Last time we looked at risk vs reward from the royalty publishers' point of view. Today, let's move over to our side of the market: subsidy publishing.

When dealing with a royalty publisher, they typically need to print in large runs to meet the economies of scale. Large corporations have large cost basis. Limited Edition Publishers is a small and nimble publishing firm with limited overhead and the ability to take the time and do a project right. Someone once said, "If you want it badly we'll do it badly!" That attitude does not exist here.

Conventions are often tiring and boring? Not the Southern California Genealogical Society's Jamboree. There is one thing you will hear a lot of when a bunch of genealogists get together—family stories.

Maybe because I am here as a publisher or maybe because genealogists cannot help but talk about their families, but people stop by my booth all day long and share some of the most interesting personal stories I have ever heard. And, these stories sure help pass the time.

I will share more on these stories as the show continues...

I'm currently co-authoring a book on virtual world addictions with a pair of psychologists and recently attended an addiction seminar in Las Vegas (of all places--no triggers there!).

After speaking with a number of professionals, I learned I what I had been telling people regarding royalties was wrong. For years I had stated new authors could expect royalties around 50 cents per book. "Fifty cents a book! Who are you kidding?" exclaimed one published author and psychologist. "I'm lucky to see FIFTEEN cents per book!"

You do all the work. They take all the risk. They make all the money.

Vanity publishing is similar to short-run publishing—both print and bind books. Only one has a reputation for insanity. Publishing companies of both types may offer services for the following:

The main difference between vanity press and short-run publishers is in the name, and vanity press has become a four letter word.

Subsidy publishers sit in the middle between royalty publishers and self publishers. Subsidies may pay royalties, but without advances. The author and the subsidy publisher will set an agreement in which the publisher will provide certain services in exchange for payment, royalties, and/or copyright. Usually, the publisher retains all the rights, the author will pay for all the copies he/she needs and the publisher pays royalties for books they sell.

On the surface, this may sound like a good deal for the author. No money upfront is great for the bank account. Hand over your manuscript and get a book in returen. However, an author needs to look at the whole picture.