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09/01/2003: "Vanity Publishing"
I'm sure you have seen those advertisements that appear in a range of publications from companies seeking 'publishable manuscripts' or who offer to publish your book unseen. I saw one recently which began 'Had Your Book Turned Down?' and then went on to ensure the reader that they would certainly accept it and turn it into a lovely volume. This process is known as vanity publishing and for an unpublished writer who is serious about his ambitions, it is to be avoided. For those who are amateur poets or have a desire to write their autobiography or family history to pass out to family members, then there is no harm in it - apart from the expense - but it is not for the creative writer.
All writers receive rejections in their life. It comes with the territory. But the only way to succeed in getting published is to persevere while trying to hone your skills. If you are any good, eventually someone will publish you. Vanity publishers do not apply rigorous editorial scrutiny to manuscripts. Most will clear up grammatical errors and such like but there will be no comment on style, characterisations or plot detail. Even the most successful of writers receive copious notes and suggestions from their editors, all intended to enhance the finished product. I know of one famous crime writer who quite recently was encouraged by her editor to change the last third of her book. There were discussions, arguments even, but in the end the writer admitted that the changes that were made improved the story immensely. No such aid is given from vanity publishers.
However, let us suppose for a moment that the book does not need major changes and that it is publishable but has not found a real publisher yet. Even in this situation one cannot recommend vanity publishing because rarely do these firms manage to get any of their books into bookshops. You will search in vain on the shelves of Waterstones, W.H. Smith, Dillons, Ottakers and Borders for any books from the vanity publishing sector. These companies do have websites where you can order the books but in general they rely mainly on the author to flog his own work. And of course there is something a little demeaning about this. The greatest joy a writer has is to see a stranger pick up his book from a shelf and take it to the cash desk. It's not quite the same if Auntie Jean or Bill from the office is coaxed into buying a copy.
There is encouragement for the budding writer in the knowledge that so many great writers were turned down many times before having a manuscript accepted. Get out the old Writers' & Artists' Yearbook and check out which publishers and which agents handle your kind of fiction and buy a lot of stamps. Good luck.
David Stuart Davies on Monday, September 1st 2003 @ 03:29 PM GMT [link]