vanity, subsidy, or just a small press?

Any press that requires that from an author should be avoided. It's not your job to sell books; well you're expected to publicize your novels, but not actually sit at the tiller and entice people to buy copies.

vanity.

and one to be avoided.

Deal killer.

They're expecting not to sell any books to actual readers, so their plan for when sales inevitably tank is to profit from the author instead.

Fakes, frauds, people who are roll-playing the publishing game. Avoid.

Tri

Sure sounds like vanity publishing to me. This "press" needs to have their OWN work and budget put into distribution in order to stay in the black, not bum money off their authors.

RUN. AWAY. NOW.

Any publisher that relies on writers to buy their own books is to be avoided.

redbarn said:

There are no other fees, but if that certain number of books is not sold, the author has to purchase them.

Click to expand...

Stealth vanity.

Is there a thread on this particular company over in Bewares and Background check? That's pretty sneaky compared to some of the more upfront vanity presses, and it'd probably be good to put the specific information out there if it hasn't been done yet.

People have different definitions of "vanity" and "subsidy," but in general this would be considered a form of vanity press. Usually when you crunch the numbers on these sorts of deals, the books that the author is required to purchase end up covering all their costs plus a nice profit, which means that they have incentive to accept everyone who approaches them, do a crummy job to save costs, and no incentive to promote the final product.

Ask youself where this publisher makes its profit.

But who is it? Please tell us?