Some will misconstrue self-publishing with a vanity publisher or press. However, these are two very different aspects of publishing despite the publisher trying to tell you otherwise. Some of these publishing companies will call the service “self-publishing” despite the fact they are not, by definition.
When you self-publish a book, all of the tasks involved rest squarely on your shoulders unless you pay someone to help. Most authors will put money toward editing and book cover design services. Indie authors will own all rights to their manuscripts but will have a vastly more difficult time marketing their books.
When you use a vanity publisher, you pay them fees to publish your book and they take care of a large portion of the publishing process. As such, it can cost you several thousand dollars to publish a book through their “house.” Unfortunately, this sometimes means you lose certain rights to books and much of the marketing is still up to you.
More often than not, you’ll find scams and horror stories online of those using vanity publishers. In fact, my sister’s publisher not only went out of business, but they were also sued and some of them went to jail for their practices.
The publisher still owes my sister thousands of dollars in royalties.
What Makes Vanity Publishers Attractive?
Most vanity publishers will publish virtually anything as long as the author has money to pay for the services. That means you can “publish” a terrible book as long as they can cash your check.
In some instances, the publisher will have editors, cover designers, and a few more services to help you along the way. However, they are often far more expensive than paying for these services on your own. Not to mention the quality is often better as vanity publishers will usually hire the cheapest help.
When all is said and done, using vanity publishers is not self-publishing.
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