Vanity Publishing is a pejorative term for self-publishing. I believe some try to hide the fact that they are self-published authors.

When I offered BookLocker to have their logo or name included on the back cover of Reason Reigns, this concern was raised: "It tells people in the know that the author paid to have the book published."

I replied by email:

“I told my family, friends, and officemates that Reason Reigns will be "self-published". I will include such info in any marketing that I'll personally do. I want to fully disclose to a prospective buyer before he/she buys my book. Reason Reigns depicts independent thinkers - I intend to reach such readers.

I can't thank technology enough for the existence of POD. I greatly appreciate you and BookLocker - thank you.”

The acknowledgements page in my website ( http://www.reasonreigns.com/Acknowledgem... ) includes this:

For the glory of the print-on-demand (POD) technology:

Reason Reigns glorifies independent thinkers and technology. Thanks to the POD technology, the judgment of whether or not a book is worthy to be read now rests with individual readers.

* * *

Should established, third-party publishers deem a manuscript worthy before it gets published, or should individual thinkers judge whether a book is worthy to be read?

Re: Self-Publishing. Say for e.g. that I have a great historical fiction I've written and I blog the entire 200 page manuscript. Then I take it to a publishing house and they like it a lot. Will they still publish it even though it's already online? Thanks kindly.

Hello Charissa,

Even if a TRADE publishing house likes a manuscript a lot, chances are the editor would think it unwise to invest in it if it is already 100% available online.

But one could still self-publish it.

Blogging 75% of one's book could be a good marketing strategy. But not the entire book - not many would buy something they could get for free.

Best wishes.

Dear Ilyn,

Thanks kindly. This gives me solid perspective/handle on what all how much I can POD.

Sincerely,
Charissa

You are welcome, Charissa. Thank you for joining the group.

Best fortune on your endeavors.

from Serena:

hi..

i wanna publish this thing i wrote... and a book i wrote.. and poems. and everything else! lolz...

do u know any international publishing firms?

* * *

Hello Serena,

Thank you very much for marking Reason Reigns to-read and for commenting on Young Beau Ideals - Come Have Fun!

It is tough to have one's work TRADE-published (an editor would review one's work, and the publisher would bear the publishing costs including promotional expenses). In the US, trade publishers accept agented submissions only, and it is very difficult to land a literary agent.

I self-published Reason Reigns (RR) through http://www.booklocker.com. RR is now available for purchase online in 15 countries. You could email booklocker to request info - Angela Hoy is very nice.

Amazon could also be a self-publishing partner at no cost. It has international book-sites. But I don't know the quality of the service provided.

If you self-publish, you must edit your work thoroughly. No one would do it for you, unless you pay. I don't advise paying an "editor" because you are not sure you would get a work of quality.

I wish you all the best. Again, thank you so much.


Have fun,

Ilyn

P.S. It would be good to post this under the Self-publishing topic. Is it ok if I attribute the question to you, or would you want to post the Q yourself? Thanks.

* * *

From Serena:

Thanks so much!

Sure, you can attribute the Q to me... No Problem there! :) :)

Micha, when you have the time, please do tell "the sweat, blood and tears that went into promoting it". I and other self-published authors could learn from your experiences. Thanks.

How did you have "Permanent Passenger: My Life on a Cruise Ship" carried on the bookshelves of bookstores?

I tried, but the buyer wanted to deal with distributors who accept returns. With Reason Reigns, I am the only one. The buyer says it is store policy not to deal directly with authors.

Thanks, Micha. Cheers!

Hi, new (to me) group.

I think it's important to point out the difference between self-publishing and vanity press publishing. I believe that self-publishing is an honorable, viable and effective way to get one's work out to the public. It's basically what musicians and visual artists do all the time without any stigma being attached. It's a way to maintain control over one's creations and to work toward a revolution in the world of publishing where quality, as indicated by readers' interest, can overcome marketability, as determined by corporate publishing houses' bean counters.

This, to me, is very different from the Vanity Press, where a corporation tricks a writer into putting up the cash, while giving up control and ownership.

Even though I've had offers from small presses(and have gone with them in the past), I've chosen to self-publish so I can own my books; to give away when I want, to trade with other writers, to distribute and market the way I see fit. And frankly, I'm happier with the quality that I put into my books compared to the majority of small presses I've encountered. (This goes for the vanity press publishers as well.)

On one hand, it's frustrating that many bookstores won't touch independent/self-published books. On the other hand, I'd rather deal with independent booksellers and let the corporate yipnods wallow in their self-indulgent ignorance.

When people ask me if they can get my books at Barnes & (ig)Noble, I take pleasure in saying, "No, but I've got a copy here in my bag, or you can find it at http://www.authorsbookshop.com.

--Marc
http://www.crowvoice.com

Hello Marc,

Welcome. Thank you for joining us. Great post.

Most new writers will find near on impossible to publish through the big traditional publishers if not completely impossible. I tried for years before giving up and would never have published my work if I had not found my way to Lulu.

Hello Billy. Good fortune on "Teddy the Bear" and "A Winter Journey".

Hi everyone.

I don't know of a trade publisher that accepts unagented submissions. I was unsuccessful in landing a literary agent, so I self-published. Kudos to POD. Many thanks to Goodreads and to everyone here.

I wish every new author good fortune.

I self-published Reason Reigns with Booklocker, and Royal Serf with Booksurge. The Booklocker author price is much more expensive. The minimum list price for both companies is unaffordable for most readers, especially in a recession.