Comments on: Publishing’s Hard Knocks

By: Elizabeth Moon

Elizabeth Moon — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:34:07 +0000

Vella–great post. A friend of mine, an elderly woman, lost thousands on such a scam, and it was heartbreaking.

The best decision I ever made where writing is concerned (and I’ve made some stupid ones, too) was to set the bar higher when I started submitting work. I decided I would submit only to paying markets that paid on submission (for short stuff) and paid advances (for long stuff.) There were plenty of rejections along the way, but in the end…when something sold, I got paid and got useful credits. Friends who published in non-paying markets (or worse, paid for publication of their work) got nowhere.

By: Helen Hardt

Helen Hardt — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:01:24 +0000

Vella, thank you. The whole situation becomes more real when we hear about real people who have been affected.

By: Deb Stover

Deb Stover — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:49:39 +0000

Thank you, Vella. That’s a very profound and informative blog. I appreciate it.

~Deb

By: Patricia Rosemoor

Patricia Rosemoor — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:50:46 +0000

When people used to ask me how many times I was rejected before a publisher made me an offer, I used to say 43 times. That was a joke. It was far, far more. I had a dozen projects in the works, only 3 of which were finished novels, but it was the beginning of the romance explosion and desperate editors bought on partial. Still, it took me five years to make that first sale. Selling didn’t end rejection. Though I’ve sold 86 novels, there are a dozen more that slipped through the cracks. Some recently. Rejection is a part of the process. It may mean the writing needs work. And for a polished writer, it may mean that particular story isn’t right for the market. But those of us who are career writers keep writing and keep submitting.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:19:48 +0000

Thanks for a great post. Now let’s start seeing more posts from bloggers about just how much waiting to be published the right way has been worth the wait.

By: Kathy Otten

Kathy Otten — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:24:05 +0000

When my kids were little I wrote a story and submitted it to Harlequin. The story was rejected. If I had received an offer at that time to have the story published with their vanity press I might have in all ignorance agreed to have them print my story. At the time I didn’t even know what a critique group was. There wouldn’t have been anyone to tell me I was making a mistake. Who knows what would have happened to my future as a writer if that offer had been extended to me. I just hope the eager young writers who submitt to Harlequin and receive a rejection are savvy enough to listen to other writers and heed all the advice offered through blogs and yahoo groups. Thanks for sharing your stories. I hope they dissuade a few people away from the scheme.

By: Amber Polo

Amber Polo — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:11:39 +0000

Yes it’s important to get the word out to writers who are too anxious to get published. Yet there are others who want a few copies for their families and there needs to be “printers” who can help them.

Some days I think all publishers are vanity publishers.
Amber

By: Ginisue

Ginisue — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:09:56 +0000

Thank you for an enlightening article. Reminds me of a friend of mine whose father spent many thousands trying to get her songs bought. A man bilked him for well over three thousand dollars, not a small amount in the middle fifties, but nothing ever came of it. My friend passed away with her songs tucked in a closet. Heaven only knows where those wonderful, touching, romantic songs are now. I don’t think her children thought much of them and probably threw them away. Sad all the way around. There are piranhas everywhere you look. Those whose sole existence is to live off others hard earnings. They have no souls, no compassion, no conscience. Let Ms. Harper’s words move you to do what you want to do by going through the right channels. There are no short cuts.

Ginisue

By: Dyanne Davis

Dyanne Davis — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:13:25 +0000

Vonna,

This was a very well done article that just told a story of two writer’s plight without taking sides other than to caution. I like that.

I don’t think that all people who use a vanity press are not writers (no I haven’t used one) I do believe that a lot of good writers may go that route because of their dreams of being published. I don’t judge their work by the method they chose to use to get there but by the quality they produce.

I will agree that from everything I’ve heard vanity publishers prey on those dreams. That’s a shame. I will not however further diminish those writers who out of desperation made really bad financial choices.

I believe your article will serve the most good because it’s coming from a place of love and experience.

Dyanne

By: Laura Resnick

Laura Resnick — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:07:06 +0000

Well, this is the common misunderstanding about self-publishing, isn’t it?

Whether you can move copies of your self-published novel, make back your money, or achieve any sort of success with it has nothing to do with whether or not it’s a good book, or whether or not you’re a good writer.

It has EVERYTHING to do with whether you’re a terrific marketer, promoter, and salesperson.

In much the same way that, for example, the ability to bear a child has nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not you’re a good person or would be a good parent; it has EVERYTHING to do with whether or not you’re female, fertile, and sexually active.