Tag Archives: Publishing

A blog about the topics of writing, Writing tips and ideas

Vanity Press: Is it right for you?

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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.

Are you a writer?, Authors and writers

Do you consider yourself an author?

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Do you consider yourself a writer? And from that do you consider yourself an author? The definition of a writer according to Google:

-a person who has written a particular text

-a person who writes books, stories, or articles as a job or regular occupation

To them the definition of an author is

-a writer of a book, article, or report

-be the author of (a book or piece of writing)

So why do I hear from fellow writers from my meetings, online interactions or at conferences people that they are not writers? I have replied the same way each time that they are writers in every sense and give them examples.

But that tactic doesn’t work it seems for I still hear it. Not from those who have told me in the past for they know my answer but from new people they still do.

Granted when I first started I thought until I was published that I did not consider myself one either. It was people from one writer’s group that drilled it into us, telling us that we were not allowed to say we were not writers in the meeting for we were all considered as such.

So, I get it. I just don’t know how to reply anymore when I hear it now. I guess until they start believing it themselves no one else will be able to change their mine. But worse others will start to believe it as well.

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Do You Abandon Your Book?

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IMG_0233Even though my book got picked up by a traditional publisher, it doesn’t mean I don’t have to spread the word and do some marketing of my own. This is tough for I am by all accounts a shy person.

Times are tough for books. They are competing with ebooks, tablets and people giving away their books for free for reviews. So a year before I started actively submitting “Jasper, Amazon Parrot:A Rainforest Adventure” I hit the social media scene.

You can find me here:

-Facebook

-Google +

-Twitter

-Linkedin

-Pinterest

-Goodreads

-Shelfari

I am on a few others but these are the big ones. I started to network, meeting various people in various stages of their book. Along the way I met some awesome friends. I came across people who helped me in so many different ways. Ami who worked on my query letter that got my book into a few editor’s hands. I met my editor, Nancy, who is just amazing with her talents. I have met writers who have helped me with questions and problems when it came to social media. This is a market every author, whether self published or traditional, needs to tap into. It is pure gold for the taking, you just have to reach for it. And by the way, it is how I met my publisher.

It is time-consuming when you first start. This was the main reason a year prior to submitting I became pro active with my book and the means to promote it. It has been a few years since then and now my social media format just need checking on now and then.

Being shy won’t cut it in this market. You have to take a deep breath and step forward. Your book needs you to be there for it. It can’t do it alone. And why should it? It has been with you for so long why abandon it now?