Basically, what is happening is “publishers” (really they are publishing services companies) such as Author Solutions are offering traditional publishers a way to profit from the authors they don’t deem worthy of taking a risk on and publishing in the traditional way. Author Solutions is the parent company of self-publishing imprints AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Trafford Publishing and Xlibris. All of these are listed in the “Publishers to Avoid” chapter of Mark Levine’s excellent book, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing: The Contracts & Services of 45 Self-Publishing Companies–Analyzed, Ranked and Exposed.

I’m not necessarily against this new “partnership publishing” model. It’s probably inevitable, because the “old era publishing” model is becoming less and less viable. Retail outlets are closing right and left, publishers’ profit margins are getting thinner and thinner. As Mark Weiss stated,  this new partnership model allows publishers to use this new approach  as a “proving ground” for authors.”They get the opportunity to, in essence, create a farm system. … [Traditional publishers] get the opportunity to watch these writers and see how they do in the marketplace before they give them an advance.”

But, do the authors really benefit? They pay for the privilege of getting published … the media know what’s going on, and very rarely take books by subsidy publishers seriously, no matter what these “publishers” say. Distribution (in retail outlets) and coverage by the media have always been the issues subsidy publishers adroitly avoid addressing.

I thought it puzzling that Weiss said, “Because we do so much volume, costs are much lower than [traditional publishers']. It gives traditional publishing the opportunity to look at a different form of production of the physical book and start to experiment, and see how other people do things and get a much closer look at it. … It gives the publisher the opportunity to get involved in a new form of publishing without building all the infrastructure and expending all the time and energy that it takes to build something new.” Is he saying that traditional publishers don’t know how to edit, promote, and get books into the distribution channels?

Seems to me there IS something traditional publishers don’t know how to do, that many  subsidy publishers are very good at. That is profiting from authors’ work, while giving very little service. Author Solutions published 21,000 books last year. Can any company that services that many authors truly provide service? In the past, “old era” model, the publisher did take a big risk. The publisher only profited when they were right about a book, that it would sell well and make up for the 97% of books that didn’t sell out their advances. Yes, it’s been a risky thing, now more than ever, which is why that model is crumbling.

However, authors must be very wary of the new options being put forth. Always ask, “Who is really profiting here?” Make sure there truly is a win-win opportunity, and it’s fair. It’s fair for an author to pay for publishing services, if they are fairly structured and priced. It’s fair for the publisher to make some profit on their services, but not to mark up, say, the printing so much that the author must price the book higher than the market can bear in order to make a profit.

Author beware! Contact me for a consult before you sign on any dotted line. I have no interest in any company (which is why I refuse to allow ads on this site), and will give you my best, unbiased advice, based on your situation and my “publishing insider” knowledge.

“How do you find a publishing company you can trust?”

“How do I choose the right publishing company to professionally edit, print and market my novel? There are many scams out there and I don’t know who to choose. Who is legit?”

These are a few of the questions submitted for the recent Virtual Book Tour I did with Mark Levine on self-publishing and how to choose a good self-publishing company. (Ask your question or listen to the replay.)

Happily, I have an answer!

First, any of the companies on Mark’s “Outstanding” or “Pretty Good” list in The Fine Print of Self-Publishing: The Contracts & Services of 45 Self-Publishing Companies–Analyzed, Ranked and Exposed are solid choices.

However, there is one company that is not reviewed in this book, but merits your serious consideration if you’re thinking of self-publishing.

After Mark did his research and published The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, his company, Click Industries, decided to invest in a company that agreed to do self-publishing the way Mark believed they should be done. Mill City Press is not reviewed in The Fine Print of Self-Publishing (which marks the book a genuine reference book rather than blatant self-promotion), but I want you to know about them.

Their package is very affordable. (Note especially that they give you at-cost printing–one of the areas other self-publishers often mark up).

They offer extras at very reasonable rates, such as marketing and editing.

They even offer a free book marketing strategy session.

Overall, this is one of the best self-publishing companies I’ve come across. Since it’s not explicitly covered in The Fine Print of Self-Publishing, I definitely want you to know about it. Check it out.

You can ask your question and sign up here.

One of the most-asked questions was, “What are the biggest mistakes authors make when self-publishing?”

I answered that in my recent article. (There are five to avoid.)

Some of the other questions we will answer tomorrow night include:

• What exactly is self-publishing, and what can I expect from a self-publishing company?
• How much does it cost to self-publish (and how can I be sure I won’t get ripped off)?
• What kind of distribution does a self-published book get? (I.e., will the book show up on a Barnes & Noble bookshelf?)
• How do you distinguish the best self publishing companies

If these are your questions, sign up for the call!

If you have another question you would like to see Mark Levine answer, now is the time to ask it.

You’ll get all the details, plus “The Author’s Bill of Rights” and Mark’s PowerPoint on “Why Self-Publish?” when you sign up.

If you can’t make the live call, you will get the replay link–if you sign up!

“Get published in 6 weeks!”

“Become an Amazon best seller and rake in the publishing deals!”

“We’ll publish your book and get you in all the book store chains.”

“We think your book sounds promising. Forward your manuscript with a $25 (or $50 or $100 or …) reading fee.”

Perhaps you’ve seen these and other promises made to people whose dream has always been to write and publish a book, and even, perhaps, get on the bestseller list.

Promises like these make me angry. I hate it when people prey on other people’s dreams, just to make a buck.

If you are unsure of whether a company or resource you’re considering is credible, I invite you to submit your question here. I will respond if I can with a review of the resource or a private email (depending on whether I want to publicly say anything negative about the said resource).

Many, though not all, of the publishing scams have to do with getting your book published. If you’re considering self-publishing, I highly recommend the book, The Fine Print of Self-Publishing by Mark Levine. Here you’ll find in-depth advice on what to look for in a self-publishing company, as well as the contracts and services of 45 self-publishing companies analyzed, ranked, and exposed.

In my opinion, this book is an indispensable resource.

Also, if you have any information you would like to share, as in your own experience with a product/service, that would be most helpful. I promise you strict confidentiality. Either send me an email (diane at wordstoprofit.com) or submit your question/comment at www.askyourbookpublishingcoach1.com.

If you want to share your question or comment with the world, feel free to comment below.