to entice new author sign ups, but the vast majority of titles published via their services end up on Amazon right next to the book you wrote ten years ago, except this time, you’ve got plenty of expensive (or, some would say, cheap) 5 star reviews to trick people into buying.
- Encouraging Spending: The first thing FMFA’s prompt new users to do is request quotes from freelancers. Every interaction on Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors is geared toward convincing you to spend more. After all, that’s why you’re there, to hire the services available. It’s the quality of your book that matters, so as long as you can afford it, you can spend thousands getting it right. You don’t even need to be a good writer. You don’t even need to write it yourself.
- Disguised Pay-to-Play: FMFA’s parade themselves as inclusive, yet only those who can afford hefty fees for services like editing, proofreading, and cover design are truly catered to. Let’s be honest, of all the people you’ve ever encountered who have begun writing novels, how many set aside a hefty budget for development, publishing, and marketing. Perhaps I’m wrong to think every author deserves an opportunity. I guess people who can’t afford an editor, just aren’t talented writers these days.
- Solicited Reviews: Through paid review options, FMFA’s can raise questions about authenticity. Unlike genuine readers who pick up your book and share their thoughts, these reviews are incentivised. Thirty maybe fifty dollars on some five star reviews is great value for money if it’s empty, worthless, generic reviews by people who have clearly never even read your book.
5. The Financial Maze – What You Pay to Play
Using Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors isn’t a casual expense; it’s an investment that could drain your wallet without guaranteeing results. Here’s how the costs break down:
1. Premium Pricing: Signing up with an FMFA means you’re stepping into a system where each service requires a separate fee. So, once you’ve finished that draft, you’ll need an editor, maybe a proof reader, uh-oh did you forget about beta readers, what about your cover design, you’ll need a shiny new website once it’s finished, you won’t get readers without PR, marketing, hey maybe you’ll be lucky enough to get published if you pick one that’s currently moonlighting in a publishing company. Or not!
2. Commission Fees: FMFA’s take their cut, which can go up to 20%, from every transaction you make with a freelancer. Sure, they take these fees from you and the service provider, halving the cost. But, of course, these fees are in addition to the service costs.
3. Cancellation Fees: If you change your mind or can’t go through with a project, there are penalties.
4. Pay-to-Feature Marketing: Want your book featured in the Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors newsletter? There’s an additional fee for that. you didn’t expect them to share your new nook with all the service providers and authors who have subscribed to their platform for nothing did you. Oh, did I forget to mention there’s no reason for actual readers to even visit their platform?
6. The Reality of FMFA Reviews
Reviews are crucial to book sales, but it’s not what you’re thinking. Having 25,437 reviews and a review average of 4.8 stars on Amazon sounds enticing, but getting there is a different matter. Most authors fall into the trap of getting hyped by positive reviews, and FMFA’s know this well. Positive reviews that lack context, detail and authenticity are an iceberg floating into tropic waters. Soon enough, real readers are going to give you real reviews, and that 15,00 dollar profit will fast become the pinnacle of your books shelf life.
Here’s where things get murky:
- Paid-for Reviews: On FMFA platforms, reviews can be paid for. This could mean high ratings without genuine feedback. When you see a book with loads of five-star ratings, remember that those might be more about what the FMFA paid for than what the book deserves.
- Fake Engagement: FMFA’s encourage authors to respond to prompts, but it’s a hollow gesture; nobody’s reading your story because they’re all too busy either selling or buying services.
The few truly genuine reviews you might find tend to be from readers who happened to pick up the book elsewhere, unburdened by FMFA influence. These reviews are often less than glowing, due to the fact that your book may lack the one thing that makes great books great, a great story.
7. Alternatives for Authors
The good news? You don’t have to rely on Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors alone. There are other ways to publish, and not all of them come with hidden fees and brokers. Here’s a list of options that might work better for an independent author:
1. Direct Publishing Collaborations: If you can access social media, or you have a network of friends and family around you, I would suggest reaching out to as many people as possible and asking them to contribute towards your publication. Once you’ve exhausted your knowledge and help from others, you can go ahead and self-publish your title rewarding those who have helped you with credit, royalties, or deferred cash payments.
2. Freelance Sites Like Fiverr or Upwork: You can find freelancers for editing, cover design, and more, often at more affordable rates than FMFA’s. While Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors vet their service providers and exclude individuals without the experience or credentials to be hailed as the top of their fields, Freelance sites allow talented individuals to prove their worth through the services they can provide and the talents they possess. It’s refreshing to see such inclusivity, it really is.
3. Author Cooperatives: Look into groups and organisations where authors work together, such as The Alliance of Independent Authors, for support without brokerage fees. If you just need support and you’re happy to learn as you write, why not collaborate with other authors and share your talents in exchange for theirs.
4. Independent Small Presses: Some smaller publishing companies accept submissions from authors without asking for upfront fees. So, if you feel ready to work with a publisher, and your story just requires some editing and a cover, this could be your way in. A good publisher will be able to spot the potential for a great story between the flaws in your craft. Even if you only end up with feedback, it will save you thousands to know you can go away, improve your story and re-submit to them for free.
5. The Golden Unicorn: There is a publishing company that does things differently from all the others. This one actually accepts submissions and allows other authors, editor, cover artists, and other creative individual s to contribute towards collaborative projects to produce finished books which each of them receive on-going royalties for. It’s Free to join, free to contribute and authors never pay for a service, never pay a fee, and the royalty rate is higher than any other publisher or distributor, including Amazon. I can’t really say much more than that as I have agreed not to do so, but if you’d like to know more, click here get in touch and I will message you privately.
Each of these options offers greater transparency, lower costs, and more direct involvement with your book’s creation and success.
8. The Big Questions
Q: Are Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors publishing companies?
A: No. FMFA’s are online marketplaces that connect authors with freelance editors, designers, and other service providers but do not publish books or act as publishers.
Q: How much do Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors charge for services?
A: FMFA freelancers set their own rates, but the FMFA typically takes up to a 20% cut of the fees.
Q: Are FMFA Reviews reliable?
A: FMFA’s often offer paid review options, which may appear as high ratings but lack the authenticity of organic reader reviews.
Q: Are there alternatives to Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors?
A: Yes, authors can use direct publishing platforms, private collaborations, freelance sites like Fiverr and Upwork, small or independent publishers.
9. My Conclusion: Authors Deserve Better
Freelancer Marketplaces for Authors position themselves as champions for authors, but when you dig a little deeper, it’s clear they’re really brokers looking to cash in. From the paid reviews to the pay-to-feature marketing, and the steep fees charged for basic services, FMFA’s seem more invested in their revenue than in your success as an author.
If you’re serious about publishing, be strategic. There are options that can serve your needs without exploiting your ambition. Remember, your story deserves a platform that believes in you just as much as you believe in your story. Choose wisely, and don’t get swept up by the shiny promises of an FMFA’s surface appeal.
And don’t forget, there is an alternative that’s out there waiting for you. If you’d like to know more about them click here get in touch and I’ll send you a message.
