Talk:Vanity publishing

print on demand
would you classify the print on demand books as vanity publishing ? there is little editing or publisher quality control on some of it, but there are also some good authors who got a start that way. Hamster (talk) 18:09, 15 December 2012 (UTC)
 * I just added a part about Self-Publishing for that reason -A lot of good authors did get started that way, for sure. And at this point, the big publishing houses are horribly risk-averse, so it might come back in a big way. --TheLateGatsby (talk) 18:26, 15 December 2012 (UTC)
 * The issue is not the editing or quality control, it's the upfront costs to the author. Self-publishing, POD and e-Books give a legitimate outlet for new authors or topics with a limited appeal. Of course for some authors there's probably a bit of vanity involved in any publishing method. Генгис silverbrain.png 19:07, 15 December 2012 (UTC)
 * The distinction should be between 'I have done my research and know what services I am buying (as this book is unlikely to have the turnover that mainstream publishers require)' (fanfic, fantastic constructions with (well known brands of construction toy), guide to the (local museum) etc) and 'the evil unreasonable publishers are denying the world my deathless prose/unique take on the world etc.' The former get exactly what they pay for (and can make a profit - and even a name/niche for themselves) - as do the latter ('a fool and money are soon parted'). 31.49.137.175 (talk) 09:35, 25 April 2017 (UTC)
 * Of note: Penguin/Random House, which now owns several print-on-demand self-publishing companies, and is a major player in this market, was unsuccessfully sued twice in 2015 for alleged deceptive marketing practices. Bongolian (talk) 17:07, 25 April 2017 (UTC)

Other types of vanity publishing
Is not 'major publisher' producing 'My life by celebrity X' - being what the ghost writer was able to construct out of the (redacted and legally checked) story told by a 'celebrity' who is often forgotten by the time the print run is sold out - also vanity publishing? (Though noting that some people do have interesting stories but are not natural writers of books.) Anna Livia (talk) 15:53, 29 December 2017 (UTC)


 * Is there an example you're thinking of? Typically vanity publishing is defined by the author paying for publication without the publisher making a substantial effort to sell books on the open market and without the author having any realistic expectation of making a profit. If the author didn't pay the publisher, then it's not vanity publishing: a lot of books just don't make any money at all, vanity or not.
 * If the author didn't pay, the publisher has to pay them something to make the contract valid but this could just be a token amount like a few free copies. This does happen, particularly in academic publishing. Bongolian (talk) 19:34, 29 December 2017 (UTC)
 * There are probably several types of vanity publishing - of which the 'instant biography etc (instantly remaindered at best)' is one. Academics to some extent have to publish, fanfic is normally done on a not-for-profit basis, and a certain proportion of self-publishing is by authors who are realistic in their expectations of limited print runs and produce something reasonable. (Consider 'local authors' in a bookshop, articles for (your club/society magazine or journal) etc). Anna Livia (talk) 18:40, 2 January 2018 (UTC)

To what extent are some bits of the wikiverse vanity-press-like?

It is easier to define the ends of the spectrum - 'the vanity press and WAKE UP publications' and similar' and '(initially) limited interest texts, career requirement (whether academic or 'getting a track record'), collaborative (fanfic, Your Community Newsletter etc) - than the broad fuzzy middle. Anna Livia (talk) 14:28, 24 August 2018 (UTC)