Trade Publishing / Vanity Publishing/ Indie Publishing

AI can mean Artificial Intelligence or Author Intelligence but sadly it often

represents Author Ignorance.

Traditional Publishing

The Gatekeepers to being published were Traditional Publishers – no longer.

A publisher is an entity that invests in and assumes the risks for producing and
distributing a piece of media.

Traditional Publishers - were the gatekeepers for writers – this is no longer the case.

Vanity / Self-Publish – ‘Pay to Publish’ under someone’s imprint. Often called predatory
publishing as it preys on authors ignorance.

Indie -Publisher – true self-publishing under your own publishing name accessing the same
systems available to trade publishers/vanity publishers
 Indie-Publishing

The Readers are the new Gatekeepers.

The most important thing publishing service providers (author services) can sell is
guidance. Too many author service companies take advantage of the fact that it
really is the authors responsibility to know what you’re getting into.
ough that kind of b usines s practice isn ’t str ictly unethical, it overloo ks the fact that the most important th ing p ublishing service providers can sell is guidance. Too many author service companies take advantage of the fact that it really is you r respon sib ility to know wha t you’re getting in to.

To clarify:
• Traditional Publisher - If you have a publisher, the publisher organises editing,
proofreading, design, marketing, and distribution. They usually pay you a percentage
of sales (8-11% on average) after the book is out. Plus, you are STILL expected to
market your book.
• Vanity / Self-publish - Pay to Publish under a publisher’s imprint - you pay
somebody to organise editing, proofreading, etc. on your behalf. These services are
called ‘vanity publishers’ and avoid them by all means. Plus, you are STILL expected
to market your book.
• Indie -Publisher - As an indie -publisher, you organize editing, proofreading, design;
you are responsible for your own marketing and distribution (these days a press of the
button for distribution). This is an investment, but in the end, you get a 100% of the
sales. Plus, you are STILL expected to market your book

Vanity or Self-publishing companies are oxymoronic: you’re either self-publishing or

someone is publishing you. If you are paying someone to be your publisher, it is like
employing someone to take a vacation on your behalf – while you stay home and work.

Remember a “publisher” is an entity that invests in and assumes the risks for producing and
distributing a piece of media (book or ebook). If you pay them you take the risk.
Quick review:
• Trade publishers, as you can imagine are inundated with submissions and the statistics
for writers getting trade publishing contract is abysmal as essentially if you do not
have an author platform, with a large following or not celebrity status then they are
not willing to take the risk (which is only fair as they are in business too).

• Authors then usually are exposed to 'pay to publish' models (often called vanity
publishing). Authors due diligence is imperative if they accept this model. Overseeing
organisations such as Office of Fair Trading call this predatory publishing. The even
sadder aspect to this is every Trade Publisher now has a Vanity Publishing division -
as they can make more money monetising the slush pile than sometime trade
published titles.

• Transparent Model - every large Trade Publisher and Vanity Publisher primarily
utilise the services of the same printing and distribution platform (Ingram and
Lightning Source). Since 2013 they now allow independent publishers (you) to access
the system. As an author service provider Pickawoowoo help you get your book up to
standard and the necessary files required for the system.