That is true and it is not only the process of publishing, it more that that, I mean if you need help with your layout, the cover and so on a package from an vanity publisher might help you. That includes at least all of those services.
It tends to include those services at an outrageous markup and with a lot of lies to go along with it. There is assisted self-publishing, a more-or-less reputable system kind of like hiring a contractor to deal with all the subcontractors when building a house. The contractor takes a cut of all the money than changes hands, so it cost more than hiring people yourself, but it may be worth it if you need expertise and/or have no time yourself. ETA: I personally don't find it at all onerous to hire these people directly... there are usually only three I deal with--editor, cover designer, and formatter... but if someone's really not at all savvy, they could hire it out. But vanity publishing is based on appealing to the writer's vanity. It's based on telling them flattering lies ("we've selected your book," "you've got real talent," "we can guide you all the way to the top") and then charging way more than the reputable assisted self-publishing house would. So you pay way more than you should, and you do it because you believed the lies. It's not a good situation.
Sorry, Shadowfax, that I am not always in the mood of correcting everything because sometimes I just type from the heart - this is what makes it for me interesting to write in a froum, that it is less formal. ;-p) But anyways a lot of famous authors came also out of that situation. Or what about if you just want to write something not to be a big bang, just something regional or family history?
If you're publishing some small personal thing for a limited audience, you self publish. You don't vanity publish. You NEVER vanity publish. Do you really not understand the difference?
I certainly do, but I am not that negative about it, I think I can see advantages where you don't seem to convinced. It is ok to have different views.
What are the advantages of vanity publishing? (Not assisted self-publishing, vanity publishing, with all the lies associated with that term).
For me the advantage is that you get more than just an average printout, you get assistance, may it comes to concerns of choosing your titel, someone who reads through your texts to correct them, layouts them, puts them in a form, and in the end makes the marketing - brings it to book fairs, traders, etc. That is also one part of the game.
That sounds more like assisted self-publishing. That is, there are people who are being honest with you about what you can expect, and are charging you a reasonable rate for their services. Vanity publishing, pretty much by definition, is based on lies--the "publishers" flatter the author, etc.
But also there can be assistance in marketing, but not to a full extent, like when your book is presented by an publishing house it is something different that make an FB page for it ... as an example.
A key factor or red flag pointing to a vanity press as opposed to a 'one stop shop to assist a writer in self-publishing': The publisher provides services for a fee (editing, marketing, cover art, etc.) and once the novel/book is finished, the author earns a standard, or even substandard, royalty for books sold. Why is the publisher earning income from selling services to an author to have a book produced, and then keeps a large portion of the profit when copies are sold, and paying the author a royalty? For example: a publisher offers a marketing package to an author for $500. The author pays. Why would the publisher stand to benefit then from income from increased novel sales, at the expense of the author's wallet? Standard publishers invest in marketing, to earn increased sales, and thus profit. So, if the business model appears for the 'publishers' to garner income from the author, they tend to be vanity publishers. A rough analogy would be someone hiring a 'do it all' (foundation, framing, electrical, heating, etc.) contractor to build an apartment complex. The individual provides the materials and basic blueprint, and pays the contractor to assemble the apartment complex (a fee paid to the do it all contractor, comparable or in excess of what it would cost the individual if he/she were to hire different contractors to complete the apartment complex). Then, once the apartment is finished, the 'owner' who provided the materials, basic blueprint, and paid for the construction in full, only gets a small cut or percentage of the rent paid by the occupants. The rest, after expenses, goes to the 'do it all' contractor. I am not sure why a business that assists authors in publishing by selling services to the author, would be called a publisher, other than to sound more 'legitimate'?
At least one can say, that it is a free decision to everyone how to get published. For me, that is never a problem as long as the costs are clear evaluated before in a first talk.
If a publisher, at any point, asks for money from a client, that is wrong. The publisher gambles on making their money back from sales of the book. The more they sell, the quicker they recoup their investment. If it does not sell, then the publisher is out of pocket. NOT THE AUTHOR. This is why you agree to give away big chunks of your royalties. Because the publisher assumes the risk. If you are asked to pay for ANYTHING that is simply a big red flag.
