Got a book in you? More companies than ever are willing to get it out

The levels of publishing
This is an interesting article about what many consider to be the lowest rung of publishing: the self-published. However, it talked about a number of different concepts as if they are interchangeable.

Print on demand is a new publishing technology. It is not limited to small press/self-/vanity publishers. Big publishing houses have all the capabilities of print on demand. Why would Random House, part-owner of Xlibris according to the article, use a technology that was economically sound only in one department/division/whatever the term is?

Small press publishers also take advantage of print on demand technology, but they are _not_ vanity presses as they do require an author to lay out her own money to see the book published. Small presses like bigger publishers put money behind the marketing of their books. They’ll only recoup the monetary layout of publishing the book if the book sells.

Self-publishers are individuals who do all of the work of publishing including production. Vanity presses take care of the production aspect of publishing only. As mentioned in the article, the person with the financial investment of publishing the book is the author, and the author is the one who has to do all of the marketing for the book.

Publishing in general is a crapshoot. I think the most salient points of the vanity press phenomena and publishing in general are the following quotes:

“Many authors are happy to pay for 50 or 100 copies of their magnum opus to give or sell to family, friends and business contacts. Others, though, confuse production with publication and end up disillusioned.”

and:

“But these are far removed from the experiences of most authors. The odds are stacked against such books reaching the shelves of the chains or the attention of news media. Mr. Riggio of Barnes & Noble cautions, “Writers should have no delusions it’s a fast way to get into bookstores.””

Me personally, I love seeing my name in print, but if the only way to see a book of mine published is through the vanity/self-publishing route, I’ll just let the book languish under my bed, thanks.