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Safety Tips for Authors

Blogger: Rachel Kent

When your book is published, you are a public persona. You suddenly have fans, and people from all over contact you. Your publisher expects you to put yourself out there as much as possible on the Internet and through speaking engagements and book signings.

You might also end up with a group of people who dislike you or your book. Most of the time these people limit themselves to negative reviews or pointed emails, but a person might try something more personal. Being an author could make you a target for identity theft. You can protect yourself and your family by following these simple steps.

1) Get a P.O. Box. This will keep readers–friendly or not–from showing up at your front door, and it will give individuals a way to contact you that isn’t your home address. Making your home address readily available allows anyone to see what your home looks like through Google Maps, and everyone can access basic details about your house’s value of your home. Often they can see photos of your house through old real estate postings. Best to keep this information as private as you can by obtaining a P.O. Box and only sharing general information about where you live. Some authors don’t give their hometown in their bios but simply name the state they live in.

2) Help to prevent identity theft by autographing your books and hand-written letters differently than you do checks and legal documents.

3) Keep a tight reign on things like your birthday, your mother’s maiden name, your driver’s license number, your school mascots and any other information that might be used by a bank as a security question. Many fans want to know everything about an author, but it can be dangerous to share too much through a variety of interviews.

4) Don’t allow yourself to become responsible for another person’s property. Some fans will ask if they can send copies of your book to you to autograph, or they’ll ask if they can send something they’ve written for your endorsement or just because they believe you’ll enjoy it. It’s not a good idea to allow anything to be sent to you that has value to the other person in case it is lost or damaged. You can offer to send a signed bookplate to the fan instead of mailing the book. Consider making it a policy that you do not accept manuscripts or books from anyone other than the publishing house after a formal endorsement request. Posting this policy on your webpage will also give you something to point to if a package is lost on the way to you.

5) Remember to protect your family as much as possible as well. Really think about what you’re posting online.

I don’t want to scare you, but I do want you to think about these things so that each of you is doing what you can to stay safe.

What safety tips have been helpful to you? Do you do anything else to keep you and your family safe? Please share.

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  1. Rachel, these are great tips. Scary, but crucial. 🙂 Thanks for sharing them. Not being published yet, I hadn’t thought about the idea that someone would want to send me something to endorse or to read . . .

    I have a PO Box, and I try to be careful what I put online about my family. My husband is in a line of work that makes this imperative.

    Thanks for sharing these suggestions!

    Reply

  2. It seems our heaven died a-borning,
    and the gentle days are through.
    Hell walked in without warning,
    and the world did not ask you.
    We are now the hapless playthings
    of the demons of the soul;
    dread is what each new day brings,
    and terror takes a heavy toll.
    Stand to meet them, o ye Christian,
    push them back with deadly grace,
    and if you’re pushed well past resisting,
    shoot the monster in the face.
    When you shop for your next meal,
    bring compassion, and the steel.

    Some thoughts (not in verse)

    – make sure your daily ‘look’ is different from your publicly-available photographs
    – don’t announce in social media when you’ll be taking a vacation
    – keep your cell-phone battery charged; you never know when you’ll need it
    – don’t publish pictures of your house, car, or family
    – don’t stop to help a stranded motorist in a remote area; call for assistance instead
    – carry pepper spray or mace, and know how to deploy it (harder than you think)
    – wear sensible shoes in which you can move quickly, andsnot trip or slip
    – if you feel like someone’s following you out of a store, don’t go to your vehicle; go back to the store, or if you can’t, stay where people are
    – if you’re followed on the road, do NOT go home; go to a police station if possible, or a public and lit place
    – do not befriend fans; sounds harsh, but if fandom comes from a kind of hero-worship, stalking can follow
    – if you can, vary your route to work or shopping; don’t be predictable
    – check under your car as you walk up to it, especially if it’s a high-clearance vehicle (Ferrari owners may skip this one)
    – if getting a concealed-weapon permit is an option, do so, and practise regularly; if you don’ think you could shoot someone, think of your kids’ faces when they’re told you’re not coming home.

    Remember – just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean there’s not someone out to get you.
    –

    Reply

  3. Wow, Rachel, these are really good. Number 4 was something that I had not thought of before, and I think you’ve tipped the balance on the post office box. Thanks. Thoughtful and proactive.

    Reply

  6. In this day and age, it’s become difficult to be out there on social media and balance a private family life, let alone deal with writing, and the need to advertise. I see where the pros establish a presence on FB, Twitter etc. by discussing other favorite topics that are easier to digest: scenery, places they’ve visited, historical dress & customs, while avoiding certain controversial topics like politics.
    This is really great Rachel–thank you!

    Reply

  7. I’m glad you posted this, Rachel. I’ve had crazy things happen to me over the years (you know about some of them!) and have learned to be more guarded by doing the things you listed.
    Our kids are grown but when they were younger I made sure I never posted their names or personal details about them. I do the same now with our grandkids and always get permission before posting their pictures.
    I also try to double check images before posting. I crop them if anything personal shows in the photo like a car license number.

    Reply

  8. Great and important tips to consider for the future! Thanks, Rachel! I’ve wondered how is the best way for authors to protect themselves.

    Reply

  9. Rachel,
    Many thanks for your list. Most of these I hadn’t considered. Your PO Box and signature recommendations are ones that really struck me.

    Reply