"Vanity publisher is a term, nearly
always derogatory, describing a publishing house that publishes
books at the author's expense.....Because vanity presses are not selective,
publication by a vanity press is typically not seen as conferring the same
recognition or prestige as commercial publication…………While a commercial
publisher's intended market is the general public, a vanity publisher's
intended market is the author.”
Vanity publishers have become very clever in the
way they work and twice I've unknowingly submitted to one. However from the first reply I started to hear that little voice because their letter just didn't feel right:
“Thank you for sending to us samples
of the work you have written. This is currently now being scrutinized by more
than one member of the editorial section and a subsequent joint evaluation
carried out. We may then ask you to submit the full collection to us.”
But it does sound exciting, doesn't it? So I submitted my story. Just over a month later I received a second letter:
“I am pleased to inform you that
after careful consideration our editorial section would now like to view the
full manuscript of your work.”
Now they really
have me excited. So off goes the
manuscript and six weeks later:
“... I am pleased to say that I
find your work to have considerable merit and would appeal to the reading
public…”
Oh I have a
deal…but…
“I have commended your work to the
Publishing Board who are reluctant to take on the whole costs… and invite you
to make a contribution toward the initial production costs. Please consider
this offer carefully… the contribution, which would be a finite figure…”
Alarm bells are ringing, However out of interest I contact them and ask how much. Their reply £3,000! As you may have guessed I didn't bother taking them up on their kind offer.
Just a month or so later I contacted another publisher who a few letters into our correspondence asked for a small amount towards costs. I knew they were a vanity publisher by this time but I wanted to take it a little further, so I asked what costs my money would help cover and requested to see a detailed marketing plan. Their response:
“I note that you would like some
further information regarding your proposed book publication. You did not
however, ask us any specific questions concerning ‘detailed financials related
to proposed title.’ I have assumed, therefore, that you wish to know how much
the contribution towards production costs for your book would be. This
information is contained within the enclosed contract… A detailed marketing
plan will be sent to you as soon as the contract is in place.”
So basically they
wanted me to sign on the dotted line before knowing what I was getting for my
money. Out of interest I read the contract. It contained all the bits on copyright, promotion, royalties etc. I then read the clause on advances. Now remember publishers pay an advance to an author, not the other
way around.
“It is agreed the author shall, in
consideration of the undertakings, services and expenditures made on the part
of the publisher, in accordance with the terms of this agreement contained
herein, pay the publisher… The sum of £2,900…”
Again you'll not be surprised I didn't sign the contract.
Regards
Lynne
P.S. I have three courses starting this coming Saturday (4th November 2014):