I sent the 1st 3 chapters over to this publishing group only yesterday and then was delighted when I got a response back this afternoon to say they were very impressed and could I send them the full MS. After drifting on the clouds for an hour I decided to do some Internet checks. I came across this forum (which I was delighted to find) and then this article from ASA ruling, which I cannot copy the link to as this site wont allow it. In short... A complainant challenged whether: 1. the claims "publish easily and at no cost" and "united p.c. publisher publishes your books and e-books - free, guaranteed, simply" were misleading, because he found that there were charges associated with editing, design and promotion which were not clarified; and 2. the ad misleadingly suggested that the advertiser was UK-based 1. Upheld The ASA noted that the ad used the terms "publish" and "publishes" and stated that that service would be free of charge. We noted that the complainant reported being asked to pay for corrections, designing the front and back covers and the additional cost of publishing an e-book. We asked United Publisher to comment on that and for details of the proportion of respondents who kept to the free of charge contract and the proportion that chose to pay for additional services, but that information was not forthcoming and they did not respond in further detail than is summarised above. We considered expectations of what would be included in a general offer to publish a book would vary but that respondents were likely to expect some or all of the elements listed above to be included. Because United Publisher had not supplied information that showed other respondents had not incurred similar costs, we concluded that the claims that United Publisher published books free of charge were misleading. On this point the claims breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 3.1 and 3.3 (Misleading advertising), 3.9 (Qualification) and 3.11 (Exaggeration).
@SheM they're a vanity publisher. They exist to make money from wannabe writers. Steer WELL clear of them - you'll be out of pocket and only friends and family will buy your book. Check Preditors and Editors before submitting to publishers. Good luck!
My problem with some vanity publishers is that they lie to you—beyond just flattering your work. Basically, they add on hidden costs they didn't own up to in their advertisements, and maybe even their first contacts. It's not on. If you need help with editing, proofreading, page design, cover design, what have you ...all of these services are available up front (for an agreed fee) from people who advertise these services. Check out the ads in Writers' Digest for starters. Once your book is in perfect shape, then you can self-publish. You can go the online Amazon route (or any other online publisher) as well as a print-on-demand service (like Lulu) that will provide paper copies of your book as needed. The costs should be up front. Any time any seller of any item tries to sneak costs in after drawing me into their game with the notion of 'free' whatever, does NOT get any of my business.
I sent my novel out once to a publisher. They very quickly expressed interest. Aha, I thought, I am the next Stephen King! But alas, they found that I needed some editing work to improve the writing. They recommended an editor and suggested I use him. Hmmm...I thought...Does that sound legit? Why don't they edit it themselves? Why should I have to pay for editing? A little internet sleuthing then turned up the following. The 'recommended' editor was married to the publisher. A small world, as they say...
It sucks, all these people prowling around, trying to take advantage of other people's dreams. Not a feel-good situation, at all.
I work colleague of mine is using a vanity publisher, (all signed up to before I knew he was writing his first book), and he reckons by the time it is published this summer it will have cost him in the region of £7,500.00. He would've needed to spend on editing, cover design etc, but he needs to sell a lot of books to recoup his initial outlay.
For the UKers, a vanity publisher is akin to all the calls and the commercials urging people to use their services to check if they have PPI. These faux companies are falling over themselves to get people to pay them to do something that they can do themselves... and for free. Vanity publishers are just assisted self publishers. That may sound helpful, as it cuts out all the fuss, but you'd probably spend less going the full self publishing route.
That is true. I am working with someone right now that has spent thousands of dollars on getting a book out that really, truly, could have been produced for far less, and have been far better, if it had simply been done using a freelance editor (of quality) and then outsource the various production requirements (cover, formatting, etc.) Obviously, this is what a vanity publisher is doing, but they are doing it at a far greater cost.
Not really. They don't just provide assistance (of dubious value); they take away some of the author's rights.
No, vanity publishers are worse. Assisted self-publishing CAN be a legit service. Vanity publishing is assisted self-publishing PLUS higher prices, lies, rights grabs, etc.
