tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post116885627835999149..comments2024-03-28T13:18:28.238+00:00Comments on Grumpy Old Bookman: Books worth notingMichael Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11338398159818400930noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1168896591890118142007-01-15T21:29:00.000+00:002007-01-15T21:29:00.000+00:00Humorous science fiction nsounds interesting - tha...Humorous science fiction nsounds interesting - thanks for letting us know about it!<BR/><BR/>Hope this finds you well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1168875276551072422007-01-15T15:34:00.000+00:002007-01-15T15:34:00.000+00:00Indeed, it can be enough to confuse the Devil hims...Indeed, it can be enough to confuse the Devil himself, Simon. I guess one could say that "the POD avenue of self publishing" has gone through some delightful transformations and while some still feel this need to disguise the fact that they're self published, more and more are quite open about it and taking advantage of the unique benefits over traditional publishers. <BR/><BR/>I guess we'd all love to have Simon & Schuster lapping at our heels (only to be forgotten on the trash heap six months later), but those who enter self publishing with open eyes and grounded expectations based on their actual quality (versus fantasized quality) and willingness to market--if they even want to--can end their day quite happily.<BR/><BR/>I enjoyed your comment and best of luck to you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1168869582194428682007-01-15T13:59:00.000+00:002007-01-15T13:59:00.000+00:00Thanks, Andrew. At the foot of my article I do say...Thanks, Andrew. At the foot of my article I do say that corrections and clarifications are welcome. <BR/><BR/>The articles were written a few years ago now, although I tweak them and update the links from time to time. When I first looked into it, Vanity was where you paid thousands and got a garage full of posh looking books. POD publishers were firms who got the author to pay for publication but pretended they didn't. Self publishing was organising the whole job yourself, from editing to cover design to printing. And POD was just a process: print on demand.<BR/><BR/>I'll have to re-read the articles and clarify anything which seems unclear.Simon Hayneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02660767551431793439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1168867958634772972007-01-15T13:32:00.000+00:002007-01-15T13:32:00.000+00:00I was a little worried when Mr. Haynes started off...I was a little worried when Mr. Haynes started off on his web site with a definition: "self-publishing is where you lay your manuscript out like a book and have a company print and bind x number of copies for you." That's clearly a description of the old style "vanity press," not self publishing, per se.<BR/><BR/>Further down, he does go on to acknowledge "POD" as another form of self publishing, but seems to stay a bit lost in his own definitions.<BR/><BR/>Vanity and POD are very different roads to "self publishing." I agree with him that "vanity" is not the way to go in the world of self-publishing, but let's label it properly ("vanity")so as to avoid confusion.<BR/><BR/>I don't know if you could even find a vanity press, any more, but those who froth at POD love to label it as vanity printing (it appears Mr. Haynes is just a bit loose with his terminology). Regardless of intent, however, I think it's crucial that we keep the terminology straight.<BR/><BR/>Spacejock is a great idea and sounds like fun to read--Tom Swift Jr with two left feet? Nice to see someone still writes with a humorous streak these days!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1168864385265123302007-01-15T12:33:00.000+00:002007-01-15T12:33:00.000+00:00Thanks for the mention Michael, you've gone ahead ...Thanks for the mention Michael, you've gone ahead and made my day.<BR/><BR/>And thanks for your comment, Julia. 'Soon' isn't correct, though ... I signed with the John Jarrold Literary Agency late last year in the hope that a UK publisher would be found for the books. It's early days yet.Simon Hayneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02660767551431793439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6656468.post-1168862498300750482007-01-15T12:01:00.000+00:002007-01-15T12:01:00.000+00:00Simon Hayes is a legend. I hear talk of his books ...Simon Hayes is a legend. I hear talk of his books being made available in UK shops soon.Julia Buckleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05979321535612745986noreply@blogger.com