“Robert T. Kiyosaki was turned down by several major houses before he published his own book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad, then hit it big on the NY Times list. Louise L. Hay’s self-published book, You Can Heal Your Life, was on the NY Times list for thirteen consecutive weeks. She went on to publish other powerhouses such as Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Suze Orman, Doreen Virtue, Sandra Brown, Tavis Smiley and many others.”

Non fiction. Non fiction. NON FICTION. Largely self-help. Granted I don’t know some of the names on that list (who the hell is Doreen Virtue and what have I been missing?) but on the whole self-publishing a novel is a disaster waiting to happen. And I would guess that the vast majority of those beating down the doors of Dellarte Press will NOT be writing self-help manuals.

I hope you can hear me cheering over here, from the cheap seats. You are doing a great service, Jackie, and I am 100% in agreement with you.

Harlequin is attempting to paint this as an “opportunity” for writers, but I guarantee you that is not how their board pitch was worded within their own company. It was all about the numbers — how much people will pay to use the service, how little it requires for Harlequin to do in exchange. It’s pure, sweet profit in a down economy. And hey, I’m a business person; I don’t disagree with finding income.

What I disagree with is using their reputation, and the reputation of their authors, to sell writers who aren’t ready to be published the idea that they shouldn’t have to work any harder — that money is the answer to their problem.

I’m sure you’ve been asked, as I have, “How much does it cost to be published, anyway?”

Makes me want to cry, really.

“While the number of self-published titles may have exceeded the number of “real” book titles in 2008, the number of actual sales of all those titles to readers is virtually zero. Before they all got swept under the Author Solutions rug, Author House and Xlibris reps told me at a Book Expo that “actual sales of titles average fewer than 100 copies, all of which are bought by the author.” The self-publishing industry ranks as a “bestseller” any book that sells over 500 copies.”

So once again: if you choose to self-publish or pay out the nose for an assisted self-publishing option, PLEASE KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GETTING INTO. Pretty please. With a cherry on top.

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You can read Grayson’s full post (made at the time the Harlequin mess initially broke) at:

http://graysonagency.com/blog/publishing/harlequin-horizons-a-mugs-game/