A local writer I know told me a bit ago that she went through a vanity press publisher. I made a face of disgust before I could stop myself. I asked if it worked. The reply was yes, and that is all that matters.

The definition of a vanity press is, in short: A vanity press, also known as a subsidy press, is a company that offers publishing services for a fee.

When I started looking for publishers, I had a few contact me. I declined, having researched various publishers before,

Even if I had the money, I could not honestly give it to a company for them to publish my book. I could do what they were offering on my own. I figured it would simply take longer. Also, I did not have the funds. If I had the money, I feel I would have declined, but I will never know. It is not easy getting a book published, let alone writing a book.

When it was my time, I researched the various ways to get my manuscript published. The research is free. A writer may find out what works better for them. It could be a vanity press. Check it out first before you fork over your hard earn money,

What they can charge you can include editing, reading fee, and book covers. If you are not inclined to do any of this or prefer not to do it, this could be the way to go. It does suit some authors who are happy with a vanity press.

All I am saying is to check it out first. It took you a lot of time to start and complete your book. You worked hard to get it finished. You want it in the best hands possible, wherever that might be.

Since it is a long road, vanity presses are around and will continue to bill authors large sums of money. Don’t bet the farm on this, especially if you can ill afford to.