I almost got sucked in by a vanity
press...actually I did, because I not only sent them my manuscript, I asked for
an author agreement when they told me my novel had been approved by the
submission committee. The agreement looked great, laying out step by step all
the great things they'd do to promote my book – even more in detail than in the
author packet they sent. They'd convert it to an e-book, but I'd get hard
copies too! It would be available to Amazon and Ingram, and they'd give me my own
web page on their site and help me manage social media! This was it – it was really happening.
So I was riding high
for a few hours, thinking I'd actually found a publisher, and then, there it
was, line item #10, the amount of money I'd have to shell out for said publisher to do
all those great things. I was pretty miffed because the subject of "author contribution" had never come up
in email or phone conversations, and wasn't even hinted at in the author
packet. I had a few hours (okay, days) of righteous indignation, feeling like
they were trying to hide what kind of publisher they are (how dare they!) Then
I realized why I was so irked. I should have known that it just wasn't going to
work like that. An email, a phone call, a publisher. Nope, it just doesn't
happen like that. And of course, I should have asked up front if I'd be expected
to pay. After all, I spent 22 years in the book business. But, I didn't...this
little voice was whispering that I'd done it – I was about to get published. My
ego was driving and we were off at full speed. Guess that's why we call them
vanity presses...
Ego plus art is an interesting combination; a
symbiotic relationship. They drive each other, feed off of each other, but ultimately
must find a way to (somewhat) peacefully co-exist. My goal from the beginning
was finishing the book – I needed to see if I could. I had no delusions of
making any money and hadn't even thought that much about being published. It
was about getting. It. Written. But once I did, and started thinking, well, why
not see if I can get it published,
ego jumped into the driver's seat and away we went. The wonderfully witty and
wise Anne Lamott thinks of being published as something you have to recover
from. I'm still pondering that, while my ego and my creativity square off. Will
my book get published? Dunno. I will keep writing though...thanks, Anne.
Those BASTARDS. What's their company called?, "Vultures Ink"? I imagine their own personal hell, being tormented for eternity by phantom writers sticking them repeatedly with interminably sharp pens...
ReplyDeleteThanks for having my back, but I don't really blame them. It is a bit disingenuous that the subject of my paying didn't come up until I saw the agreement, but I should've been able to see what kind of pub they are. When I called back to say "no thanks," the guy did apologize and say he thought he'd mentioned the author contribution bit. Was he being honest, or was it a line? I don't know, but I can't dwell on it - onward! I have more pitch letters to send out!
DeleteOn the other hand... Would your friends support a Kickstarter (is that the right term? Gosh, sometimes I feel so ancient and out of it!) campaign to fund the vanity press publication? Hear me out a second. You've done the work and a lot of us are eager to read your work. I'd be willing to help that dream come true. I've come a long way in my thinking about book publication. In days of old, I've read some horrible self-published stuff and wondered at the vanity of having their work published... But the mainstream press is a difficult racket to get into (as you've found). And in this day and age of social media and e-this 'n' that, maybe it's worth it to self-publish. Peeps practically make their own news these days. Why shouldn't publication be the same? I want to see your book. I want to read your book. Can we help make it happen? (This comes out as Anon...so I'll sign it: Sincerely, Melinda Sims)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Melinda, for the vote of confidence and support. I honestly hadn't thought of Kickstarter until another friend mentioned it. I'm not quite ready to give up on traditional publishing (stubborn? Who, me?) but should I decide to go the self-pub route, I'll certainly look into Kickstarter.
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