Self Publishing Today

For every publisher with a bad rap on Preditors & Editors, you’ll find a writer who will say “but I’m very happy with my experience with (insert publisher’s name here). How can that be?

It’s very simple - remember those expectations I referred to in an earlier post?

Many writers would be disappointed to find their Publish America novel sells only 50 copies, and frustrated to find that they can’t try taking the book elsewhere for 7 whole years because they can’t break the PA contract.

Others are just thrilled to hold the book in their hand and be able to say “I’m an author” to their relatives and friends as they give out copies. For these authors, being able to donate a copy to their local library is reward enough.

Those are the people who are likely to say they’re happy with a publisher, even if P&E have warned against them. P&E always assumes their readers are serious authors who want to make sales.

That’s why I say it’s so important to understand what your expectations are, and compare them to those of the people you meet on forums or at writers’ circles.