# THE SPECTRUM OF PUBLISHING POSSIBILITIES



## Linton Robinson

This is not a perfect chart, but I hope it can help clear up some of the confusion of publishing tools for writers.

Many give the idea that you either get signed by a big house like Simon&Schuster or resort to "vanity publishing".  In fact there is a wide spectrum of publishing possibilities--more now than ever in history.

As I keep saying, any writer interested in getting into print should be aware of the entire gamut of possibilities and focus in on heavily on the modes that suit their needs.

I can't post the chart here since the forum code won't do charts, but you can see it at the link below.

*PUBLICATION SPECTRUM CHART​*


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## Linton Robinson

Another note on this--also to deal with massive confusion of terminology.    

POD (which stands for Print On Demand or Publish On Demand, depending on who's using it) is a new breakthrough in putting books into print.

It is NOT a business model.  It is NOT (as you will see on some sites) synonymous with "vanity press" or "self-publishing".

POD is "toner-based reproduction", as opposed to "ink-based".  Traditional printing uses ink, generally applied by offset presses.   POD uses toner.   It is essentially identical to reprographics or "Xerox".   Xerography, photocopier, whatever you want to call it.

It works, simply put, but having books in files on hard drives connected to sophisticated software that enables an order (in the form of a command coming in from an amazon button, an editor, what have you)  to send a file to the machine, which runs off impressions like a very high speed, high quality copy machine.   And into automated cutting. binding, and packaging machines.

So, as with copies, the cost of one book is the same as cost per book for 50 books.  As opposed to press printing in which the set up causes the first copy to cost thousands of dollars, followe by thousands of copies that cost pennies apiece.

The trade-off is that you pay more for one book (or however many books readers want to buy).  But MUCH less than paying for a long print run and having to move and store thousands of finished books.

POD process is penetrating the book industry.   The process can produce books in no way inferior to the normal trade paperback.    Big pubishers are starting to use it for some purposes.

The proliferation of small online presses we see today is directly enabled by this technology.

Despite all the little presses out there, ranging from art imprints to out and out scams like iUniverse or PublishAmerica or worse to lulu.com,   are printed by only two basic production companies.

The main one is called LightningSource (or LSI) which is an international giant that produces the vast majority of POD books for thousands of "presses".   
Another, much smaller outfit is called Paw Prints.    Therefore any imprint (even lulu) is a middleman and charges more than LSI.

The catch is that using LSI requires establishing an account, having an ISBN, and learning how to provide files that produce good-looking, properly formatted books.
They have a setup charge of under $100 dollars.   

There is MUCH disinformation on this all over the net, including on sites that should know better, such as the warnings against "POD"  (which they think means "vanity press") on the SFWA site.


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## Kinbote

Thanks lin. I'll bookmark that one for reference.


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## Linton Robinson

Two forums where you can get more information on self-publishing from people who actually do it are:

SELF PUBLISHERS PLACE

and

The POD FORUM


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## Sam

Great stuff, Lin. Cheers for that. 

I always assumed PoD and "vanity presses" were synonymous. Thanks for clearing that up. 

Would it be right to say that Authorhouse is PoD and Lulu is vanity? Or are both vanity?


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## Non Serviam

I'd say it's the other way round: Authorhouse is vanity and Lulu is PoD.


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## Mike C

All publishing is, essentially, vanity.


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## Olly Buckle

I think this may be what confused Sam, it confused me for a second.

Despite all the little presses out there, ranging from art imprints to out and out scams like iUniverse or PublishAmerica or worse to lulu.com, are printed by only two basic production companies.

I think he means:-
 ...from art imprints, via out and out scams, or worse, like iUniverse or PublishAmerica, to people like lulu.com ...

Not that lulu are worse than the out and out scams.


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## Wintermute

Good resources. Nice to see that authors have many options to get their work in print.


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## Linton Robinson

Yeah, a comma can make a lot of difference.
Should read



> Despite all the little presses out there, ranging from art imprints to out and out scams like iUniverse or PublishAmerica or worse*,* to lulu.com, are printed by only two basic production companies.



"Vanity" and "POD" are not too categories.   One is a business model, the latter is a means of production.


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## Olly Buckle

"too " categories?


