Vanity Publishing

Vanity publishing is a somewhat derogatory term for self-publishing, or for paying to publishing one's own book. Scholars with academic pretensions look down their nose at vanity presses. Vanity publishing should not be knocked, as it is a great way to get started with publishing when the publishing houses do not want to touch unknown and untested writers. In hindsight, it was a step I should have taken in putting some of my books out many years ago. A word of caution about vanity publishing. Compare costs and final quality as well as the marketing that goes behind the name. Also, be aware that vanity presses lack an important service that conventional publishers traditionally provide, and that is professional editing of one's work.