How Can You Tell the Difference Between a Traditional and Vanity Publisher?

New authors looking to get published may feel lost in a sea of publishers to consider. Pages and pages of companies come up in an online search. As authors click through and read up on the specifics of each company, it’s important to note: is it a traditional or vanity publisher?

Each author should decide upfront what type of publisher they want to submit to. Vanity publishers have their pros and cons, and traditional publishers have their pros and cons. Authors must decide which type is right for them.

The following is a quick reference chart to help authors differentiate:

There is a stigma with vanity publishing, as some think that the author was turned down by a traditional publisher and so had to self-publish. In some cases this may be true. There are exceptions, but overall it can be hard to get the media and bigger publishing houses to review a vanity published book. An author would need to sell a large number of their books to really be noticed or taken seriously, or find a really good agent who can work his magic.

On the other hand, it can be hard for authors to have their manuscript accepted for publishing by a traditional publisher. Some traditional companies don’t allow unsolicited manuscripts, which means the author must first find an agent willing to represent them. Other traditional publishers prefer to work with celebrities or established authors, or they may be too flooded with submissions to really get a chance to consider yours.

Each venue also has its positive aspects.

It is much easier to get accepted by a vanity publisher, meaning the book can get out on the market more quickly and it is a guarantee that it will be printed.

Some authors also choose vanity publishers because they want more control over their project. They want a say over each aspect of their book from beginning to end. An author working with a traditional publishing company typically signs a contract that can restrict some things, such as language, design, etc.

If an author wants to print on a small scale, they may choose to go with a vanity publisher. These types of companies print on demand This can be effective if an author writes for a very specific market and wants to control the flow of their books.

Authors that choose to go vanity also may want to get their manuscript printed more quickly—most traditional publishers’ average turnaround from acceptance to printing is 18 months, and for vanity it is much less.

More and more authors are using vanity publishing houses, so it is definitely filling a market that people want.

In fact, there has been a huge shift in the number of books published by traditional publishing vs. print-on-demand/self publishing companies. From 2007 to 2008, there was a 132 percent increase in the number of POD/self-published books published, while the number of books published by traditional publishers went down, according to Bowker. In 2008, more than 560,000 new books were published in the U.S. and about half were self-published or print-on-demand titles.

Traditional publishing houses offer a different set of services that vanity publishers don’t that other authors seek. A traditional publisher provides quality editing services by a professional editor. This is not a quick process, but that is because it’s more than checking grammar and spelling—a professional editor at a traditional publishing company helps to develop the manuscript in an effort to make it more marketable. This is a huge plus that authors should consider. Some vanity publishers offer some editing services, but are typically are not as high quality and usually charge extra for those services.

Cover design is also an area where traditional publishing companies shine. As authors consider a traditional publishing company, a company’s cover design services should be a priority. Check out their past covers and compare them with other companies. American Book Publishing is one such traditional publishing company with many examples of its covers designed by professional designers.

One thing that may be confusing to new authors is how payment and fees are set up. There is a wide range of ways different publishing companies set up how they are paid: upfront fees, returnable deposits, royalties on book sales, etc.

In general vanity publishers require authors pay upfront, and some charge extra for additional services. In general, traditional publishing companies don’t charge upfront fees and are paid via their cut of book sales. For both vanity and traditional, authors earn royalties on book sales, some higher or lower than others, and that will also change depending on how an author chooses to set up sales and distribution (for example, an author can earn more selling direct from his own stock than through regular bookstores).

Some traditional publishing companies offer advances, but that is becoming more rare and is usually for celebrities and authors who already have books that are selling well. Even then, amounts offered have been declining as well. Harper Collins Publishing, for example, is doing away with advances and experimenting with other payment models on one of its imprints, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. It can be hard for book publishers to make money on every book, so it’s definitely a financial business move when a company shifts more of the risk to the author. It’ll be interesting to see if advances go by the wayside altogether in the future.

Back to the example of traditional publishers American Book Publishing, the company does offer a cash advance book contract to successfully published authors and celebrities. It also has a new author program where it requires a small returnable deposit to ensure authors successfully complete the publishing process; with many publishing companies working online and never meeting authors in person, it can be hard to tell serious authors from not so serious ones, and a returnable deposit has been an effective way for the company to be able to represent new, but very dedicated authors, according to the company’s director.

Traditional publishing companies also have marketing departments dedicated to guiding authors and providing assistance where possible. Even if an author works with a traditional publisher, he should still expect to be the backbone of their book’s marketing campaign and develop a strong promotional plan—the company’s marketing department can offer tips and assistance in that area and customize marketing strategies for its authors.

Traditional publishers also provide distribution services and keep a stock of titles to be able to supply books to bookstores on a returnable no questions asked basis. Books still may go out of print, however, if the title does not sell well.

When it’s all said and done, authors must choose for themselves what type of company fits best with them and their manuscript. Be it vanity or traditional—there is a publisher out there for just about everyone.