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## Linton Robinson

No, they're just sort of kinda categories.


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## Julianne

While I agree that PublishAmerica is a printer to stay away from (mostly because of their deceptive practices and victimization of authors), I have to disagree about iUniverse being a "scam". Like Lulu, iUniverse is very upfront about what they do and what they charge. They have a good reputation.


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## Linton Robinson

It's more than they charge big bucks for things lulu does for free and don't do real publisher things... like selling the books.

I haven't dealt with them, so if you've had good experiences there and got what your wanted for your money, I'll  retract my comments on them.


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## froman

> You give up your rights, editorial control.



Does this mean that they can change your story without your consent?


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## Mike C

froman said:


> Does this mean that they can change your story without your consent?



Very late in the day to respond to this question, but I think it needs answering.

Reputable publishers will run all edits past the author for approval. Nothing gets changed without your consent. HOWEVER there will be times when you are given a fairly direct choice:

Publisher: "Ms Rowling, we love your new book Harry Potter and the Cauldron of Magic Mushrooms, but we're concerned that the title is a drug reference and the scene where Harry injects himself with Unicorn blood and rapes Hermione is a little strong. Then there is the episode with Snape and the 12 year old boy in bed together..."

Rowling: "They are important scenes and I will not change them."

Publisher: "As it stands the book is not commercially viable. Good luck finding another publisher."


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## The Wrong Writer

They can and do change your writing to suit themselves.  They have purchased the right to do so.   They might sugar coat it, but they have the last word.  Sucks.
And they don't do it when "choose another publisher" is an option.  They do it after the papers are signed and the editing is being done by some drone that had nothing to do with the acquisition and might even resent the fact that your book was even acquired.


BTW, why would it be "late" to contribute to a sticky post?  Isn't that what "stickiness" is for?


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## Mike C

The Wrong Writer said:


> They can and do change your writing to suit themselves.



Not so. Unless you've had a bad experience you'd like to share, I've never heard of that. Publishers are often quite bullish about their choice of title, for obvious reasons, but editing tenmds to be a collaborative provess, which is why the author is sent galleys to approve or disapprove final copy. And generally, they won't change anything; they'll suggest to you what may need to be changed and let you get on with it.


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## The Wrong Writer

> Not so. Unless you've had a bad experience you'd like to share, I've never heard of that.



I hear it all the time.   
There are reams of horror stories about this stuff on most websites where people post who have reached that point in their writing careers.   AbsoluteWrite, for example.
It's a constant bitchkitty when authors gather.  
The myth is "collaboration", and when it happens writers mention it in their front pages.   Obviously nobody writes an acknowledgement to a nazi editor with a confrontative or competitive relationship, but it happens.

Take a close look at a contract sometime.  From a big house.  With an eye to: who has the final say over what hits print.  Push come to shove.


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## KrisMunro

Mike C said:


> Publisher: "Ms Rowling, we love your new book Harry Potter and the Cauldron of Magic Mushrooms, but we're concerned that the title is a drug reference and the scene where Harry injects himself with Unicorn blood and rapes Hermione is a little strong. Then there is the episode with Snape and the 12 year old boy in bed together..."
> 
> Rowling: "They are important scenes and I will not change them."
> 
> Publisher: "As it stands the book is not commercially viable. Good luck finding another publisher."


Seems like we all missed out here.. to date, no one has published this awesome book. I can hardly wait.. 


I think most new writers are more likely to steer towards online publishing. The ease of use, cost, and ability to retain rights.. makes it hard to pass up. I'm not suggesting that it's a better way to go, but for some (most?), it may be the only option to get 'published'.

I wonder how many people have written great works, or even just 'a book', and never had it reach a shelf. How many unread books are out there... how many people have pushed aside their dream because of the publishing industry?

We're already in the digital age, and it will soon be common for people to have portable digital readers that holds hundreds of thousands of books. I agree that there's a certain elegance in a paper book, but digital readers offer so much more.

As this trend increases, publishing houses will falter and the average writer will succeed more often. By 'average' I mean in people, not writing style.

I'm in favour of digital readers, online book purchases, and an influx of writers that become popular because people love their work, not because they chanced upon a publisher that picked up their book.


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