Author Has Concerns About “Pay-to-Publish” Book Industry

SAN DIEGO - Nov. 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Aspiring authors spend thousands of dollars to have their book published by corporations that portray themselves as “self-publishing” companies. However, most are little more than thinly disguised vanity publishing houses, author D.L Hughes suggests.

Hughes calls such companies the “New Vanity Press” (NVP). There are many such “pay to publish” companies including AuthorHouse, Balboa Press, Dellarte Press (formerly Harlequin Horizons), Dorrance, iUniverse, Trafford, Tate Publishing, Westbow Press, WinePress, Xlibris and Xulon.

Many of these companies find the customers, but virtually all the services are provided by one company, Author Solutions, Inc. That company was recently sued by clients who alleged in court documents that they were guilty of deceptive practices.

Hughes believes that the vanity publishing companies have blurred the difference between self-publishing and vanity publishing because of the stigma attached to vanity publishing.

He said, “Self-publishing is when an author publishes the book under his or her own name. Vanity publishing, on the other hand, is when the author pays for services to publish the book, and the resulting book carries that company’s colophon (brand name/logo) and International Standard Book Number (ISBN).”

The author says that by historic definitions, old vanity publishing and new vanity publishing are no different, except in how technology is used in the publishing process.

Hughes said, “If you choose to use one of the vanity publishing companies for your book, make sure you fully understand that such companies are primarily in the business of selling services, not books. Any bookselling they do is passive in most cases, even after you have paid huge sums for services.”

In his book, The Self-Publishing Trap: Look Before You Leap into the Pay-to-Publish World, D.L. Hughes explains a more credible way of book publishing that enables authors to bypass the expensive New Vanity Press.

He says that if a person can write a book, they can publish and promote it without paying huge fees, and can retain the profits. This book is both an explanation of some of the pitfalls of the NVP publishing model, and a guide about how authors can publish their own books with dignity as an authentic indie publisher.

Details about The Self-Publishing Trap: Look Before You Leap into the Pay-to-Publish World: http://www.bookpublishingmentor.com/self-publishing-trap-...

About the Author

D.L. Hughes has over 30 years of experience as a writer, editor and publisher. He was an editor for a national bookselling magazine, served as a journalist, has written articles and books, and has taught writing and New Media at conferences and universities both overseas and in the U.S. He was named to Outstanding Educators of America. Today, he is a writing coach and mentor and his knowledge has helped many aspiring writers reach their goals.

For more information visit: http://www.bookpublishingmentor.com