Anyone know where I can publish a book?

Question

I like to write stories and I have a few finished...but now I would like to publish them except I don't know where to go.

Answer 1

Authorhouse on every Top 10 Worst Publishers list. Every Writers Beware site from Preditors and Editors to Absolute Write Water Cooler Bewares and Background Checks and every one in between will tell you Authorhouse (formerly known as First Books) has lost so many lawsuits it is not funny. They are a sham. Xlibris is on most of the lists as well. They are also not recommended.

Lulu and Infinity are both vanity presses that cost money. Vanity publishing is only a good idea when you want books to give out to friends and family. Your books will not sell in bookstores. Bookstores do not carry self published books.

Let's talk about some positive ways for you to go here. Self publishing is not it.

There are basically 4 ways to sell short stories. To magazines, to e books, to anthologies and in contests.

In the first three ways you will find that pay for a story ranges from 5 bucks to about 25 bucks or between 1 and 5 cents a word. The reason for doing anthologies isn't to get rich, it is to get your name out there. Some pay nothing more than a copule copies of the book you're in.

Of course magazines like Playboy, Sports Illustrated, Esquire, GQ etc. pay a great deal more. However, they primarily deal with major authors and they hire them to write specific stories. Very rarely do major magazines accept a pitch from an unknown and tell them to go ahead with it.

As for contests, there are a few legit ones. Check with Absolute Write Water Cooler Bewares and Background Checks and Preditors and Editors. There are contests that pay 1,000 like Glimmer Train but they are very very hard to win. They are almost impossible to even sell a story to. Glimmer Train also charges a 35 dollar fee every time you enter a story.

Sorry but you will not be making thousands or even hundreds selling your stories. PJ M - a regular contributor here is a fairly well known anthology contributor. I have known him for several years now. I don't think he has ever gotten more than 50 bucks and a couple copies for a story. But it does get his name out there for the benefit of his longer works.

Hope that helps. Pax - C

Answer 2

www.lulu.com is pretty good for a book you want just for yourself.

To go the whole 9 yards, the self-publishing route is fastest. I would suggest reading Dan Poynter's excellent book on self-publishing ... he's the grand-daddy of the self-publishing world. :-)

Good luck!

Answer 3

Author House is a good one to use

Answer 4

Go here and check the links on the left Good luck and congrats.
http://paperworlds.googlepages.com/

Answer 5

Lulu, authorHouse, xlibris, Infinity, etc.